Moonlight Square: Books 1-4 (Plus Bonus Prequel Novella), page 34
She stood limp, letting him do as he pleased, her gown hanging partway off her body. He kissed her on the shoulder as he drew the sleeves off her. As she stepped out of the pool of fabric, he had half a mind to ravish her there and then, but she took the gown away from him and went and laid it neatly over the back of a nearby chair.
The way she smoothed out the wrinkles so carefully did strange things to his heart.
“You are adorable,” he informed her in tender amusement.
She arched a brow at him and returned to him clad in little more than her chemise. He sat her down on a damask chair to rid her of her stockings. He enjoyed the task very much, going down on one knee before her and untying the little ribbons that held the silk stockings to her garters.
Felicity watched him work with fire in her eyes. He ran his hands down each lovely leg as he stripped her stockings from her. Then he rose, leaving her there, and held her gaze as he undressed for her.
He did not mind her watching him at all. He wasn’t vain, but women usually found much to like about his body.
When they were both naked, he drew her to him and kissed her. He was enraptured with the silken warmth of her pressed against him. Kissing her again and again, caressing her neck and hair and her beautiful face, he suddenly remembered to check the bath water.
“Oh, bloody hell! One moment!” She laughed as he made a naked dash back into the bathing room and turned off the tap just in time.
Felicity minced after him with dainty steps, laughing. “Did we cause a flood?”
“Nearly! You distracted me,” he scolded with an intimate smile. Then he nodded at the water. “Well, get in.”
She shook her head. “You first.”
He did so without hesitation, lifting the stopper to let a little of the water drain out, lest it overflow. But rather than joining him, Felicity suddenly seemed struck shy. She spun away, as though the sight of her future husband stark nude in front of her was too much for the demure little lady. “I think we could use another candle in here.”
Jason grinned and tilted his head to watch her retreat as he settled into the tub. The sight of her curvy bare bottom as she hurried off to fetch the candelabra charmed him.
But then she returned, and with one mouthwatering look at her, he shook his head and sighed. “God, woman,” he uttered in admiration, particularly entranced by the plump contours of her breasts.
Growing bolder, she put her hand on her hip and let him look, lifting her chin a bit. “You like what you see, Duke?”
“The word perfection comes to mind. Sanfratello’s marble goddess is nothing compared to you, my darling.”
“Why, thank you, sir.” With a coy motion of her shoulder, she set the candelabra on a small pedestal and approached cautiously. Jason put his hand out and steadied her so she wouldn’t slip as she joined him in the water.
“Oh, this does feel good,” she admitted, getting comfortable. “You were right. I do feel like an empress.”
“See? I told you.”
Once she had settled in, she flashed a flirtatious smile at him and came closer. “Now, then. Does my dirty boy need a bath?”
He laughed at her naughty approach, then quickly groaned with pleasure as she touched him. Things progressed quickly from there. The water sloshed, the steam rose, bringing out curly tendrils in her golden tresses. Rosy with heat and desire, she looked like an angel, utterly irresistible. He didn’t even try but, instead, gathered her to him and plied her silken body with fine lavender soap, running his hands all over her.
She did the same to him with great care, smoothing away the tension of the day as they went slipping and sliding against each other. He claimed her luscious mouth in a fiery kiss as his lust mounted, his hard, needy cock throbbing against her thigh.
She plunged her hand beneath the waterline and grasped it, stroking him, her palm slick with soap. Unable to bear her teasing anymore, Jason pulled her onto his lap and slowly entered her. On her knees across his thighs, she braced her hands on his wet shoulders.
He hoped this position wasn’t too much for her, considering she was still a neophyte. It was only their second time, though he had done all these things with her many times before in his mind…
The reality exceeded even his wildest dreams. The bathing tub was just a little narrow for them as she rode him, though. She could not spread her lovely legs very wide, but bit by bit, she lowered herself onto his massive erection, taking as much of him as she could. He groaned, intoxicated by her tightness. Then he lay back against the edge of the tub while she rode him, feeling like a veritable king.
She stroked his chest and bent to kiss him. He could feel her trembling. But as good as it was, she was too new at this to take him in all the way in this position. He sat up and wrapped his arms around her sleek, naked waist. “I want you in my bed.”
Her chest heaving, she nodded eagerly.
They barely bothered drying off as they returned to his chamber, and dampened his sheets with their bodies as they slid into his bed.
Then the sweet, satin warmth of her curves yielded to his weight; he moved atop her damp pink body, nudging her legs open nice and wide for him at last. But, hungry for the taste of her, he could not resist pleasuring her for a while, licking her deeply to make sure she was fully ready for him. When she gripped his shoulders, dragging him up again in frantic desperation, he smiled wickedly and complied.
He loved her like this best of all—uninhibited, wild with passion. All signs of the prim-and-proper miss that she should never have become long gone. “I want you,” she ground out.
“I noticed,” he teased in a whisper.
“Just take me, you scoundrel!” she begged him with a laugh. Running her hands down his sides and then holding him by the waist, she sought his member and she groaned as he pressed into her again, obliging fellow that he was.
