thirty-six
After a week of resting, eating, drinking the awful tonic, and sleeping, Vivienne had grown stronger. She didn’t pant when she went up the stairs, and she’d gained weight thanks to Potter’s delicious meals.
Even though it was well past midnight, she was still up, reading in her bedroom, waiting for Samuel. Between his work and his nocturnal excursions with Captain Jackson and William to get Dr. Tucker arrested, he went to bed late.
Every time a noise came from the corridor, she paused, hoping it was Samuel. But no. She’d almost finished the book by the time the door opened and Samuel entered on silent feet.
“Still up?” he asked.
“I was a little worried.” She ran to him and hugged him. “Any news?”
“Not good.” He gave her a quick peck on the lips before sitting on the armchair next to her. He smelt of soap, and his dressing gown had been recently washed because she caught a whiff of the laundry soap Mrs. Foster had ordered.
“Murdock fled. He hasn’t been seen in a while, and William said his office is empty. He took his accounting books, potions,and ledgers.” The dressing gown was open on the front, revealing his undergarment.
She eyed the way his nightshirt stretched taut over his chest. “I can talk to my mother. She might know where he is, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he contacted her.”
“Do you want to see your mother? She hasn’t come here to visit us, even though we invited her.” He gently took her face when he finished signing.
“It won’t be easy, but if she knows something about Dr. Tucker, having to swallow my pride would be worth it.”
He kissed her, his lips lingering on hers. The way he held her as if she were the most precious thing in the world made her feel confident and beautiful—two things she hadn’t experienced in a long time.
She ran her hands over his chest. His warmth reached her skin, and his heart pounded faster when she darted out her tongue and caressed his lips.
He broke the kiss to stare at her with his usual soul-searching intensity.
She had no idea what he searched for in her eyes, but there was only love for him, his courage, and his kindness.
Then he kissed her again.
The kiss was a quick brush of his lips against hers at first. A mere touch, innocent and sweet. Yet a fire roared inside her, a fire that demanded to burn more brightly.
She slid her hands up his neck and to his nape before pulling him down for another kiss.
Only the feel of his body against hers and of his lips parting remained. They kissed, trying to devour each other’s mouths, letting out their passion. His hands ran along her body from her waist to her breasts, never pausing and driving her mad with need.
The feeling of his gentle hands over her worked better than any tonic.
She explored his chest with urgent fingers, shoving aside his dressing gown and nightshirt until she found heat and smooth skin and hard muscles. With quick fingers, he unfastened her dressing gown.
She helped him, tugging at her sleeves with impatience. He cupped her face and stared into her eyes.
He mouthed, “Beautiful,” with such strength she nearly heard the word.
He hauled her up and laid her on the bed. She expected him to shove her clothes out of the way, but instead, he caressed her cheek once more as if he couldn’t believe she was real.
Then his mouth was on her neck, planting a sweet, careful kiss that made her moan.
The sweetness gave way to shuddering pleasure and throbbing need again. He slowly moved his hand down over her breasts. The nightgown and dressing gown formed a thin barrier, but she grew frustrated with the need to feel his hands on her bare skin.
She shrugged off the dressing gown, leaving only the nightgown covering her.
He lifted his head from the crook of her neck to stare at her. The longer he stared, the more achy she became. He dragged a hand over her breasts, pulling the nightgown down.
When she was bare to him, her first instinct wasn’t to cover herself, but to feel more. More of his touch, lips, and heat. His mouth was around her nipple, sucking and teasing, and she reclined her head on the soft pillow.
She grabbed fistfuls of the bedsheets as his tongue teased her nipples to hard peaks. She was aching, her skin tingling with new sensations, burning with a new type of fever.
