“Why are you being so sympathetic?”
“Because I’ve had time to think things through, and to try and understand.” She swiped at the bluebells with her riding crop. “I was so angry when I saw you there, letting anyonetouch you, caress you, have you … I felt betrayed, which is ridiculous, I know, because there is nothing truly between us and I’d already told you to leave me alone.”
He took a step toward her. “Of course there is something between us. You must have known I would’ve sought you out again.”
“Would you?” She sighed. “Then you are a braver man than I thought.”
“I don’t fuck anyone there.” He had to be clear on that. She had to understand at least that. “And I don’t let anyone fuck me.”
“I know.” She walked on another few paces, her skirts dragging on the ground and then stopped and looked back at him, her chin raised, her eyes calm. “Marie-Claude told me.”
“Why were you there that first night?”
“Because I was trying to forget you.”
God, he liked that, liked her honesty far more than he was prepared to admit to himself. “I haven’t seen you before,” he persisted, as he tried to puzzle out her motives.
“I haven’t been there for a while and I rarely frequent the higher levels. As I told you, I’ve been trying to behave more appropriately because of Emily’s imminent society debut.”
He studied her for a long moment and she continued to stare back at him, her expression composed, her luscious mouth relaxed. Such a fascinating mix of sophistication and pure sensual woman. A challenge he craved and a prize he wanted to win. He realized he was clenching his fists and slowly relaxed his hands.
“If I did not disgust you, will you meet me there again?”
“Yes, if you like.”
A lick of heat warmed his stomach and groin as he imagined undressing for her again, feeling her mouth on him, getting the chance to pleasure her in return. He bowed low. “I would be honored to serve you.”
She smiled and swept him a curtsey. “I depend on it.”
He walked toward her and took her gloved hand, turned it palm up, and kissed it. “You are an extraordinary woman.”
“And you haven’t apologized to me yet.”
“I thought you said I didn’t need to?”
She glared at him as they skirted the bluebell patch. “What were you intending to do if I hadn’t surprised you like that?”
“If you wish to know the truth, I was still debating between telling you I was sorry and putting you over my knee and spanking you.”
She stopped walking. “Spanking me?”
“I, too, was angry when you left me like that, still coming, unable to do anything but fall to my knees and gasp for air.” He kept hold of her hand. “I spent several very happy hours imagining you over my knee begging my pardon and sobbing.”
“I wouldn’t have sobbed, and you are deliberately distracting me from my first point, which is the apology you owe me.”
He drew her into his arms. “You would’ve sobbed and then I would’ve had to console you. I insist you would’ve enjoyed yourself in the end.” He kissed her closed mouth, kissed her again. “And as I resisted the urge to spank you, surely that is apology enough?”
She pushed him away. “You are just like my brother, sir. He never apologizes to me either.”
He tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and led her back toward the horses. He put her up into the saddle and then mounted himself. “There is one thing I don’t quite understand, Miss Ross.”
“If we intend to become so intimately connected, you may call me Lisette, my lord.”
“Thank you.” He hesitated, tried to think how to frame his next remark without offending her, and realized it was impossible. “It is unusual to see an unmarried woman at the pleasure house.”
“That is true.”
“Then how is it that you …?”
She turned to look at him. “My mother took me there.”
“Your
mother
?”
Her chin went up another notch.
“Because I’ve had time to think things through, and to try and understand.” She swiped at the bluebells with her riding crop. “I was so angry when I saw you there, letting anyonetouch you, caress you, have you … I felt betrayed, which is ridiculous, I know, because there is nothing truly between us and I’d already told you to leave me alone.”
He took a step toward her. “Of course there is something between us. You must have known I would’ve sought you out again.”
“Would you?” She sighed. “Then you are a braver man than I thought.”
“I don’t fuck anyone there.” He had to be clear on that. She had to understand at least that. “And I don’t let anyone fuck me.”
“I know.” She walked on another few paces, her skirts dragging on the ground and then stopped and looked back at him, her chin raised, her eyes calm. “Marie-Claude told me.”
“Why were you there that first night?”
“Because I was trying to forget you.”
God, he liked that, liked her honesty far more than he was prepared to admit to himself. “I haven’t seen you before,” he persisted, as he tried to puzzle out her motives.
“I haven’t been there for a while and I rarely frequent the higher levels. As I told you, I’ve been trying to behave more appropriately because of Emily’s imminent society debut.”
He studied her for a long moment and she continued to stare back at him, her expression composed, her luscious mouth relaxed. Such a fascinating mix of sophistication and pure sensual woman. A challenge he craved and a prize he wanted to win. He realized he was clenching his fists and slowly relaxed his hands.
“If I did not disgust you, will you meet me there again?”
“Yes, if you like.”
A lick of heat warmed his stomach and groin as he imagined undressing for her again, feeling her mouth on him, getting the chance to pleasure her in return. He bowed low. “I would be honored to serve you.”
She smiled and swept him a curtsey. “I depend on it.”
He walked toward her and took her gloved hand, turned it palm up, and kissed it. “You are an extraordinary woman.”
“And you haven’t apologized to me yet.”
“I thought you said I didn’t need to?”
She glared at him as they skirted the bluebell patch. “What were you intending to do if I hadn’t surprised you like that?”
“If you wish to know the truth, I was still debating between telling you I was sorry and putting you over my knee and spanking you.”
She stopped walking. “Spanking me?”
“I, too, was angry when you left me like that, still coming, unable to do anything but fall to my knees and gasp for air.” He kept hold of her hand. “I spent several very happy hours imagining you over my knee begging my pardon and sobbing.”
“I wouldn’t have sobbed, and you are deliberately distracting me from my first point, which is the apology you owe me.”
He drew her into his arms. “You would’ve sobbed and then I would’ve had to console you. I insist you would’ve enjoyed yourself in the end.” He kissed her closed mouth, kissed her again. “And as I resisted the urge to spank you, surely that is apology enough?”
She pushed him away. “You are just like my brother, sir. He never apologizes to me either.”
He tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and led her back toward the horses. He put her up into the saddle and then mounted himself. “There is one thing I don’t quite understand, Miss Ross.”
“If we intend to become so intimately connected, you may call me Lisette, my lord.”
“Thank you.” He hesitated, tried to think how to frame his next remark without offending her, and realized it was impossible. “It is unusual to see an unmarried woman at the pleasure house.”
“That is true.”
“Then how is it that you …?”
She turned to look at him. “My mother took me there.”
“Your
mother
?”
Her chin went up another notch.
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