Page 40 of Seducing an Earl under the Mistletoe
“I don’t know what is happening to me, Arthur, but I…I have feelings for you,” she confided softly. “And they are growing…they are confusing me more and more with each passing day, and I just—”
“Shhh,” he finally spoke, pressing his finger to her lips as he gazed at her. “You don’t have to say anything else, Cate…I know how you feel…”
Their lips met in a loving kiss, and in that moment, words became unnecessary. The kiss spoke of profound feelings and the promise of a deeper connection. She knew that he felt it as much as she did. She could feel his arms around her, pressing her close to him. It was so easy to lose control in his arms. Nothing had ever been easier.
They stumbled backward against a table. She sat up on it, wrapping her legs around him. She was mad with pent-up desire, her body on fire from just that kiss alone. Yet, she yearned for more. She kissed him even more passionately, when surprisingly, he pulled away. His eyes were deep and fathomless, staring right into her very soul.
“Are you sure you want this, Cate?” he asked. She loved it when he said her name like that.
“Yes,” she murmured softly, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him back onto herself.
His fingers fumbled quickly with the hem of her gown, allowing it to pool around her waist, revealing her bare thighs and her most sensitive flesh. Excitement mingled with sheer hunger, as she heard the sound of his pants unbuttoning. They were fervent, lost in the moment, unwilling to lose this opportunity.
His finger grazed against her swollen pearl, awakening it completely. Now, she was offering herself up to him, wanting him inside of her. His lips were on hers again, his tongue dancing with hers, while his finger parted her wet folds.
Everything turned blank as delight washed over her. Heat exploded inside of her, unfurling outward, through her every pore. A soft, kittenish cry escaped her. His tongue flitted over her lips while his fingers kept teasing her, slowly sliding in. She could barely control herself as she gripped his shoulders, wanting to have him as close to her as possible.
They were both breathing heavily when his fingers adjusted his manhood, pressing her against her wet, velvet heat. Frantic with need, she bit his lower lip, tugging at it softly. He reciprocated with the same passion as his manhood slowly sank into her.
She gasped with pleasure, her back arching, her eyes closing, as she relished the moment. He started to thrust faster and faster, as they both lost control. Heat exploded inside of her; that molten hot sensation made her blind to everything other than this moment.
When she opened her eyes, she met his. The sight of his dark eyes, his tousled hair, his ragged breathing as he was thrusting deeper and deeper into her was carnal beyond belief. Everything about this moment was mad and forbidden, and she knew that this was exactly what she wanted. These were the moments she would never regret.
Bliss unraveled inside of her as he buried his tongue in her mouth, his manhood pressing onto that exact spot that made her ravenous for more. She felt as if heat was trickling out of her very core onto him. A moment later, he withdrew from her, spending on her thigh, the last moments of bliss surging through them both.
***
Arthur couldn’t believe that he allowed this to happen. After all, he was the man here. He should have known better than to take advantage of a woman in such a delicate situation. A nagging feeling of guilt tugged at him as he helped Catherine to arrange her dress with a mix of tenderness and concern.
“Cate, I…” he began, choosing his words, “I can’t help but feel that I should have stopped this. I feel like I’ve taken advantage of you.”
She turned to him, her eyes searching his. She shook her head, a small smile on her lips. “You haven’t done any such thing, Arthur. I wanted this, too.”
Arthur let out a small, relieved sigh but couldn’t resist a teasing comment to ease the tension. “Well, at the very least, I suppose it resolves the issue of Lord Thornton wanting to marry you.”
Catherine’s expression shifted, her brow furrowing in confusion. “Does it, though?” she asked. “Do you believe that because we’ve been together, we must marry?”
Fear began to rise in Arthur’s chest. His words came out clumsily as he struggled to convey his feelings. “I wouldn’t have made love to you if I didn’t love you, Cate. I care about you deeply.”
Catherine’s reaction was not what Arthur had anticipated. She appeared distraught, her voice wavering as she tried to explain her perspective. “Arthur, I care about you deeply, but that doesn’t change what I want for myself out of life.”
She continued, her words heavy with regret. “I’m sorry if I’ve misled you, Arthur. I never meant for you to think that this would change everything.”
“Of course.” He nodded hastily, clearing his throat. That was all he could do to manage a quiet acceptance.
Their feelings for each other were undeniable, but their desires for their futures were not in alignment. Arthur had not counted on that.
“Well…” she said awkwardly. “I should be going. Again…thank you for being there for Marcus. He really needs a friend like you right now.”
“I will always be there for your family, Cate. Please know that, for whatever you need of me.”
She smiled somehow sorrowfully but said nothing to that. She turned around and walked out of the drawing room, leaving Arthur in a state of more confusion than he had ever been in before. Just as he was ready to head back to his study, a knock on the door interrupted his intention.
“You haven’t forgotten that we are to meet Margot in town and do some Christmas shopping?” his mother reminded him joyfully.
Shopping was the last thing on his mind. But he had promised, and more importantly, his mother seemed delighted about this. He couldn’t steal this joy from her.
So, about an hour later, Arthur, Margot, and his mother strolled through the bustling town as they found themselves at a tranquil strand, where the waves lapped gently at the shore. While Lady Eleanora attended to her shopping, Arthur settled on a bench with Margot, the sea breeze ruffling their hair.
