The Tempting Minx, page 12
“You fancied me then?” the minx teased him.
With a devilish grin, he slid a finger across her folds. At her gasp, her teasing smile disappeared, only for desire to spread across her face. With another stroke of his finger, her wetness coated him. He drew them to his mouth and sucked off the delectable juices.
“Ah, love, I believe I fancied you before I even met you,” Crispin whispered.
He bent his head to savor what made Maggie so unique. Her sweetness coated his tongue with a flavor as exquisite as Maggie herself. Soon her sighs turned into moans as he pleasured her. Maggie was as free with her body as she was with her personality. His tongue pressed against her core, drawing out her desires to an unbearable ache he wanted to ease.
Maggie thrashed her head back and forth on the pillow in ecstasy. She grabbed onto the sheets, gripping them in her fists to keep from floating away. With each stroke of Crispin’s tongue, she slipped further away. When his fingers slid in and out, pushing her need higher, she moaned his name over and over.
“Crispin. Crispin. Oh my, Crispin. Please,” she whimpered.
She held no clue what she pleaded for, only she never wanted him to stop. Her pleas racked her body in a chant that only Crispin understood. He answered her mumblings with the gift of his mouth, offering her pleasure after pleasure. With her body strung tight and her toes the only part of her keeping her from falling off the ledge, Crispin blew a breath against her wetness. The soft caress sent her floating on the most wonderful sensation.
Crispin gathered Maggie in his arms, coaxing a kiss from her lips. She softened in his embrace, wrapping her arms around him in tenderness. Her hands fluttered against his chest in her attempt to show affection. Her innocent touch undid him and also inflamed his senses. He rolled her underneath him, brushing the hair away from her face. He lowered his head to place a kiss against her lips. However, Maggie returned his kiss with the fierceness of her desire, unleashing his need for them to join as one.
Maggie recovered from her floating, only to have her body scream its need to have Crispin fulfill her every desire. Her hands traveled over his body, curving and dipping into every muscle. He disguised his chiseled form behind his proper suits. Pure sin rippled over every inch of him. A blush warmed her cheeks at all the sinful ideas she wished to explore with Crispin under the bedsheets. With a kiss and the caress of his fingers, he turned her into a wanton creature.
Even now, with his desire pressed against her hip, he held himself back with the manners of a gentleman, but she only wanted him to unleash his passion and show her the depth of his desire. Perhaps with a little encouragement she could make him forget himself like she had forgotten herself.
Maggie’s impish smile should have warned Crispin of her intent. Why he thought her innocence would keep her from acting improper was a foolish notion he held on to. He should have known better. He had lost his common sense once her hands struck their claim upon his person. Maggie’s touch ignited a fire in him that turned into uncontrollable heat. Instead of it suffocating him, it only drew him closer to the flame for the full burn.
Her fingers dipped lower, brushing across his cock. A torturous moan slipped past his lips, causing Maggie’s smile to turn into one only a vixen used to tempt a gentleman into her lair. However, Maggie didn’t need to tempt. He gladly fell victim to her charms. When her hands wrapped around his cock and stroked him like a skilled courtesan, he almost came undone.
“How?” he croaked out.
Maggie chuckled seductively. “Graham has collected quite an assortment of wicked literature.”
Crispin closed his eyes at her exquisite torture. Everything about her was exquisite this evening and only grew more exquisite. Her nibble fingers teased him. “I am sure he did not give you permission to look at them.”
Maggie waited before answering Crispin. The hard steel in her hand distracted her from following the conversation. Her gaze kept drifting to watching his face relax in pleasure to clenching. The pressure of her grip determined which feature he gifted her. When his face clenched, he exhaled the most astounding moans that made her body ache for him again. Her nipples brushed across his chest, and she grew wet between her thighs.
“Mmm. No, he did not. One day, while I snooped for some chocolate he hid from me, I came across them. My curiosity got the better of me. They were very descriptive on how to give and receive pleasure.”
