Page 30 of The Earl Takes All
He tasted of scotch, smelled of bergamot. His groans caused satisfied pleasure to ripple through her. She tingled, grew warmer, became lethargic and energized at the same time. She wanted to unbutton her nightdress, have his hands slip between the parted material to fondle her breasts, but considering where that action would no doubt lead, she had to acknowledge the wisdom of his rule. Touch nothing covered by linen.
He trailed his lips along the underside of her jaw, down her throat. His mouth was hot, so incredibly hot. It was a wonder it didn’t scorch her skin. His hand left her leg, cradled the back of her head and tucked her face into the hollow of his shoulder where his skin had grown damp. Beneath her cheek his heart pounded furiously.
“We should sleep,” he murmured, his voice low and raspy.
She nodded, her arm resting along his side, her hand pressed to his back, her fingers creating soft circles on his skin. Had she known a trip to Africa would put him in the habit of sleeping without a nightshirt, she might have encouraged him to go sooner.
His rule regarding cloth seemed to no longer apply when his mouth wasn’t on hers. His arms came around her, drawing her near, and she fell asleep inhaling a fragrance enhanced by the warmth of his flesh.
Consideringhow lethargic she’d been, she should have slept well. Instead, dreams of being kissed in a garden had jerked Julia from slumber every time she drifted off too deeply. When Albert had begun to stir, she pretended that she wasn’t awake, didn’t move when he left her bed and went into his chamber.
Now she sat at her dressing table and stared at her reflection, haunted by the dreams. She’d not thought of the details of that first kiss in years, had shoved aside all the inappropriate responses it kindled within her. She had reacted with such longing to that mouth pressed to hers because she believed it belonged to Albert. The shadows had caused her not to see clearly, to misjudge—
The rap had her shaking off the mad thoughts scurrying through her mind.
“Enter.”
The man stepped inside. There were no shadows now. She knew those features. The square cut of his strong jaw, the knifelike edge of his nose, the brown of his eyes, the dark blond of his hair.
“Torrie said you didn’t ring for breakfast. I wanted to make sure you were well.”
The rough timbre of his voice.
“I’ve had a time of it getting going this morning.”
He took a step nearer. “Are you ill?”
The deep furrow of his brow, the concern in his eyes. She knew these things about him as well as she knew the back of her own hand. She knewhimas well as she knew herself. Although they’d both admitted to changing during the separation, the very essence of them shouldn’t have. Yet something had spurred his reason for avoiding her, and it had nothing to do with sorrow over Edward. Could it be guilt for bad behavior? Out of sight, out of mind, and all that? “Did you practice while you were away?”
His eyebrows raised, his brow furrowed deeper. “Pardon?”
Mortified by her suspicions, she swallowed hard. “Did you kiss other women while you were away? I know it was a long time to be apart and that men have needs—”
“Julia.” He was kneeling beside her, holding her hand in both of his before she was able to force out the remainder of the hideous words. The same pose he’d taken when he asked her to marry him. “Your husband would never be unfaithful to you.”
“You’re my husband. Why would you speak of yourself in the third person?”
“I simply meant that any man fortunate enough to be your husband would adore you to distraction and never stray. Any man. Including myself.” He squeezed her hand. “Why would you think I would kiss other women?”
She looked down at his hands, darkened by weeks in the sun, a new strength to them, the veins and muscles standing out in sharp relief. “The kisses last night reminded me...” Memories were faulty. She knew that. Memories of her parents had become unclear. That kiss in the garden—it hadn’t been like the ones last night, and yet something about it was similar. “ ... of hunger.”
“We’ve been apart for some time. A bit of hunger is to be expected I think.”
“But the night before—”
“Was tempered by grief.” Lifting one of his hands, he cradled her face, tilted up her chin until her eyes met his. “I swear to you, Julia, on my brother’s grave, that I kissed no woman while we were away. I bedded no woman.”
She searched his expressive eyes, saw naught but earnestness and truth. “I feel such a fool.”
“You shouldn’t. You should always be able to share your worries and concerns with me. It is my job to reassure you that all is well.”
With a self-conscious laugh, she pressed her fingertips to her forehead. “I don’t know what I was thinking.”
Wrapping his hands around her wrists, he lowered her arms, leaned in and brushed his lips over hers. “I shall strive to do a better job at restraining my passions.”
“No, don’t!” His eyes widened while heat scalded her cheeks. What a brazen wanton she was. “I enjoy your passion. That it seems more than it was before... perhaps absence makes more than the heart grow fonder.”
“It certainly seems to, yes. Now, you should have some breakfast.”