“Oh God, yes, Jason.” Panting, she closed her eyes in relief, lips parted, pleasure etched all over her lovely face with his every thrust.
He took her almost roughly. “You’re all mine, Felicity,” he whispered as she bucked beneath him.
“Always,” she wrenched out breathlessly. “Jason!”
“I love you,” he uttered as he brought her to a crazed climax. She said it back to him in almost incoherent gasps as she came, suddenly bursting into tears of exquisite release.
He was so astonished that he nearly lost his rhythm, but he got it right back, yet his heart was melting even as he reached his own thunderous climax. He was buried to the hilt in her now, but God help him, it was she who had so pierced and penetrated to the very soul of him.
Novice that she was, she did not understand why she was crying, but he did. As his heaving shudders of bliss started to ease, he lowered himself to his elbows atop her and cradled her in his arms, kissing the salt tears off her cheeks. “Shh, it’s all right, sweeting.”
“Oh, Jason. It’s just that I’ve loved you so much for so long,” she sobbed out, hugging him. “I still can’t believe this is all really happening.”
He closed his eyes as his heart clenched, and kissed her forehead. “I know, darling. I feel the same for you. I love you so much it hurts.”
“But it’s wonderful, too,” she said with a sniffle.
You’re wonderful, he thought. “Never leave me,” he breathed.
She shook her head, apparently having lost her voice. He withdrew from her body, then rolled wearily onto his back and held her in his arms, her head resting on his chest.
Her tears had stilled, and they both were calm now. He petted her hair as they lay together, deeply moved by her vulnerability, her innocence. He had never felt closer to any living being than to her in that moment. He loved her patience, her kindness, her clarity, her humor, her unpretentious simplicity…
As he cuddled her in his embrace, he paused to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear.
“I will love you all my life,” he whispered, then he sealed his vow with a soft kiss on her forehead, and watched her until they both drifted off to dreamland.
CHAPTER 15
Mt. Netherford
They had not meant to fall asleep, but given the vigor of their continued activities throughout the night, Felicity supposed it was understandable. She dozed with her head resting on Jason’s chest, her fingers gliding over the smooth, muscled contours of his chiseled abdomen. She savored the luxurious sense of contentment in his warm, strong arms.
Thoroughly ravished, she felt so safe with him now. She could not bring herself to leave. She had stayed all night, and it was risky, of course, to tarry any longer. By all rights, she shouldn’t even have been there at all. But his arms around her made her feel as though nothing bad could ever happen to her—to either of them, as long as they were together.
Besides, he did have his system for spiriting certain guests in and out of Netherford House unseen, the rogue.
When a longcase clock in the hallway began to toll the hour, she listened intently and counted seven muffled bongs.
Good. His servants would be up now and well about their day, so she probably couldn’t avoid them, but they already knew she was there, anyway. As for his neighbors, she had no doubt that she could hie off home before the fashionable denizens of Moonlight Square even stirred.
Lulled by the slow, peaceful rhythm of Jason’s breathing, Felicity smiled at the rakish nature of her own thoughts, planning her stealthy escape after last night’s secret tryst.
Perhaps it was inevitable that after all the time she’d been spending lately with the Duke of Scandal that she should start showing signs of scandalousness herself.
“Jason? Are you awake?” she whispered, lifting her head to gaze at him.
“No,” he mumbled, eyes closed.
She smiled and shifted positions, rolling back to brace herself on her elbow. “I could tickle you awake.”
“I don’t advise it.”
She started to drag a featherlight touch down his stomach, but he flicked his eyes open and grasped her hand.
“How now, naughty miss?” he scolded with a throaty chuckle as she let out a mock shriek and tried halfheartedly to fight her way free. “You’d better be careful or you’re going to wake up more of me than you bargained for, love.”
She feigned a pout as he rolled on top of her. “See? I knew you were awake.”
His gaze softened with great tenderness, his dark hair tousled, his eyes full of devotion. He stared down at her before lowering his lips to hers for a lingering kiss. “Good morning, beautiful,” he whispered.
A small sigh escaped her. She could not help but glow at such a sweet greeting from the man she adored. She wrapped her arms around his lean waist. “I missed you.”
“I’m starving,” he said.
“I’ll bet. You worked up quite an appetite last night.” She bit her lip on a smile full of mischief.
“So did you!” he retorted in a scratchy voice. Then he lifted himself off her and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, pausing to sit there for a moment, stretching his neck and shoulders. “Come on. Let’s go get some food.”
He stood, and Felicity sat up, holding the sheet to her chest. “Go where?”
“Downstairs. Morning room.” Gloriously nude, her soon-to-be husband shuffled across his chamber to the bathing room for his morning ablutions.
Distracted by the lovely sight of him, it took a moment for his answer to sink in, then she gasped. “Jason, I can’t go down there!”
“Why not, darling?”
She whimpered with embarrassment and pulled the sheet up over her nose, hiding all but her eyeballs. He laughed.
“It’s all right. We’re all adults here.”
“Can’t you just have them bring the food up here for us?”
“Do you know how big this house is? Nobody likes cold eggs, love. Here. You can wear this down to breakfast.” He grabbed a dark blue satin dressing gown off a peg on the wall and tossed it to her.