Crispin growled his pleasure. “Grr.”
She pressed her lips against his chest and trailed a path along his neck, her tongue striking out with soft licks. “Do I have the right of it?” Maggie whispered.
Her grip tightened, and Crispin thought he saw stars. He drew her hand away and held both of them above her head. His knee nudged her legs to open wider.
“Wrap them around my waist,” he demanded.
Maggie obeyed his command. He grabbed his cock, and the warmth of her touch seeped into his fingers. With a gentle stroke, he ran it over her wetness, causing Maggie to arch into him. Soft moans echoed around them. Whether they were from Maggie or him, he held no clue.
Crispin’s gaze pierced Maggie. “I cannot promise to be gentle, but I will try.”
Maggie shook her head. “I want every ounce of your passion spiraling out of control inside me.”
“I will not hurt you. However, you will experience soreness from your first time,” Crispin rasped, holding onto his desire by a thin thread.
“I am not a fragile miss, Crispin. I know you will take gentle care of me. Please, do not hold yourself back from me. Unleash your passion on my soul,” Maggie whispered her own demands.
Her soft touch against his heart was his demise. He pushed inside her as gently as he could but with enough force to lose themselves in the passion wrapping around them. Maggie held onto him as he pushed past her innocence. Her wetness clung to him like a vine, entwining him with her desire. She stiffened for a brief spell before she pressed up against him. Maggie commanded him to unleash the passion and give themselves over to one another. He granted her wish with slow gentle strokes. Each one built upon the last until he thrust into her with the power of their shared passion.
Once again Maggie floated; only this time Crispin floated with her while he wrapped her in his warm embrace. His mark would affect her for the rest of her life. Each time his body moved in sync with hers, his love entered her soul. Each time she thought her feet would touch the ground, Crispin shifted his position and sent them flying higher. His gaze alone seared itself into her memory, and she saw his vulnerability for the first time. She drew him to her for a kiss that held her promise to protect him as he protected her.
Maggie’s tender kiss undid him. He unraveled into the man he wanted to be for her. He sent them over the edge with her tender lips soothing his battered soul. Maggie’s affections made him whole again.
Crispin rolled Maggie over so that she lay spread across his chest. The wonderment shining from her eyes made him feel invincible. A dangerous emotion to hold, but one he would cherish while he held her. There was much he wanted to promise her, but he never believed in promises. They only held the heartache of broken excuses. However, it didn’t stop him from telling her how much he cared.
“I believe I am falling in love with you.”
Maggie pressed her finger against his lips. “Shh.”
After they finished making love, Maggie saw the indecision in Crispin’s gaze and realized Crispin carried a heavy burden. She didn’t know what it was, but it troubled him. She also sensed he wasn’t honest about the character he portrayed. He presented himself as an admirable gentleman, but there was more to him. Maggie would allow his secrets for a while. But soon he must confess his sins and only then would they confess their affections for one another.
Maggie wanted to avoid discussing their shared emotions, and he knew it was because of his dishonesty. He noticed how her gaze traveled around his lodgings and the quality of his possessions. She didn’t question him, waiting for him to admit his failings. However, he couldn’t yet. Not until Maggie was secure from the threat of Lady Langdale. He would stay silent because of his own selfishness.
To distract her, he slid his tongue across her finger and gazed upon her desire flaring to life again. He wished for nothing more than to spend the next few hours awakening her desires over and over again. But their time to depart drew near. Before long, he must escort Maggie home and hope no one learned of their indiscretion.
The familiar pull of desire sizzled around them. She might have just lost her innocence, but ever since she met Crispin, her body had reacted to his presence. Lying naked in his arms only intensified it. She moaned with longing, making Crispin’s chest shake with amusement. She swatted at him.
“You, my lord, are a tease.” Maggie pulled away, drawing the blanket around herself.
