The Make-Believe Widow, page 7
He’d also drunk a glass of brandy, paced the room about a hundred times, and thought endlessly about kissing Charlotte. Would she come?
If she didn’t, he was strongly considering leaving the party. There was no reason to stay. None of the other women interested him in the slightest.
He would worry about marriage another time. For now, he wanted to revel in the joy of being with Charlotte.
Glancing at the clock, he calculated he’d been here plenty long enough for the next round of the tournament to have finished. She must have won.
But of course she had.
Roth threw himself into a chair near the hearth with a frustrated grunt. Stretching his legs out before him, he tipped his head back and looked at the ceiling.
If he left tomorrow, he’d arrive in Hereford early and would have to wait for his friends who were meeting him at an inn there. After congregating, they’d continue to Wyelands, the country seat of his friend, Baron Warham, near Hereford.
He could just as easily brood in his coach and then in Hereford as here. In fact, it would be preferable since he would not be taunted by Charlotte’s presence.
He closed his eyes and tried not to think of her. Except her warm chocolate-colored eyes rose in his mind along with her seductive smile. Another quarter hour, then he was going to find his ease in his hand, dammit.
A knock on the door startled him. His eyes flew open, and he straightened in the chair. Instead of jumping up, he waited, his breath catching. Had he heard what he wanted to?
There it was again. The unmistakable sound of knuckles rapping on wood.
This time, Roth vaulted from the chair. He was at the door in a trice, pulling it open without bothering to ask who it was.
Thankfully, he was not disappointed.
He couldn’t help the smile that felt like it split his face in two. “You came.”
She shrugged. “I lost.”
“On purpose?” He couldn’t see her losing any other way.
He held the door open as she walked into his bedchamber. His heart, already beating fast, picked up a wild pace.
She turned to face him after he shut the door. “If you’re asking whether I preferred to play whist or come here to your bedchamber, the answer—for your ears only—is the latter.” She looked away from him, her teeth worrying her lower lip. “Though I almost changed my mind before I got here.”
Stepping toward her, Roth didn’t touch her. Not yet. He was afraid she might yet choose to leave.
“What prompted that?” he asked. “Or, what made you decide to come after all?”
She returned her attention to him. “I enjoy your company. More than I enjoy playing whist, it seems.” She sounded slightly bemused, as if she couldn’t quite believe that was the case. “It was bold of you to invite me here.”
“It was bold of you to come. And I am elated.”
“You should understand that I haven’t changed my mind about marriage. That is not my goal. However, it is yours.”
“Ultimately,” he said slowly. “At the moment, I am not thinking of that.” He let his gaze move over her as he imagined removing every stitch of her clothing.
“Then what are you thinking of?” Her question was deep and husky, full of want.
“I am wondering if you would be interested in something other than marriage.” He lifted his hand, hesitating as he looked her in the eye.
She gave him the slightest nod, but it was all the encouragement he needed. He touched the side of her jaw, his fingers caressing her gently.
“Hmmm.” Her eyes narrowed slightly. “I am, in fact.”
“And what would that be?” he breathed, his heart racing.
“You.”
“How convenient, for I feel the same about you.” He moved closer and put his other hand on her waist. He felt the curve of her beneath the layers of her clothing and barely kept himself from falling on her like an animal. “I’m afraid our kisses near the river weren’t enough after all.”
“No, it was not. I’m glad we agree.” She stepped into his embrace and slid one hand up to his neck, reminding him that he hadn’t yet removed his cravat. “I suppose there’s only one thing left to do.”
“Only one?” He lowered his head as he pulled her tightly against him. “There are countless things, and I am eager to show you all of them.”
His lips met hers, and it was like watching parchment catch fire. The spark quickly exploded into a consuming flame, burning bright and hot and fast.
This was what he’d been longing for, a physical connection to go with the other ways they connected—with humor and…emotion. He pushed that from his mind. This wasn’t a time to indulge those thoughts. This moment was for pleasure.
Her kiss was deep and heady, a sensual exploration, a prelude of what was to come. Roth splayed his hand against her back, pressing his fingers into her as he cupped her nape with his other hand. She held him similarly, one hand curled about his neck and the other clutching the back of his shirt.
He suddenly felt overburdened with clothing. And she was definitely wearing too much. But he couldn’t pull away. Not now. The kiss was too intoxicating, her embrace exceptionally divine.
She moved her hand forward, caressing his cheek, stroking her thumb along his jaw. He moaned softly, desperate for more of her touch.
But it was she who pulled away. She remained in his arms at least. Her eyes were bright, her lips pink and plump from their kissing.
Roth fought to take a breath. “Is something wrong?”
“Before we go any further, I need to understand what this is.”
Chapter 7
Charlotte was nearly shaking with need. And nervousness. It had been a long time since she’d done this. She’d had precisely one romantic interlude since Sidney died.
Roth had appeared alarmed when she’d interrupted their kiss. He was breathing heavily, and his cheeks were gorgeously flushed.
She needed to take this slowly, to be sure they shared the same expectations. “This is just for the party, yes?”
