Page 32 of Courting the Earl
This was happening so much faster than she’d anticipated. She should be terrified at the mere thought of taking such an irrevocable step with this man. If anyone learned about their affair, she would be ruined.
But she didn’t care. She wasn’t looking for a husband. Yes, there had been a few gentlemen over the past few years who’d expressed interest in courting her, but she’d turned them all away. Her first duty had been to Lydia.
Now though, who knew what the future would hold? Many already considered her too old to marry. She’d come to terms with the fact that she’d waited too long and was now destined to be a spinster. But while she didn’t regret turning away any of those men, she would regret losing this opportunity with Hargrove.
She clutched the key and nodded. When he offered her his arm, she took it and followed him to his carriage.
Chapter 18
Seated within the comfort of Hargrove’s carriage, Eleanor considered his last words to her before he closed the door. If you change your mind, ask the driver to take you home.
His concern for her, even when it was clear he very much wanted her to proceed to Abigail’s former home, only served to convince her she’d made the right choice.
Still, she took the time to search her heart for even a hint of doubt. There was no denying she was nervous. She knew what to expect, but knowing and experiencing were two different things. But she could no longer escape the truth of her feelings for Lord Hargrove. Even if they could never be together, she wanted to experience the act of intimacy with a man she loved.
She hadn’t wanted to admit her feelings while he was still betrothed to her cousin, but now they were both free. More importantly, Lydia had given her blessing. Not that her cousin expected Eleanor to engage in a love affair with the man, but Lydia was young and she was a romantic. Eleanor was more practical.
Calm had settled over her by the time the carriage reached its destination. Eleanor thanked the carriage driver, who had come around to help her down, and made her way into the small brick town house.
The silence seemed to echo around her as she closed the door behind her. She didn’t know whether Hargrove had another key, so she left the door unlocked.
She turned right into what was clearly the drawing room. The house was still furnished, but a fine layer of dust had settled on most of the surfaces. It was a welcome sight because it meant there would be no servants intruding on their privacy. Looking at her, judging her. And there would be no danger that gossip might make it back to her uncle’s household.
She settled into an armchair to wait. Fifteen minutes passed before she heard someone at the front door. She rose, only then realizing that perhaps it would have been better to hide. What if someone else also had access to this house?
She almost sagged with relief when Hargrove appeared. Their gazes locked.
He entered the room. “You’re here.”
“You thought I’d change my mind?”
He closed the distance between them. He was within arm’s reach when he stopped. She wanted to throw herself into his arms, but uncertainty about how to proceed had her remaining frozen in place.
“I didn’t believe you would, but one can never be certain.”
He lifted a hand, and she placed her ungloved hand in his without hesitation. She’d removed her gloves while waiting for him. Given what was about to happen, it seemed silly to insist on the formality of keeping her hands encased within the white linen. “You can be sure about me.”
He brought her hand to his lips, his eyes lighting with what could only be called devilish delight before he flipped her hand over and pressed a kiss onto her palm. Shock raced through her when she felt the tip of his tongue.
“I look forward to tasting you all over,” he murmured, his breath coasting along the small wet patch and increasing her skin’s sensitivity.
“Good heavens. Now I understand why we’re admonished to keep our gloves on while in the presence of a gentleman.”
He barked out a surprised laugh. Keeping her hand firmly in his, he turned and led her from the room and up to the second floor of the house. With every step, anticipation grew within her until it was a living, breathing thing. The shocking feel of his tongue on her hand had her wondering how it would feel elsewhere on her body.
She took a deep breath and pushed back those thoughts. This first time was going to hurt. Would there be another? Perhaps she should have asked him what would happen afterward, but she found that she didn’t care. Whether they would be together once or several times over the remainder of the season, she still wanted to be with him.
She glanced sideways at him when he stopped before a door and looked inside. With a shake of his head, he took her with him and repeated his actions until he found the room he was looking for.
He didn’t bother to close the bedroom door after they entered the room. There was no need since no one was here.
Hargrove dropped her hand and turned to face her, his eyes dark with emotion. “If I were a true gentleman, I’d give you one more opportunity to change your mind.”
She took one step closer. Mere inches separated them. “If I were a proper lady, I wouldn’t be here.”
Seconds stretched as the air became heavy. He stared down at her. Somehow she knew what he wanted without having to hear the words. He was waiting for her to make the first move.
She closed those last few inches, leaned into his body, and wrapped her arms around his neck to bring his head down to hers. With a groan, he held her against him and kissed her, his mouth moving against hers with heated urgency.
