Page 31 of Seducing an Earl under the Mistletoe
“You didn’t have to admit anything,” he said playfully, enjoying the turn of events and the charged atmosphere that was burning around them once more. He had had more than enough of sorrow in his life. Catherine was the sun, and he was desperate for some warmth. “Some things are obvious to those who know where to look.”
“And you know?” she said with a mischievous smile.
“I think I do,” he nodded. He gazed at her, admiring the curvature of her body, the soft lines of her face, the depth of her eyes. “I’m just surprised at one thing.”
She suppressed a chuckle as she leaned back in thechaise loungeseductively. “And what pray tell, would that be?”
“I am a pretty straightforward man, simple even,” he said, carefully choosing his words. “I thought a lady like you would prefer a moreurbanegentleman, like Lord Thornton.”
“If you were simple and straightforward, you would not have caught my attention,” she revealed, her lips moving slowly, tantalizingly. “Yet, you have. You’ve caught all of it, as you can see.”
Slowly, he leaned closer to her. He wasn’t certain that his words would make sense at first. “As they moved closer, the rustle of her silk gown and the sound of their muffled breaths filled the air, creating an intimate symphony that heightened their anticipation. Sebastian, possessing a strength and confidence that matched his aristocratic stature, drew Evelina into his arms, the warmth of his touch melting her resolve.”
Upon those words, he did exactly what he said. He pulled Catherine into his arms, and it was then that her eyes widened in realization of what he was doing. She smiled. Of course, he was quoting a small part of one of her serials. He stared into her eyes, basking in their glow. Her hand found his cheek. Her touch felt like fire.
“With each stolen glance and subtle caress, their desires deepened, kindling a fire that threatened to consume them both.”
He got even closer to her as he continued to speak the words she herself had written. “Evelina’s heart pounded in her chest as Sebastian’s lips gently grazed her earlobe, his whispered endearments setting her senses ablaze. The scent of his cologne, mingled with the fragrance of aged books, was intoxicating.”
He leaned to the side, doing exactly what Sebastian had done in her book. His lips only grazed her earlobe, tasting the sweetness of Catherine’s skin. She tasted like the morning dew that awakened on a blossoming wildflower. His entire body was set ablaze. He could barely restrain himself, but he wanted this moment to last.
“In the secluded aisle of the library, amidst towering shelves and the weight of history surrounding them, their passion found release. Their lips met in a forbidden kiss, a mingling of fervor and restraint that left them both breathless. The stolen moment between them was a fusion of intellect and desire, a dance of longing that defied the constraints of societal norms.”
But he didn’t kiss her. He held her gaze, wanting to get lost in those beautiful blue eyes, to see everything that was inside of them. He felt as if his entire body was frozen with desire. It had flooded him completely, and he could barely move. He was completely in her power, and she knew it.
He could not remember the last time a woman had such an influence on him. Perhaps never. And yet, this little city girl, with her bravado and her wit and her naughty little mind of a writer, had captured him completely.
He wanted to kiss her more than he wanted anything else in the world. But instead, he dropped down to his knees before her, his hands resting on her thighs, while her own hands were cupping his face, making him look straight at her.
Chapter 13
Catherine had no idea what had taken over her. It was as if someone else was guiding Arthur’s head between her legs as he gently lifted the hem of her gown up, pooling it around her waist. She shivered when his fingers gently grazed the inside of her thighs.
Then, a fearful thought. What on earth would he think of her?
She swallowed heavily before admitting something she felt needed to be said. “I…I’ve never been taken by a man, but I…I’m not as innocent as I seem.”
She didn’t know how he would react to this. Perhaps she shouldn’t have said anything. Her mind was a haze. Had she ruined the moment?
But his smile reassured her. “I like that,” she heard him say, as he lowered his lips onto the bare skin of her thigh and placed a tender kiss on it.
The touch was beyond anything she had ever felt before. His hands were on her thighs again, gently coaxing her to spread her legs for him. He easily dealt with all the underpinnings beneath that were hiding her most secret place from his sight. With each passing moment, more and more heat unfurled deep inside of her.
Before she could do or say anything else, his mouth was on her, finding that most sensitive place. His tongue flicked over the delicate bud between her legs, stealing her breath away. She arched her back, offering herself up to him, as her hands found his hair, raking her fingers through it.
She felt his tongue in slow, carefully timed licks, with each one leaving her yearning for more. She gripped at his hair, keeping him in place, not wanting him to move an inch away from her. Slowly, he introduced his lips into the new game. It was unlike anything she had ever felt before. She moaned softly.
“Oh, Arthur…” His name felt like a prayer, silent, echoing all around them.
Her body was a blossoming garden, and he was everything: the rain, the soil, the sun. Pleasure unfurled deep inside of her, exploding within her, slowly spreading throughout her entire body. Arthur knew exactly what he was doing. She wanted more. Now that she had a taste of what he could do, she knew that she could not stop there.
She pulled closer to him, giving herself up to him. His tongue fluttered over her swollen bud, parting her folds, then sinking inside of her. The sensation was too much. She knew that she would come undone very quickly. As if sensing the rawness of her need, his thumb rubbed her softly, joining the efforts of that devilish tongue of his.
At that moment, she completely lost control. Her entire body clenched, only to implode, feeling molten lava spread throughout the entire body. Her hips bucked against him as her hands kept him in place. He sucked on her pearl, only accentuating the sensation, as he waited for her to finally relax.
Slowly, the last ripples of ecstasy subsided, and she could breathe again. He lifted his gaze to meet hers, his lips wet and his eyes devouring her. Her entire body shivered. She didn’t want this to end. Not yet.
She helped him up, lowering her gown to the floor. He was now the one seated in thechaise lounge, and she stood before him, gently beckoning him to spread his legs, just like she did for him. He did as she bid, not taking his eyes off of her for even a moment. Although she was completely dressed, she felt naked underneath his gaze, and nothing about it felt uncomfortable or embarrassing. She lowered herself, reaching for his trousers.
