pleasure.”
The hem was raised higher and higher. At the last second, she panicked and tried to fight being disrobed, but he was too quick for her, and she was naked.
She was still hovered over his lap, her nude form fully visible, and she wondered if she might ignite from discomfiture.
“You’re embarrassing me,” she murmured.
“Hush. Let me look at you.”
She folded her arms over her breasts, but he gripped her wrists and urged them away so that he had a clear view. He evaluated her, taking his time, as if memorizing every detail, then he drew her to him and kissed her tenderly, sweetly.
“You’re very beautiful, Mary.”
Secretly, she was thrilled by the pretty compliment, but she didn’t know how to reply to it. She burrowed her face into the crook of his neck, wanting to hide, but strangely, wanting to be more brazen for him, too. She was suffering from a peculiar combination of exhilaration and shame.
She was aware of what type of female tickled his fancy—a woman like Mrs. Bainbridge—but Mary had no idea how to go about being so loose. She wished she knew every coquette’s trick, and she was depressed by her lack of turpitude.
She’d always been a perfectly behaved daughter, but where had it gotten her? What if she was a little ill-behaved? Would the world cease to spin if she reached out and grabbed for what she craved?
He settled her onto her back, and as he came over her, he was staring at her with an expression of great affection. It made her heart pound, made her eager to do whatever he asked—without hesitation, without regard to the consequences.
He started kissing her again, and as her hips began to respond, he abandoned her mouth to nibble a trail down her bosom, to her belly.
“What are you doing?” she inquired.
“I’m going to kiss you in a special way.”
Not able to imagine what he meant, she lifted off the pillow to see that he’d spread her legs and wedged himself between her thighs.
She frowned.
“You’re not going to ... to ...”
“Yes, I am.” He grinned.
“But ... but ...”
He laved his tongue across her privates.
“Jordan!”
“What?”
“It’s unseemly.”
“And tremendously wicked, which makes it just the sort of deed I relish.”
He laved her again, and all complaint was silenced. She flopped back onto the pillow and gazed at the ceiling as he kept on with his torment. Very soon, she cried out and soared to the heavens.
As she spiraled down, he was nuzzling up her body, laughing, kissing her. He pulled her into his arms, and he appeared so delighted, his usual air of boredom and arrogance having vanished.
“Why are you smiling?” she asked.
“Because you make me happy.”
“I do? Why?”
“You’re so different from the women of my acquaintance.”
“How am I different?”
“You’re just ... you.”
“What a lovely thing to say.”
He sighed, holding her sprawled across his chest. “Before I’m through, I intend to thoroughly corrupt you. Do you mind?”
“Will I enjoy it?”
“Absolutely.”
“Then, no, I won’t mind a bit.”
“I’m so glad I’m here,” he said. “I’m so glad I met you.”
“So am I.”
He seemed on the verge of making an important confession, when suddenly, footsteps sounded in the hall.
They froze, his eyes widening in question as to who was approaching, but Mary hadn’t a clue. She shrugged.
“Mary,” Felicity snapped, banging on the door, “are you in there?”
Felicity hadn’t visited Mary’s room in months, so what were the chances that she’d arrive when Redvers was in Mary’s bed and behaving precisely as he oughtn’t?
When Mary had been alone with him, it had been easy to forget why he was at Barnes Manor, but with Felicity on the other side of the door, reality crashed down.
“Mary!” Felicity called again, impatient for an answer.
Mary raised up on her elbow. “Felicity, is that you?”
“Yes. Let me in.”
Felicity rattled the knob, and Mary shuddered
The hem was raised higher and higher. At the last second, she panicked and tried to fight being disrobed, but he was too quick for her, and she was naked.
She was still hovered over his lap, her nude form fully visible, and she wondered if she might ignite from discomfiture.
“You’re embarrassing me,” she murmured.
“Hush. Let me look at you.”
She folded her arms over her breasts, but he gripped her wrists and urged them away so that he had a clear view. He evaluated her, taking his time, as if memorizing every detail, then he drew her to him and kissed her tenderly, sweetly.
“You’re very beautiful, Mary.”
Secretly, she was thrilled by the pretty compliment, but she didn’t know how to reply to it. She burrowed her face into the crook of his neck, wanting to hide, but strangely, wanting to be more brazen for him, too. She was suffering from a peculiar combination of exhilaration and shame.
She was aware of what type of female tickled his fancy—a woman like Mrs. Bainbridge—but Mary had no idea how to go about being so loose. She wished she knew every coquette’s trick, and she was depressed by her lack of turpitude.
She’d always been a perfectly behaved daughter, but where had it gotten her? What if she was a little ill-behaved? Would the world cease to spin if she reached out and grabbed for what she craved?
He settled her onto her back, and as he came over her, he was staring at her with an expression of great affection. It made her heart pound, made her eager to do whatever he asked—without hesitation, without regard to the consequences.
He started kissing her again, and as her hips began to respond, he abandoned her mouth to nibble a trail down her bosom, to her belly.
“What are you doing?” she inquired.
“I’m going to kiss you in a special way.”
Not able to imagine what he meant, she lifted off the pillow to see that he’d spread her legs and wedged himself between her thighs.
She frowned.
“You’re not going to ... to ...”
“Yes, I am.” He grinned.
“But ... but ...”
He laved his tongue across her privates.
“Jordan!”
“What?”
“It’s unseemly.”
“And tremendously wicked, which makes it just the sort of deed I relish.”
He laved her again, and all complaint was silenced. She flopped back onto the pillow and gazed at the ceiling as he kept on with his torment. Very soon, she cried out and soared to the heavens.
As she spiraled down, he was nuzzling up her body, laughing, kissing her. He pulled her into his arms, and he appeared so delighted, his usual air of boredom and arrogance having vanished.
“Why are you smiling?” she asked.
“Because you make me happy.”
“I do? Why?”
“You’re so different from the women of my acquaintance.”
“How am I different?”
“You’re just ... you.”
“What a lovely thing to say.”
He sighed, holding her sprawled across his chest. “Before I’m through, I intend to thoroughly corrupt you. Do you mind?”
“Will I enjoy it?”
“Absolutely.”
“Then, no, I won’t mind a bit.”
“I’m so glad I’m here,” he said. “I’m so glad I met you.”
“So am I.”
He seemed on the verge of making an important confession, when suddenly, footsteps sounded in the hall.
They froze, his eyes widening in question as to who was approaching, but Mary hadn’t a clue. She shrugged.
“Mary,” Felicity snapped, banging on the door, “are you in there?”
Felicity hadn’t visited Mary’s room in months, so what were the chances that she’d arrive when Redvers was in Mary’s bed and behaving precisely as he oughtn’t?
When Mary had been alone with him, it had been easy to forget why he was at Barnes Manor, but with Felicity on the other side of the door, reality crashed down.
“Mary!” Felicity called again, impatient for an answer.
Mary raised up on her elbow. “Felicity, is that you?”
“Yes. Let me in.”
Felicity rattled the knob, and Mary shuddered
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