Page 23 of When He Was Wicked
Thump. Thump. Thump. How fast his heart beat, and Verity knew it was for her. She withdrew from his arms and glanced up at him. She was venturing into unknown territory. Verity should be scared, but she was enthralled.
She lifted his hand to her lips and kissed his palm.Stop!Deep down, a frightened part of her cried, but she did not obey. James closed his eyes briefly, as if he hoarded the feel of her lips on his skin. He hauled her up to him, and when she gasped, he took her mouth with his. James brushed the lightest of kisses across her mouth before capturing her lower lip between his teeth to bite down gently, teasing her lips to part with soft nibbles and hot, urgent kisses.
Soft whimpering noises escaped from deep in her throat, and she was helpless to stop. Verity had never felt more gloriously, joyously alive in all her life.
CHAPTER NINE
James felt a deep conviction that he would regret yielding to the temptation of the woman in his arms. But she’d lifted her sweet face to his and he became lost. He stumbled with her to the chaise longue by the fire, and twisted so she landed atop his chest, never once releasing her mouth from his. Verity’s moan slipped from her mouth to his, the sound so soft…surprised yet wanton, James felt he finally understood the true meaning of hunger. It flamed through him like a fiery whip of desire, and he kissed her over and over, unable to recall her innocence in the face of such enticing carnality.
One kiss from her would never be enough, and he had known a man with his brutish and inelegant ways would never have suited a fine lady of quality as herself. Earl or no, she wanted a certain refinement and he did not possess that, and never would, even with a thousand lessons. Even now, a brutal ache pounded through his cock, demanding he ravish her with the hottest of pleasures.
He bit her lower lip and tugged, sliding his tongue inside heaven. Her nails bit into his shoulder, and their tongues tangled in bliss. Her husky whimpers seemed to take hold ofhis groin and give a tug. Sweet mercy, he wanted her. His loins were aching and heavy, and he wanted to take her upstairs, strip her naked, worship her with open-mouthed, lascivious kisses against her wet sex, before burying his cock deep, and riding her for the night.
Lost in the haze of roaring needs and a burning desire he had been denying, he gripped her hips and positioned her, so she sat astride him. They broke apart, breathing raggedly, and peering into each other’s eyes. For some reason he anticipated a slap to his cheek for his audacity. But his lovely Verity only stared at him, passionate shock in her golden eyes.
“I ache,” she said softly.
The space between them heated, and his control wavered. “I burn.”
Without breaking her gaze, he tightened his grip on her hips and rocked her down and over the hard ridge of his cock which strained against his trousers.
Her cheeks flushed, her lips parted, and her eyes widened. James did it again and a wild cry tore from her throat. Even through the layers of her gown and petticoats, she would feel the sensations as he slid her down, then up in a slow sensuous glide over the hardened length of his cock. Her eyes clouded with dazed delight, and something hungry throbbed inside of him to relinquish control and be the right kind of wicked.
He slid one of his hands down, dragging her dress and crinkling petticoats up as he stroked along her stocking-clad leg past her garter. He then wrapped his fingers around her bare thigh. The need that tore through him was a savage, demanding, relentless ache. His palm found the inside of her thigh, stroked, caressed, as he savored the feeling of her softness.
James fiercely reminded himself she had been through hell, a genteel lady who’d come to him for protection and he wouldnot take advantage of her innocent sensuality. Not when enough men in her life had disappointed her.
She pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “I have never felt anything as beautiful as when you kissed me.”
The softly whispered words cut through his heart and left him bleeding, vulnerable, and he did not like the need and uncertainty pouring through him. It felt like everything had change.
“Verity, I—”
With a choked sob of need, she thrust her fingers through his hair, lifting his face to her as she lowered hers to meet his lips. Her fists knotted in his hair, on his shoulders, at the small of his back as she became the ravisher and he the seduced. James fell under her spell, willingly, and it was he who became enslaved to the driving demands of her kisses which bespoke innocence and a wild, burgeoning passion.
A girl of less strength of character might have succumbed to seduction, burning in wild passion, without thoughts of consequences. But not his Verity. Another choked sob came from her and she shimmied off his lap to sit beside him. He braced for her to jump from the chaise and perhaps call him every deserving name in the book—a wicked seducer, a despoiler of innocents, a disgraceful libertine. She did neither, and an emotion he would never be able to quantify rose in his chest like a storm when she leaned to the side and rested her head against his shoulder.
“Will this brief moment of madness ruin our friendship?” she murmured huskily.
And somewhere inside he hurt, though he could not explain it in full. How happy he would have been if she had demanded that he paid a visit to her brother and did the honorable thing. For he would marry her…in a heartbeat. Would she resent him if he took the choice from her and called upon her brother?
A brief moment of madness. If he respected her and the choices she wanted to make for her life, he would have to chalk up their soul-shattering kisses to a moment of madness and nothing more. It was clear that was what she wanted. His stomach twisted in tight, painful knots. “Nothing could ruin our friendship.”It is too precious. “We must simply ensure this…madness does not happen again.”
She made no reply and he did not require one from her. They stayed like that for a few minutes, before he stood. Without question she followed him as he led her outside and into the carriage. Verity did not question it when he hauled himself inside the coach and sat on the squabs opposite to her. James escorted her home, and they did so in silence. And when the coachman opened the carriage door and assisted her down, he watched as she disappeared into the safe haven of her home.
It was early yet, just midnight, perhaps he could visit the club or even White’s. Yet James did neither. He went home, climbed into his bed, and dreamt of Lady Verity.
Three days had passedsince Verity had been seared with desire, her world upended, her expectations of passion shattered and reshaped, by a kiss. She had not been able to stop thinking about the feel and taste of Lord Maschelly’s mouth upon hers. For the dozenth time, she pressed trembling fingers to her lips and closed her eyes. She could still feel him there, a ghost determined to haunt her with wicked memories of passion and possibilities. Even when the marquess had kissed her before he had revealed himself a vile brute, she had never felt anything beyond mild frustration and annoyance for she had not found pleasure in his embrace.
Not so with James. There had only been desire. And most distressing of all…I want you to kiss me again. Did that make her a wanton…a tart? It had been a similar recklessness which had caused her to trust a blackguard and he had attacked her. What if—?
No! Something fierce and unexpected welled inside of Verity.I shall not blame myself for his vile actions anymore. And the earl would never force himself on her. The man had honor, and a kindness that was unmatched in anyone she knew.
But what did it mean that she wanted to kiss him again, perhaps even do more?
She sucked in a sharp breath, do more?Oh, I am being a silly, silly miss!
The door to the earl’s townhouse opened unexpectedly, and the butler stared down at her with a baffled frown on his face. Verity blushed for she had been standing outside for at least five minutes, lost in thoughts and indecision. The butler possibly had been aware she stood outside, dreading seeing the earl after their encounter. Verity felt vexed she was already blushing, and she had not seen James as yet. It was a pity she could not retain her veil for the duration of today’s lesson.