He folded his arms behind his head, smirking at her. “You have the nerve to call me a tease, my lady? When you sit upon my bed naked with only a sheet wrapped around you. A sheet that outlines your luscious curves.”
She looked over her shoulder and cocked an eyebrow. “Yes. But you lie upon the bed unashamed in all your delectable glory.”
He rose and brushed a kiss across Maggie’s shoulder. “You find me delectable?” He nipped at her neck.
Maggie grew soft all over again at his lips upon her. Her body craved the satisfaction only his touch would grant her. Crispin’s arm circled around her middle, bringing her back against his chest. He held her there, not saying a word, with his head on her shoulder. His warm breath washed over Maggie. His gesture meant more to her than what they had just shared. Not that she didn’t love every minute of Crispin’s lovemaking. But his affectionate gesture made her feel complete. Whole. Two soul mates treasuring their love.
“I must go,” Maggie whispered.
“I know.” Crispin hugged her tighter against him. He wasn’t ready for her to leave, but he must release her so she could dress. With a soft kiss on top of her head, he withdrew his arms, and Maggie pulled the sheet around her. Her shyness after they made love was another adorable quality he enjoyed watching. A warm blush spread across her silken skin as she dressed. If he were a gentleman, he would turn his back and give her the privacy befitting a lady. However, as much as he tried to portray himself, he was no gentleman.
Crispin continued with his bold stare as she dressed. His intent was more than clear in how he wished for her to stay. He tempted Maggie to throw caution to the wind and join him under the covers for more lovemaking. However, common sense ruled her actions to finish dressing. She didn’t want Crispin to suffer from Reese’s or Graham’s wrath for her boldness. He didn’t sneak into her bedchamber to seduce her; instead she had stolen into his.
Crispin searched the room for his clothing once Maggie finished dressing. Maggie curled up into an armchair and returned his bold stare with her own. She sighed as she watched him pull on his trousers. It was a shame he had to cover himself. He was a fine specimen indeed. Most divine. Maggie giggled at the description.
Crispin raised his head. “What do you find amusing, minx?”
“Just a term Noel always used to describe a gentleman she was interested in before she met Ravencroft. And she still uses the word to this day. However, no other gentleman is as divine as Ravencroft. But I must disagree with her. For I find you the most divine gentleman I have ever met.”
Crispin shook his head at her silliness. “Divine? And I had hoped you held a more masculine description of my appearance.”
Maggie rose and glided over to Crispin, helping him to button his shirt. “Sorry, I forbid it.”
“Oh, you do?”
“Yes.”
“May I ask why?” He brought her fingers to his lips for a kiss.
“Because I want no other lady to realize what they are missing. If they were to whisper how brooding, strong, and sinful you are, then they would steal your attention away from me.” Maggie pouted.
He lifted her chin with his knuckle. “Never fear, my love. No other lady will gain my attention because for our remaining days, I shall only focus it upon you.”
A knock sounded on the door, and Rogers hissed behind the panel, “Dracott, you are pushing past the boundaries of my patience.”
“You must leave, my love. When I arrive later today for a walk, we shall continue our discussion of how sinful you find me.”
He never gave Maggie a chance to reply. Crispin gave her a kiss to remember for when she closed her eyes and fell into her dreams. It was a promise to the other kisses they would share again soon. He reluctantly pulled away and drew her toward the door.
Maggie’s hand slipped from Crispin when she entered the hallway and Rogers greeted her with a frown. She had dallied with Crispin for longer than the butler had agreed to.
Rogers pushed her behind him and stepped close to Dracott. “Lord Dracott, I expect you to call on Lord Worthington at your earliest convenience,” Rogers demanded.
Dracott leaned against the doorjamb with a cockiness he hadn’t portrayed since he arrived in London. Hell, this sense of recklessness hadn’t consumed him since his time on the Continent. However, after a few hours in Maggie’s arms, his true self flickered to life.
He shrugged. “We shall see.”
