Page 82 of An Earl's Christmas Seduction
“And I love you, too,” he whispered, as now Amelia lay on her back, clasping at his head as he traced a trail of kisses down the length of her body.
With a sudden cry, gasping, she felt his tongue enter her pleasure, his fingers, too, searching her out. A heat now rose in her loins, a shudder of ecstasy running through her, and she let out a cry, and she pulled at his hair, biting her lip lest her cries become louder, even as she was flooded with ever greater pleasure at his touch.
But Amelia wanted more. There could be no holding back, not now. They had shared too much, and as he rose to kiss her once again, she pulled him closer into her embrace.
“Don’t hold back,” she said, gazing up into his eyes, and now, he brought his lips to hers, and a sudden and overwhelming sensation flooded through her. The same pain mixed with pleasure as before.
But this time, Amelia was ready for it, her own rhythm now taking over, controlling the pleasure they now shared. She bucked her hips, pulling him closer, then easing back their bodies as one, each of them caught up in their shared ecstasy.
Amelia closed her eyes, the heat in her loins now rising, their rhythm growing faster, each with their arms around the other, willing one another to greater heights of pleasure. Amelia was overwhelmed, and with a sudden shudder, the ecstatic rush flooded through her. And with a gasp, Nicholas, too, gave forth, his seed erupting into her. Together, they lay back, still with their arms around one another, breathless, their lips meeting in a kiss.
“You’re so beautiful, Amelia… everything about you. I love everything about you,” he whispered, as their lips parted.
“And I love everything about you, too,” she replied.
Now, they lay next to one another, and Amelia rested her head on his chest as he ran his fingers through her hair. She could not have felt happier than in that moment, caught up in the memory of all they had shared, and hope for all that was to come.
“Will you stay with me tonight?” he asked, and Amelia nodded.
“And every night, if I can,” she said, for she did not want to leave his side, even for a moment.
“I feel just the same, though I fear some time apart is inevitable. I have a house in London that I’ve not used in many years. But I could have it opened up. I could be close to you. We could get to know one another better,” he said, and Amelia smiled.
“I’d like that. Yes… truly, I would. But… I don’t want to leave Ashworth House. There’s something about it… I feel… well, I wanted to leave, of course. But now I know the truth. I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else,” she replied, fearing the thought of leaving him, even as she knew she must.
“As long as we’re together, Amelia. That’s all that matters. Ashworth House will still be here when we return; as man and wife,” he said, and Amelia looked up at him in wide-eyed amazement.
“As man and wife?” she said, and he nodded.
“Nothing about all this has been as it should be, has it? Why should my proposal be any different? Let’s not tell the others we’re courting. Let’s tell them we’re to be married. I know it’s madness, but… after everything that’s happened… how close we came to losing one another… don’t you think we should seize the moment?” he asked.
Amelia was astonished, but his words rang true. Why should they hold back? There was no reason to do so. A courtship would surely lead to a marriage proposal, and if they were certain there was no reason to hold back.
“I do,” she replied, and he leaned up and kissed her.
“But we should still keep the matter of our intimacy a secret,” he said, and Amelia laughed.
She could only imagine what the likes of her mother and Lady Thornton would say if they discovered what had passed between them, even as Amelia had no doubt as to what had surely passed between Clara and Edmund and Isobel and Harry, too. A house party was never without its intrigues, and the Christmas they had spent together at Ashworth House was no exception.
“There’re some things no one else needs to know,” Amelia said, and Nicholas pulled her closer into his embrace.
“And there’re some things I want to tell the whole world about, but not until tomorrow,” he said, yawning, as Amelia slipped her arms around him.
She was tired despite having slept for most of the day. She knew she would need to wake up early to slip back to her own bedroom. There was nothing she wanted more than to spend the night with Nicholas. The candle on the mantelpiece was guttering, the fire in the hearth burning low, and Amelia felt only a sense of peace at being in his arms.
“Then let’s just enjoy this moment together, and think about the rest tomorrow,” she replied, as now they fell asleep in one another’s arm, each finding the peace they had so longed for, the peace that seemed impossible, but was now theirs.
Chapter 27
“They say the roads will be cleared by tomorrow. Some of the local men, laborers from the farms, have been digging a path through. That’s what the maid who brought my tea this morning told me,” Lady Turner said, as the company sat at breakfast the next morning.
Amelia had successfully returned to her own bedroom before Elsie had come to help her dress, and now she glanced across the table at Nicholas, who caught her eye and smiled. To wake up in his arms had been a perfect moment, and they had lingered in bed for a while, whispering of the possibilities the day would bring.
They had decided not to immediately announce their betrothal, fearing the others would think it too sudden. But there was to be no holding back when it came to their courtship, and Amelia intended to inform her mother of the happy truth that very day.
“Does that mean ye’ll be askin’ us all to leave ye, my Lord?” the viscount said, and the others laughed.
Nicholas paused, about to take a sip of coffee, and smiled.
