Page 40 of Kiss Me Lady One More Time
Damnation, but it felt good. Tingling sensations raced from his scalp and down along his spine. She opened beneath him and he swept his tongue home, teasing and stroking until they were both breathing heavily.
Pulling away, he set his mouth against her neck and kissed the quivering spot where her pulse beat wildly.
Her head tilted, giving him more freedom to nuzzle a path back up the slope of her neck until he reached her ear.
The crash of a dropped crate in the entry startled them both.
“We should stop,” he said roughly, straightening enough to look into her eyes.
“Yes.”
“This isn’t wise.”
“Not at all.” She rose on her toes and pulled him back down.
“What in blazes do you call this sort of collar?” he asked, nuzzling past the high point and setting the bell tassel to swinging.
“A pagoda collar,” she said, shivering as he breathed his way up her nape.
“It’s my new favorite.” He spread the fabric wide and breathed in her ear, teased her with the lightest of kisses, then gently nipped her earlobe.
She gasped and gave a great shiver. “Do it again,” she whispered.
Chuckling, he obliged, and he used his foot to move aside a small landscape so that he could press her against the wall. She went willingly and when he eased his hands from her waist, down over her hips, she grinned up at him. “Now you’ve got me where I want you.”
He laughed. She was such a delight. And indomitable—in the very best way. Devil take it, he wanted to pull her close and hold her forever, while their hearts thumped in shared rhythm—even as he knew he had to push away, to put an end to this.
Just, not yet.
He bent to kiss her again. Tiny, soft kisses all along her mouth. Her lips trembled beneath his onslaught and fell open and he slid inside, smooth as silk. His fingers began to undo the buttons of her carriage dress, one by one. There was still the soft, simple dress of cambric beneath, but it was easily pulled aside. Finally, he revealed enough skin to press his mouth into.
Arching her back a little, she slid her hands inside his coat.
“So soft,” he whispered. “I smell lavender. The countess and her sachets have got to you.”
“Yes,” she laughed. “There is no escape.”
None for her either, as he worked at the ties of her stays. He ran his tongue over her collarbone and her hands moved restlessly over his chest.
There. At last. He’d uncovered the pale valley between her breasts. With gentle kisses and the slightest, softest touches of his tongue, he heightened the tension and her excited anticipation.
Exquisitely slow, he pushed her stays aside. “Lovely. So damned lovely.” The pale bud of her nipple thrust toward him. Watching her face, he eased down and gently licked it.
“Oooh.” Her eyes closed and her mouth fell open. He set to pleasuring her, circling and teasing the rosy tip until it peaked, and she was writhing. With his fingers, he pinched and rolled her other nipple, and at last he covered her with his mouth and sucked. She arched into him again, encouraging, silently asking for more and her hands came up to grip his shoulders.
“I see the mistress’s carriage!” The call came clear and loud.
He let her nipple pop out of his mouth. His eyes cast up and they shared a long, frustrated and resigned look.
She straightened and so did he. With shaking fingers, she began to retie her stays. He helped and together they got her buttoned and back together. When she was fully restored, he set his hands on her waist and pulled her close again. “One last kiss,” he whispered.
She obliged him. It was slow and deep—and then it was done.
“It’s just as well,” he whispered. “We let ourselves get carried away.”
She moved away as they heard the outer door open. Murmuring sounded just outside the door. When Lady Tresham came in, looking sour, Penelope had the portrait in hand and a smile on her face. “Good afternoon, once again, my lady,” she called. “Will you tell me who this fascinating lady is?”
Chapter 10
