Page 73 of Under the Seductive Ladys Charm
He leaned over and brushed his lips against hers. She shivered at the feeling of his beard as he placed kisses on her cheek and then her ear. “Thought I said you could call me Graham.”
Charlotte nodded, her tongue felt thick and she struggled to speak as his lips found her neck. “Graham,” she managed to get out in a strangled whisper.
She felt as much as heard his chuckle. He lifted his head and met her eyes. “Yes, Charlotte?”
She shook her head. There was nothing she wanted. Not in all of the world was there something she wanted more than this. She stood up on her tip-toes and pressed her lips against his.
*
Graham closed his eyes as Charlotte kissed him with such a sweet tenderness it was slowly crumbling his defences. It had been a mistake to take her back into his arms. She was too warm, too compliant, and far too tempting.
Oblivious to Graham’s inner struggle, Charlotte pressed herself against him and slipped her arms around his neck. It would be so easy to give in. Yet, Graham fought back against the rising tide of his desire.
This was no place for a lady to have her first such encounter. No. Charlotte should be pleasured slowly in a soft bed, with all the gentleness he could muster. Thoughts of what he might do to her in that bed made him all the more hard, and he reluctantly pushed her away.
“What is it?” Charlotte asked through little pants that spoke of her own eagerness.
Now that he had a few inches of space he could at least gain some semblance of control over himself. He stepped back out from under the tree’s cover to let the rain wash over him fully. The cold water hitting his skin was wonderful at soothing away the urges.
Charlotte tentatively stepped out into the rain as well, and Graham silently cursed himself for not realising that she would follow. The rain pelted down over her, wetting her hair and her lovely face, but all the more disconcerting it was wetting her dress.
Graham grabbed her by her hand and shouted over the rain. “Come on! We need to make it back to the house. It does not look as if this rain is going to let up any time soon.”
Charlotte was left with little choice but to follow him as he still had her hand. He did not push her to run too fast, and they did stop to breathe once under a tree before tackling the lawns. Running was a great distraction and Graham was relieved that he was finally in full control of himself again.
When they reached the patio Charlotte exclaimed, “Oh my dress!”
“You have more,” he reminded her.
Charlotte sighed as he held the door open for her. She slipped past him, a bit closer than necessary Graham thought. He gave her a wry smile, which she returned. She fell into step beside him as they went down the hallway. “Still, I do not think Mrs. Sullivan will appreciate the water being dripped through the house.”
“I pay her,” Graham reminded Charlotte.
She giggled. Graham had never heard a truer giggle from the young woman. He looked at her with a smile.
Charlotte whispered, “I forget who you are. It is quite a horrible way you have about you that makes women forget themselves.”
“I have a way about me?” Graham thought it a humorous thing, but he was curious as to what Charlotte meant.
She nodded and said, “Of course you do. It is probably why the duchess clings to you so. I have seen other women do it as well. Their eyes follow you.”
“They sound as if they need spectacles.” Graham teased.
Charlotte waved off his teasing. “Think what you want, Lord Easterly,” she said the name with great effect and Graham smiled, “But you cannot stop how people see you.”
“Very true, Miss Browne,” he said with the same emphasis on her name.
It had been a miracle that they had not met anyone on the way to their rooms to change. He imagined the look on Charlotte’s face and chuckled to himself as he went into his own room. He pulled the rope to summon Victor.
The valet appeared a few moments later from a side door. “What on earth happened to you?” Victor had blurted out the question, but added, “My pardons, your lordship, but you are drenched.”
“I am vaguely aware of that fact,” Graham assured him. “I got caught in a rainstorm while I was out for a walk.”
Victor shook his head and paced around Graham. “The way that fabric clings, it might be easier to cut it off,” Victor complained, but dutifully began to help Graham undress.
Graham ignored the man. At least Victor did not walk on eggshells around him. Several of the household staff that were not familiar with him nearly jumped out of their skin as soon as he walked into a room.
“And where did this come from?” Victor stood up and waved a light-purple thread in front of Graham.