Rogers growled his distaste for the situation. When his glare didn’t alter Dracott’s stance, he stalked off. “We leave now, Lady Margaret.”
Maggie hesitated, glancing back and forth between Crispin and Rogers. She didn’t understand what had transpired between them since Rogers spoke so low. However, Crispin offered her a confident smile and tilted his head for her to follow Rogers. She had no choice because she must return home with haste. Soon, the sun would break through the darkness, and if she wasn’t in her bed when that occurred, then she would face a doomed future with however Reese wanted to handle the situation. She took off after Rogers and didn’t glance back once, because if she did, she would only run into Crispin’s arms instead.
After they left, Dracott slipped back inside his room and tugged on his boots and overcoat. He glanced out the window and saw them walking toward the Worthingtons’ townhome. On his way out, he grabbed a cap and slid it low over his head. Then he followed them, keeping back far enough to see them safely home.
Once they arrived, he waited around for a spell to stay close to Maggie. As he stood there, watching over the lady he loved, the eerie sense of someone following him settled over him once again. He searched his surroundings but saw nothing to concern himself over. Still, danger lurked nearby. A danger he couldn’t prevent but would fight against with all his strength.
Maggie’s love gave him the confidence he needed. While they never spoke the words, they didn’t need to. The emotions that had shaken him during their lovemaking could only be the magic of love. While he thought love would overcome all of their obstacles, he wondered if Maggie would hold the same opinion once she learned the truth about him.
He hoped so.
Chapter Twelve
Dracott crawled under the bedsheets, his body beyond exhausted. He desperately required a few hours of sleep before he gave his report to Worth. Unfortunately, he had nothing to report after spending the past few days searching for his friend. He couldn’t give details on Sabrina’s whereabouts, even if he had located her. She had hidden well. Which also left him unable to find Lady too. The case of Lady Langdale had frustrated Worth and Ralston.
He closed his eyes, but sleep eluded him. A tempting minx sprawled across him, and her teasing smile filled his thoughts. A smile he wanted to kiss from her lips. His body ached with his need for her. Not only his body but his heart, too. He hadn’t seen her since their passionate night, which left him portrayed as a callous cad who had bedded her for his own selfish pleasure. He hoped his absence hadn’t caused Maggie to doubt his intentions. If so, he would convince her otherwise, any way he could.
Just as thoughts of Maggie comforted him, the door to his room flew open. He jerked to a sitting position and reached for the knife he kept hidden under the pillow. At least he had had the sense to keep his trousers on when he laid down in bed. The door slammed shut behind the intruder, and Dracott relaxed when he saw Ravencroft.
“Where in the hell have you been?” Ravencroft hissed.
Dracott settled against the headboard, keeping a grip on the knife. “I did not know you cared so much for my welfare.” Sarcasm filled his comment.
“Now is not the time for your wit.”
Dracott sighed. He wasn’t in the mood to deal with his brother. It only reminded him of the other problems he must deal with. “Then perhaps it is time for you to inform me of your plans. Or let me convince you to come clean with the Worthingtons.”
“No!” Ravencroft snarled.
Dracott slid the knife back under the pillow and pulled on a shirt. After pouring them each a drink, he settled in the chair before the fireplace. Instead of sitting, Ravencroft threw back the drink and started pacing.
Before long, he stopped in front of Dracott and demanded again. “Well, where have you been? I had to listen to Noel complain about you all evening for abandoning your courtship of Lady Margaret. Then Worthington bent my ear for an hour about the doubts he holds about your character. You have placed me in a difficult position.”
“Why? They are unaware of our relationship with one another.”
Ravencroft sliced his hand through the air. “That is beside the point.”
“Then what is the point?” Dracott asked.
“I need your help. Lady L has pushed the deadline forward. I have two days to supply her with the blueprints, and I cannot find where Worthington keeps them. I need you to help me draw up a rough sketch of the layout of their townhome. We have both visited the townhome enough to know the location of every room,” Ravencroft explained.
