Page 12 of The Earl and the Vixen
Eliza spun back towards Lord Irvine. “I got us red, my lord. It’s such a passionate color, is it not?” she asked, looping her arm in his so he could escort her to the first wicket. Cheesy at best, and she should be embarrassed of herself, but it was all she could come up with, with so much rage coursing through her. She told herself again that it wasn’t jealousy, just the residual rage that was well within her right to have after a man used lies and charms to get between your legs.
“I quite agree,” he said, leaning down so he spoke close to her ear, heating it with his breath.
Eliza noted that she had no reaction to the man, which irritated her almost as much as being in Nick’s presence. Irvine was handsome, to be sure, with his dark chestnut hair and intense eyes almost the same color, but her body felt nothing.
There was no electricity or draw like she had from the moment she saw Nick emerging from the stream that day years ago, water dripping from his taut form. But eventually, she must will her body to move on from the memories.
She shook off her thoughts and glanced back at Nick. That time he met her gaze and his jaw clenched. Whatright did he have to react in such a way? While he was all too familiar with a young widow who would gladly invite him to her bed, and she was left wound up and still desiring a man who had broken and betrayed her.
Everyone lined up to await their turn. Lady Ockham randomly assigned colors to the turn order. Nick and Lady Preston would take their turn after she and Lord Irvine took theirs, so they lined up beside them.
The heat and electricity she hadn’t felt for Lord Irvine hit her like a boulder when Nick came to stand on her other side. She angled herself away from him, facing herself more towards her partner, hoping Nick wouldn’t notice her flushed skin. And to keep herself from grabbing Nick and pulling him against her, which was something that she just could not do.
Once the game began, the location of their balls at the end of each turn helped to put a bit of distance between her and Nick, which she was thankful for. Eliza tried to focus on light conversation with her partner. She learnt more about his country home and his beloved horse. She told him of some of her favorite books and he laughed when she confessed how she loathed embroidery. A hatred that she and Juliet had bonded over.
The conversation helped distract her from watching Nick. She found she enjoyed chatting with Lord Irvine, even if she didn’t have the urge to bed him. Perhaps theurge would build as she spent more time with him. Her needs certainly weren’t going anywhere.
The game progressed with Eliza and Lord Irvine edging out Nick and Lady Preston for the win. Eliza clasped her hands at her chest, cheering their victory.
“What do you say, my lady? How about a kiss for the winner?” Lord Irvine asked.
She stepped closer to him and placed a quick kiss on his cheek, far closer to the corner of his lips than was proper. Let Nick stew over that. “I’d say you earned it,” she said, smiling up at him through her lashes.
Lady Ockham approached them with a bundle of flowers and a bottle of brandy. “For the winners,” she said, handing Eliza the bouquet and Lord Irvine the bottle.
“Perhaps we might share some of this one evening,” Lord Irvine said, holding the bottle up to Eliza.
She glanced at Nick, who had his hands fisted at his sides and his jaw set in a firm line as he observed the scene.
“I would enjoy that very much,” she replied to Lord Irvine. Looking back at Nick, she smirked at him. She wasn’t yet certain she would encourage a physical arrangement with Lord Irvine, but at least Nick would know that she could do so if she wished. And there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it.
“I would like to put these in my chamber,” Eliza said, nodding towards her flowers. “I shall join the others onthe terrace after a brief respite.” In truth, she just wanted to get away from Nick.
She moved across the grass and climbed the steps to the terrace to reenter the house. She neared the staircase, when suddenly someone grabbed her by her arm. Looking up, she saw Nick’s stern expression as he pulled her into the nearest room. He closed the door behind them and locked it.
“What do you think you are doing?” he asked.
She rolled her eyes. “I’m not certain what you mean, nor am I aware what business it is of yours.”
He stepped closer to her, and she raised her chin, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of moving away from him.
“You know exactly what I refer to. I won’t allow Irvine to dally with you.”
She shrugged her shoulders and glanced at the bouquet in her hand. “You would certainly know about dallying.”
He released a low growl. “I mean it.”
“So do I. And what exactly do you think you are going to do about it?” she asked, stepping so close to him that their chests almost touched, holding the flowers to the side. His familiar, intoxicating scent drove her to distraction. Her thoughts muddled in her head and dampness coated her thighs.
He circled her waist with his arms and pulled her against him. She dropped the flowers to the floor and wrapped her arms around his neck just as he pressed his lips against hers in a searing kiss. She opened for him, and his tongue swept into her mouth. His hands massaged her back and held her tight against him, then she undulated her body hard against his groin, driven wild by the hard bulge in his breeches that pressed against her.
He groaned and gripped the fabric of her skirts, raising them so he could dive his hand between her legs. She moaned against his mouth when his fingers teased her slit.
“So wet,” he said. “Is that for him or me?”
Her eyes rolled back in her head when he massaged her pearl, coating it with the wetness from her folds. Her traitorous body wanted everything he could give her. And as much as she’d like to believe herself a more strong-minded woman, she didn’t have the willpower to resist.
“Answer me, Eliza,” he whispered, his breathing ragged and rough against her ear.
