Page 13 of The Lady’s Great Escape

Chapter Six

Kit was shocked by the need that ravished his body for the woman in front of him. This was supposed to be a mere dalliance. A way to spend his last night as a rogue. A proper send-off into the commitment and responsibility he so eagerly sought.

But all he could think about at the moment was throwing Lady Selene on the bed behind her and sinking deep inside her warm body.

He was certain he was ready for marriage, but this woman had reduced him to a rutting beast. He had to have her.

Grasping for what control he could summon, he maintained his slow explorations. She was inexperienced. He hadn’t needed Lady Harrington’s warning to know this. He felt it in the way her hands trembled when she caressed his bare skin. And the way she babbled nervously whenever he asked a lascivious question.

For whatever reason she’d come here tonight, she’d wanted this. He’d not allow this experience to be anything less than lovely.

He might not be the man who would take her to bed each night, but he would certainly set her up to know what she wanted from her husband.

The thought of her marrying another dimmed his enjoyment slightly but he brushed it off as instinctual male claiming. She was his. And while it would only be for the night, the thought of another man intruding and taking what was his, had him tense and prepared for battle.

“I believe you will be more comfortable lying on the bed,” he said as his tongue traced the curve of her neck to her ear.

“The bed?” she said as if it was her first time hearing the word and she didn’t understand the definition.

“Behind you.” He nodded and stepped closer, pulling her with him.

“Yes. Of course.” She swallowed and he lifted her and followed her down to the mattress, kissing her all the way.

In past encounters, he’d had a script he’d followed. One devised to pleasure a woman in the quickest fashion so he could complete the task and take himself off before the night was too far gone.

He knew he could employ that plan now, and she would walk away with no complaints. She would experience everything she’d need and more.

But for whatever reason, he didn’t feel it would be good enough for him.

Strange, since it barely took him any time at all to be satisfied physically once he gave himself leave to do so. This was different. He wasn’t just after physical satisfaction.

He didn’t want to cut short his time with her. This divine creature who was giving herself to a stranger so she might have the experience she craved.

He would make their brief time together something they would both remember the rest of their days. And she would become the last woman he slept with that didn’t bear his name.

*

Lord Desire pulledaway from their kiss and stared at her in what she could only describe as a mixture of confusion and awe. For a moment she worried she’d called out Kit’s name when she’d moaned against this man’s skin.

How rude that would be. She would need to keep her wits about her to make sure that didn’t happen. But the way he kissed her, had her squirming and calling out nonsensical claims. Fortunately, some were in French.

“I must have you or I’ll die.” Had been a bit dramatic, though she couldn’t be sure it wasn’t true. Her heart felt as if it might explode either way—if she had him or didn’t. It appeared she was done for no matter what happened next.

And when his lips pulled up on the corners in a devilish smile, she was even more certain she would not survive the night.

He pressed kisses lower on her jaw and then her neck. From there he dipped to her collarbone and when she expected him to return up to her lips he went lower still and sucked her left nipple into his hot mouth.

She gasped and nearly jumped off the bed from the surprise as much as the feel of it.

“No?” he asked, tilting his head as if waiting for her answer.

She blinked a few times and then relaxed. “Yes.” The single word had been spoken with a hint of command she found she enjoyed. When he groaned his approval and continued his devouring of her breasts, she knew he had heard it and liked it as well.

If she’d had any ability to rationalize a thought, she might have been surprised to find a man—especially a large powerful man—enjoyed demands from a woman.

She smiled into the darkness as he continued, until she noticed he’d moved farther down her body. His tongue dipped into her navel and forced her back to come up from the bed in response.

His naughty laugh told her he’d scandalized her intentionally, but the shock was not over when he ducked his head between her thighs. How had her legs opened so widely to give him such access? She might have worried over it more, if his mouth hadn’t done something so remarkable that she forgot everything. Even her own name. Or rather both of them.