“Must we?” He brushed a kiss to her brow. “Holding you is something I rather enjoy.”
She nuzzled his neck. “Do you, now? It’s very scandalous, you know.”
“Not nearly as scandalous as some things we’ve done.” He began to kiss his way along her forehead. “And definitely less scandalous than I intend to be.”
That made her tremble a bit, yet he could feel the wild beat of her heart against his lips at her temple. Nor was she pulling away. So surely she must wanthima little herself.
She took a shallow breath. “Earlier, you told me . . . you knew better than to say certain things while wooing a woman.” Her voice grew husky. “Whatwouldyou say? If, for example, you were trying to woo me?”
“Hmm.” He thought a moment as he continued scattering kisses down to her pretty ears. “I’d say you have eyes as green as forest pools, the kind a man could lose himself in. That you have a lemony scent all your own, both tart and sweet, which somehow makes it more delectable.”
Her breath feathered past his cheek, quickening as he tongued her ear. “Nowwho’s been reading sentimental poetry?”
“Shall I go on?” he asked.
“There’s more?”
“Ah, dearling,” he said, “there always seems to be more to enjoy with you. More wit, more surprises . . . more ofthis.”
And with that, he covered her mouth with his. He couldn’t seem to help himself. She was so giving and eager, as if she’d been waiting for him to come along and open her wrapping paper.
Their kiss rapidly grew heated until all he could think about was touching her. But he couldn’t do it while also holding on to her for support. So he dropped onto the settee next to his cane, pulling her down and onto his lap.
She gave a little squeak, but threw her arms about his neck all the same. “I’m not hurting you, am I?”
“God, no. And even if you were, I would endure it just for the chance to hold you like this.”
He leaned her back so he could kiss the soft swells of her breasts, which he’d been coveting a taste of since he’d first seen her in the ballroom. He knew he didn’t dare undo her gown enough to suck them the way he wanted. They both had to return to the ballroom eventually, and he wasn’t entirely certain he could get it all back properly.
But there was something else equally pleasurable that he could do, and it would hardly dislodge her gown at all. Sliding up her skirts a bit, he reached beneath them to run his hands up her thighs—her sweet, silky thighs—above her garters. She dragged in a shuddering breath that only inflamed him more.
“So soft,” he rasped as he caressed her. “Your skin is as delicate and smooth as the finest satin. It makes me want to do this.”
He lifted her off his lap to set her on the settee next to him. Then, after moving to the other end, he spread her legs apart so that one was on the settee and the other on the floor. From there, all he had to do was push up her skirts in order to bare all to his gaze.
“Joshua! What are you—”
He bent to kiss her thigh.
“Oh. Good. Heavens. This is insanity.”
Yet her hands grabbed at his shoulders as if to hold him close, and she made no effort to close her legs. He took that as a definite sign of encouragement.
With his heart thundering in his chest, he kissed and tongued his way up her thigh to the prize he was more than eager to gain—the thatch of curls at the juncture between her legs that hid the tender flesh he wanted to suck.
He could already smell her arousal. God save him, how it drove him out of his mind!
“Are you . . . trying to seduce me . . . sir?” There was a hint of alarm in her voice now.
“I want to pleasure you,” he said honestly. “If you’ll let me. Will you?”
He could barely see her eyes in the candlelight, but he would have sworn they glittered with anticipation. Though he told himself he was doing this as part of his campaign to make her confide in him, in his heart he knew it was more than that. He wanted her, was holding his breath as he awaited her answer.
Then she smiled like a cat in the cream. “Please do.”
That was all he needed to hear.
Chapter Fourteen
