When he sat on the table next to her foot and laid his hand on her left ankle, she jerked in surprise.
“I simply want to see if your knee is injured.” His voice sounded strained, but his hand was gentle, and Althea was shaken enough by the discovery and the fall that she dropped back against the settee cushion, allowing the liberty without contest.
Up, up, dragging her dress with it, his hand skimmed her flesh. A tiny shiver skimmed her skin, but she was not chilled. Rather, a ribbon of heat trailed behind his touch.
Her head lifted, her eyes searching his, when his hand passed her knee.
He watched her with a heavy-lidded gaze and a half-smile. “I need to roll your stocking down to have a look.”
One-handed, he flicked her garter open and spread his thumb and forefinger around her leg, sliding them down and taking her stocking with them.
Her lips parted.Oh, my, he is good at that. I wonder if this will be another evening’s game—undress someone one-handed. A flash of jealousy at the thought of him doing this with another woman took her by surprise.’Tis not like I want to play such games in a room full of people.
He cradled her knee with both hands, his thumbs prodding gently with a hoarse murmur. “Tell me if anything hurts.”
At one prod, she flinched.
“Ah. No dancing for you tonight. I shall have to ensure we have entertainment that does not require standing.”
“You needn’t style the evening around me, Evan, but thank you. Whist or my room are fine with me.”
“Hmm. We’ll see.”
Leaving that leg, he made quick work of the other garter and stocking and did the same. But that knee was fine, the left one having borne more of her weight as it hit first.
His hands paused high on her outer calves, framing her knees. Nervous, she had trouble meeting his gaze and took another gulp of Scotch.
His voice still a rumble, he asked, “Were you looking for me, then?”
“What? Oh, no. I mean, yes.”
He turned his head to look at her from the corner of his eye, not quite hiding his grin. “What for?”
“Uh.” Smaller sip of Scotch.
“Mayhap you thought more about having an investment partner in your Bath store?”
“No.” Alarm sharpened her response. Then she searched for a different reason. “Why do you agree with Beth that I am missing out?”
Oh my, did I really say that out loud?Beth had told her that repeatedly, and she’d ignored her cousin. Evan had said it once, and she could not get it out of her head. She’d snuck down this hall looking to be discovered, hoping for an opening to introduce this subject again. But so baldly?
He must think I’m wanton.She snorted.Right. With most of the other party-goers throwing themselves at him, a mere question is wanton? I think not.
“Althea, if you had experienced even a fraction of the pleasure I have from sex, you and Beth would never have had that conversation.” His thumbs stroked over her kneecaps. Heat twisted low in her abdomen. He seemed not to realize he had done it. “And you would have had different answers to my questions about your marriage.”
His thumb movement was forgotten as her defenses rose. This was the second time he was poking at her marriage. Neither Thomas nor she deserved that. Her marriage had been no better or worse than anyone else’s. Anything she’d wished for was outside of the norm, but it was not Thomas’s fault he was traditional. “I loved my husband.”
“And I love my friends. I’m talking about orgasms, not feelings.” His voice was gentle, making her realize he had not intended harm.
“Ugh.” Calmer, she could respond with a lighter tone. “You and Beth with the orgasms. She even told me how to do it, but she said herself that women’s bodies are all different. Mine simply does not have the same capability.”
“Shall we wager on that?”
“No!” Then her inner devil took over. “How would we judge the wager anyway?”Lud, I’ve been living with Beth too long.
“Hmm.” He narrowed his eyes. “My first thought was to direct you. However, I think I need full control in order to protect my interests.”
She flattened her lips. “Of course you do, Lord Cheltenham. As does every man.”