“Yes. Although, if you wanted, we could continue for a few days after. I’ll be traveling to Hereford to meet some friends before we continue on to a weeklong party at Wyelands. That’s my friend Baron Warham’s estate. You could accompany me to Hereford.”
While she thrilled at the notion of spending more time with him, she failed to see how it would work. “And what shall I do when we reach Hereford? I live in Birmingham.”
“I’ll have my coach take you home.”
“That’s rather out of the way. How will you get to Wyelands?”
“I’ll go with one of my friends. I’ll tell them my coach requires repair or something.” He stroked his fingers down her cheek. “Please say yes. Just as yesterday’s kiss was not enough, I fear the remainder of this party won’t be either.”
Charlotte wasn’t sure the trip to Hereford would satisfy her either, but it was all she could risk. A handful of days with this man who made her feel things she’d never imagined. It went beyond the physical, for he made her laugh and possessed a number of wondrous attributes. He was a devoted father, a committed member of Parliament, and he was as enthralled by their unique connection as she was.
Could she part from him in Hereford? She would have to. In the meantime, she would delight in feeling wanted. Cherished.
“Yes. Take me to Hereford. But first, take me to your bed.”
He closed his eyes briefly, and she sensed relief in him. Then his gaze met hers with a fiery desire. “First, I am going to strip every item of clothing from your body.”
“I can’t argue with that.” She kicked her slippers from her feet, then moved her hands to his cravat. “This is also a hindrance.” Plucking the knot loose, she pulled the silk from his neck and tossed it aside. Then she pushed him backward toward the chair. “Sit. Watch.”
Arching a brow, he backed up until he met the chair. Then he sank down, his gaze fixed on her. “Will you take your hair down?”
“Do you want me to?”
“Yes,” he rasped, the seductive tone of his voice as arousing as any caress.
Charlotte reached up to her hair and began to pull the pins free, holding them in her hand as she loosened the locks. Typically, she removed them more quickly, but with him watching her, she drew out the act until her hair was completely free of restraint. She shook her head and felt her hair graze the middle of her back.
“Beautiful,” he murmured. “Can I get up now?” The question ended on a croak. He sounded tortured. She stifled a smile.
“No.” Charlotte deposited the pins on a table and moved a little closer to where Roth perched on the chair. He looked as though he was ready to pounce on her. Smiling, she began to unfasten the front of her gown, starting at the left shoulder, then moving to the right. The front dropped open exposing her stays.
She heard Roth suck in his breath. His attention dipped to her chest, where the tops of her breasts rounded above the edge of her corset. Reaching behind her back, she untied the gown, loosening the skirt. She pushed the garment down over her underclothes and stepped from the muslin.
Carefully, she picked it up and laid it over the back of another chair. From the corner of her eye, she noted that Roth had scooted forward. She was surprised he didn’t fall off the chair entirely.
“Patience,” she said softly as she moved in front of him, standing closer than she had yet. She pushed the straps of her petticoat from her shoulders and untied the waist so she could step out of that as well. This time, she simply set it aside.
Now, she stood before him in just her stays, chemise, and stockings. A few inches of her legs were exposed between her garters and the edge of her chemise. That was precisely where Roth’s gaze was currently fixed.
“Should I stop? It seems as though you might want to remove your shirt at least.”
He whipped the garment over his head and threw it to the side. His bare chest was magnificently muscled, with a patch of light-colored hair at the center and a faint trail that led down to the top of his breeches.
It took a great deal of effort not to abandon her efforts at seduction and throw herself at him in earnest. So she grasped for humor to keep things lighter for a while longer. “I’m surprised you didn’t tear the fabric in your haste,” she said wryly.
“I would like to tear the rest of what you are still wearing, but you’ll think me a beast.”
“Not a beast. Just very…eager.” She took another step so that her legs grazed his. “I need you to loosen my stays. If it’s not too much trouble.”
“Turn.” The single word was a dark, passionate command.
Charlotte twisted about, again moving slowly, tantalizing him. That was her intent, anyway.
She felt him begin to pull the strings, loosening the garment. He worked quickly, at odds with her methodic actions.
When it was loose enough, she turned back around and pushed the corset down over her hips, wriggling her legs until the garment reached the floor. Then she kicked it aside as she’d done with her slippers.
“What to remove next?” she asked. “My chemise? Or perhaps my stockings.” Charlotte lifted her left leg and nestled her foot on the cushion next to him. Grasping the hem of her chemise, she pulled it up toward her hips, exposing nearly all of her thigh and barely covering her sex. “Do you have a preference?”
“Good God, Charlotte.” He flicked his gaze, which had been locked between her thighs, to hers. “I can’t call you Mrs. Dunthorpe any longer.”
“No, you cannot.” She slid her foot along his thigh. “I’m waiting for your answer.”
He put his hands on her garter and quickly untied the silk. “Lift your chemise higher.”
She edged it up the barest amount. “Like this?”
“Tease,” he hissed. “Higher.”
Revealing just a hint of her sex, she asked, “How about now?”
He stripped the stocking from her leg and threw it away. Returning his hands to her leg, he skimmed his palms up her thigh. He slid them up beneath the chemise. One gripped her hip and the other stroked the outer folds of her sex.