“You want me to wear this in front of the servants?” she asked dubiously, examining it.
“Don’t worry, sweeting, nobody’s going to care. It’s not like they don’t know what we’ve been doing in here. Besides, I can’t face all those buttons of yours until I’ve had my tea. Contrary to appearances, I am not actually awake yet.” With that, he ducked into the bathing room and shut the door behind him.
Felicity pursed her lips, weighing the matter with uncertainty. At length, she concluded that the staff had seen much more shocking things than this, and knew better than to gossip about the future lady of the house.
Besides, she’d be leaving soon, anyway.
When Jason returned, she was out of bed and had donned his dressing gown. The only thing she had on underneath it was her chemise.
“You’re sure none of your neighbors can see into the morning room?” she asked, tying the cloth belt around her waist and taking care not to step on the hem, for it was quite long on her.
“Stop worrying,” he reassured her as she passed him, taking her turn in the bathing room.
“I don’t know why I let you talk me into these things.”
“Because you’re such a good, obedient, little— Ow!” he cried with a laugh as she reached up and grasped his ear for that rascally remark, pulling him down to her like a naughty schoolboy.
“Obedient, am I? Say it again, please, Duke,” she taunted sweetly.
“Darling, you are as biddable as a tropical typhoon.”
“Humph. That’s better.” She freed the rogue to let him put on at least a few items of clothing. He pulled on a pair of loose linen Cossack trousers and, shirtless, donned a burgundy-colored banyan, which he left hanging untied.
She eyed his bare chest in possessive pleasure. He really was much too good-looking for any woman’s peace of mind.
When he was ready to go down to breakfast, he took her hand between his own and whisked her out of his chamber, leading her stealthily to the backstairs. After all, the servants might know she was there, but she did not really wish to face them if she didn’t have to. From there, they sneaked down to the first floor and dashed across the central corridor to the very pleasant morning room at the back of the house.
The morning room had pale yellow walls with arched windows, through which the clear morning sunshine streamed. Beyond those windows lay a charming view of the sculpted garden and the quaint elevated walkway crossing above it.
Since the morning room sat right next to the kitchen, the food would indeed arrive hot when it was brought to them. They sat down at a round table with cottage-style chairs. A selection of morning newspapers had already been procured and lay waiting on the sideboard, but Jason showed no interest in them, and Felicity was glad. She loved having his undivided attention.
When his old cook, Hannah, came in personally to ask what she could make for them, Felicity was suddenly seized with embarrassment about her brazen choice to spend the night with Jason, flouting all propriety. Oh, of course, the lower orders did that sort of thing all the time, she supposed, in their private lives. But granddaughters of marquesses were supposed to hold themselves to higher standards of behavior, even when they could get away with being slightly wicked.
On the other hand, Aunt Kirby would’ve been as pleased as punch that she had finally done something truly scandalous.
In any case, Felicity dropped her gaze and resorted to murmuring demurely that she’d be glad to eat whatever was put in front of her.
The plump old cook couldn’t have been kinder; indeed, Hannah was the soul of discretion. She clearly doted on her handsome young master and seemed eager to spoil them both.
Before long, Hannah carried in the large tray by herself. When still no other servants entered, Felicity realized the cook was going out of her way to spare her modesty—or what was left of it.
Deeply appreciative of the considerate gesture, though surely it was too much for one servant to do all by herself, she thanked the woman profusely.
Hannah set the teapot and covered dishes down before them. “It’s no trouble a’tall, milady,” she murmured, glancing from Felicity to Jason and back again, as though she could barely contain her exaltation over their pending match. “Is there anything else I can get for ye?”
“Thank you, we have everything we need, Hannah,” Jason told her with a smile, and Hannah left them alone to eat.
“She’s wonderful,” Felicity whispered after the cook had gone.
He nodded. “Hannah’s topnotch. She’s always taken good care of me, and I warn you now, her cooking is addictive. So, what’ve we got here?” He lifted the lids on the various dishes and started to serve them while Felicity poured the tea.
It wasn’t easy, considering her hands had only just stopped trembling after having to face a near-stranger who knew full well that she had just spent the night in the Duke of Scandal’s bed.
Jason must have noticed she was just a wee bit rattled, for he struck up an idle conversation, probably to distract her. “So what have you got planned for today?”
“Oh…I’m not sure. You?”
They chatted about nothing in particular while he finished heaping their plates with eggs and toast, sausage and beans.
Felicity removed the lid from the dainty sugar bowl but paused with the tiny silver sugar tongs in midair. “How do you take your tea, anyway? This is essential information for a lady to know about her future husband.”
“Maybe I should make you guess,” he said with a grin.
“You are in an especially roguish mood this morning, aren’t you?”
“Feeling my oats,” he admitted with a wink. “But that’s your fault.”
“Do you want sugar or not?” she insisted with an arch look in return. “Tell me quickly, or I’ll put whatever I want in and make you drink it anyway.”
“As long as you sweeten it with a kiss.” He leaned across the table and stole one.
But even as their smiling lips met, a sound from the direction of the entrance hall broke into their warm, playful bonding and stopped them both cold.
