Page 44 of Taming of the Rake
Regina took a deep, slow breath, reeling from the impact of those words. He uttered them so casually, as if he hadn’t given them a second thought before opening his mouth. He finished her boots but remained on his knees, hands resting on her ankles.
“Were you mine, it would gratify me to watch other men make fools of themselves over you and be secure in the knowledge that none of them could have what’s mine. It would delight me to gaze at you from across the room and watch your cheeks flush at the memory of what I’d done to you hours before, and what I plan to do to you when I get you alone again.”
“David … oh!”
Her fingers tightened around the seat of the stool as David pushed her legs wider, urging her chemise up to her hips. His gaze was fixated between her thighs, where she was already slick and wanting. Their one perfect night together had not been enough. David had awakened something in Regina that she feared could never be put back to sleep. The yearning was tearing her apart, eating her alive, consuming her entirely.
“I cannot help myself,” he whispered, lowering his head to nuzzle at her mons. His tongue flicked at the seam, and Regina shivered with anticipation. “It’s been too long, and I missed you. I missedthis.”
A startled gasp flew from her lips as he put his mouth on her. He made an appreciative sound as if tasting something sweet, both hands bracing on her thighs to keep her open. Regina’s back arched and her arms shook with the strain of keeping upright as he licked and sucked her as if starving for every last drop of her resulting wetness. Her legs were trembling within seconds, heat and ecstasy erupting in her womb and expanding out to encompass her entire body. The artful movements of his tongue were precise and purposeful, lacking the playfulness of their last encounter—almost as if he were in a hurry to get to the matter at hand.
This was no leisurely exploration giving her room to grow accustomed to the intimate invasion of his tongue. It was an onslaught, one that grew more intense with each passing second. One of his hands crept up her body, snatching Regina’s chemise off one shoulder and baring her breast. She threw her head back and moaned when he cupped it, his thumb and forefinger teasing the nipple. Each tug and squeeze sent waves of sensation washing through her middle, exacerbating the pleasure of his tongue rubbing her clit in the perfect, exquisite rhythm.
She climaxed in mere minutes, shaking and sighing, thighs clenched on either side of his shoulders as he slid a finger inside her and heightened the finish with swift, precise strokes. He came up on his haunches, licking his lips and covering her legs as she struggled for air and composure. She was quite out of sorts, uncertain how he had gone from helping her dress to being on his knees with his head between her legs.
David stood, revealing the swollen ridge outlined at the front of his breeches. Moisture pooled in Regina’s mouth at the sight of it, her cunny clenching for want of him inside her. Following her gaze downward, he laughed, then urged her to her feet.
“I think not. You have distracted me enough tonight, and I will not be swayed. We are going out, and you will simply have to wait until we return.”
It was difficult to feel disappointed after the explosive orgasm he’d just treated her to, so Regina bowed to his wishes. They made quick work of her stays and petticoat, and before Regina knew it, she wore the gown and its matching coat, her hair pulled into a simple knot.
“Perfect,” David declared, before taking her hand and leading her from the room. “That shade of green is stunning on you, by the way.”
Regina’s cheeks heated, but she offered no response as they descended the stairs. It was odd, being the recipient of such praise. She hadn’t been offered such treatment since her courtship with Randolph. Her husband’s effusive compliments and gestures of affection had dried up after the wedding, and Regina had not realized how starved she was for kindness of any sort. For someone to tell her she looked well in green, or that she was lovely, seemed so trifling. And yet, just now they felt like a gift—one she had been anticipating for years and years.
Powell awaited them in the entrance hall, a pair of Regina’s kid gloves held in his meaty hands. He traded a wary glance with David before giving her a questioning look. “Will you require my presence this evening, ma’am?”
She gave him a smile and accepted the gloves. Regina heard the question he did not ask aloud and noticed his perusal of her attire. He looked pleased to see her out of black, yet also uncertain about her leaving in the company of David. Leaving him alone with her in the bedchamber was one thing. Allowing Regina depart in his company was quite another, and they both knew it.
It felt like a massive weight had been lifted off her shoulders as she shook her head. “No, Powell. I think perhaps you ought to take the rest of the evening off and rest. I’ll be perfectly safe with Mr. Graham.”
Powell’s stunned look told her he could hardly believe his ears. Regina had to admit she had shocked herself, but in a good way. She trusted David in a way she had only ever trusted Powell. Her courtesan had earned that with his patience and persistence.
“Very well,” Powell replied, though he was now looking at David with a clear warning in his eyes.
Regina knew that look. The man could promise violence and mayhem without even speaking a word—one of the reasons she suspected her husband had kept him around for so long. If she were being honest, it was one of the reasons she felt safe with him. It was difficult to be afraid of anyone or anything with Powell nearby.
Tucking her hand into the crook of his arm, David gave the footman a nod, as if acknowledging the silent threat.
“I’ll see her home safely. You have my word.”
With a grunt, Powell opened the door for them, revealing that her carriage had been readied and stood waiting for them.
“I hope you don’t mind,” he said while guiding her down the front steps. “My own carriage is in need of repair, and I want you to be comfortable for the drive into Preston.”
She waited until he had settled her on the carriage squabs and climbed in after her before offering a reply. “Preston, at this time of night? Whatever for?”
The carriage rocked as her driver set off, clearly having been given his orders by David already. He smiled, his teeth a brilliant flash in the dim interior of the vehicle.
“My dear, I am taking you to a public house.”
David was far tooamused at Regina’s wide-eyed shock when he ushered her through the door of The Crimson Dove. He might have never brought a gently bred lady into such a place if not for the fact that tonight, this particular public house was hosting a dance assembly. He had gotten wind of it through one of his tenants, and it occurred to him that he hadn’t been to a party in months. The last few routs he attended in London had been frightfully dull.
There would be no observance of the social niceties of thetonhere, and it was exactly why David had wanted to come. Like him, Regina had no true connection to the nobility, but neither was she of the class of people currently filling the public house from wall to wall. This lessened the likelihood of her being recognized, and he hoped it would also prove enough to allow her to unwind and enjoy herself.
It didn’t take much prompting to urge her to stay close to him as they weaved their way through the crowded taproom. A partition that usually separated this main room from another had been pushed open, widening the space for dancing. The tables that typically sat clustered in the center of the room were pushed to the perimeter, many of them laden with platters of food. The aromas of fresh bread and ale mingled with those of several bodies—some sweetly perfumed and others unwashed, all cloistered together in the humid box of a room.
Near one of the hearths, a trio of musicians plied their trade for coin. As long as the hat resting at the feet of the fiddler was kept filled with shillings, they would play to the delight of those who wished to dance. Mingling with the music were dozens of raised voices in a tangle of accents and inflections.