Charlotte gasped as he drew attention to the fact that she was already swollen and desperate for him, probably wet as well. Now, he moved slowly, teasing her flesh from her clitoris to her sheath.
“What about my other stocking?” she managed to say as sensation cascaded through her.
He guided her bare leg to the floor, then lifted the other to the same position on his other side. “It’s a nuisance.” In short order, he’d removed the garter and then peeled the stocking away.
“You’ve let the chemise drop,” he said in dark disappointment.
She had as she’d moved to the new position. And as her arousal had risen to a new height. She hiked the garment to her waist, completely baring herself to him. “My apologies.”
“I want to feast upon you. Will you allow it?”
Desire throbbed in her sex. “Yes. Please.”
He moved so quickly, she wasn’t sure what happened. Picking her up, he carried her to the end of the bed, where he tossed her atop the mattress, her backside landing near the edge. He knelt on the narrow bench that was positioned at the end and spread her legs.
She felt his breath on her sex just before his thumb stroked her clitoris, swirling in circles until she moaned. Clutching her chemise at her waist, she tried not to arch into him. His finger moved along her folds, parting them before thrusting gently inside.
Now she did move, lifting her hips as he caressed her from within. He found a delicious spot that promised a wondrous fulfillment. After several thrusts that she met with her own, his mouth took the place of his hand, which he splayed atop her mound, holding her down while he ravished her with his lips and tongue.
In an embarrassingly short time, Charlotte’s muscles clenched. She gripped his head as he guided her leg over his shoulder and thrust his tongue deep. He worked her clitoris, pushing her over the edge into a rapturous oblivion.
Charlotte cried out as she clutched him, her hips moving in a passionate frenzy. He didn’t leave her, not until she began to calm, her legs quivering around him.
Then he was gone.
Fighting to catch her breath, she pushed up and saw that he was removing his breeches. She sat up and pulled her chemise over her head. As she dropped it over the edge of the bed, he crawled up next to her, moving like a predator who was now going to feast on his downed prey.
Except he already had.
She couldn’t help smiling. Grinning foolishly, probably. This was the best day she’d ever had.
“What is so amusing?” he asked, the corner of his mouth ticking up.
“Nothing. I’m merely enjoying myself. I hope you are too.”
“More than I can possibly describe.” He lowered his gaze to her bare breasts. “You are magnificent.” He cupped her, and her breast overflowed his hand as he lowered his mouth to her nipple.
Though she anticipated his kiss, she wasn’t prepared for the shock of renewed desire. It was as if she hadn’t just found her climax. She was already quivering with need.
Casting her head back, she curled her hand around his nape and held him to her. “I suppose you didn’t have your fill.”
“I don’t know that I ever will,” he said, barely lifting his mouth from her breast. He suckled her and used his other hand on her other nipple, rolling and pulling her flesh until she moaned senselessly, her entire body stretched taut.
She reached between them and found his rigid cock. “I need you. Now.”
He groaned as she stroked him. “Yes.” Leaving her breast, he sat up between her legs, positioning himself at her sex.
She looked up at him to see that his eyes were closed, his face creased with ecstasy. Moving her hand faster, she reveled in her power and in their shared joy of giving and taking.
“If you don’t stop that, we aren’t going to get to the part we both want most.”
“How do you know this isn’t what I want most?” she asked saucily.
He cracked one eye open. “I should not assume. Is this how you’d like to finish?”
While the idea of him losing control in her hand held a delicious appeal, she couldn’t deny that she was eager to have him inside her. “Not tonight.” She narrowed her eyes as she positioned him at her sheath.
Relief flashed briefly and gently across his face as he put his hand over hers. Together, they guided him into her sex. The moment he began to fill her, she smiled. Their joining felt somehow inevitable, the next chapter in a story that demanded to be told.
He moved slowly until he was completely within her. Then he paused entirely as he gathered her in his arms and kissed her. Lifting his head, he looked into her eyes and stroked her cheek. “Thank you for trusting me.”
His words nearly broke her. She considered pushing him away and running to her chamber. But she was too far gone. She did trust him, even if she hadn’t been completely honest.
Don’t think of that now.
Charlotte closed her eyes and surrendered to his embrace. She wrapped her legs around his hips, and he started to move, thrusting slowly at first. Her body acclimated to him, and though it had been years since she’d done this, the sensations were familiar. They were also, somehow, wholly new. Because of him.
He held her tenderly, but also with a fierce possessiveness that made her clutch him with a renewed fervor. She dug her fingers into his flesh and kissed him as they moved as one.
Gradually, his strokes grew faster and deeper. She squeezed him more tightly with her arms and legs, as if she could pull him into her more securely. As if she never wanted to let him go.
Her passion swelled ever higher with each thrust, carrying her relentlessly toward her climax. He tilted his hips, bringing his groin against her clitoris. She moaned as she rose to meet him, arching from the bed.
“Come for me, darling,” he whispered next to her ear.
Charlotte hadn’t realized that she’d been holding on, that she’d been prolonging the pleasure. Now, she let go, her body tightening in preparation for release. He thrust hard, filling her completely, and bliss claimed her.
