Page 80 of An Unexpected Earl

“I know how you feel about our situation. You were quite clear about it last night, and I respect your decision.” Even if he hated it. He grimly leaned forward, to rest his elbows on his knees and clasp his hands between them. His gaze bore into hers. “But know that I will shamelessly seduce you if given half the chance, and I will revel in the sweetness of you, in every kiss and touch, every soft sigh and moan that falls from your lips.”

When she swallowed at that wholly wanton declaration, he longed to place his mouth against her throat, to taste the soft undulation beneath his lips.

“And if that happens, you’ll be in serious trouble.” The warning pulsed between them with a life of its own. “Because if I make love to you a second time, Amelia, I willneverlet you go. Marriage or not.”

Through her stunned expression, he couldn’t read the thoughts that were surely swirling through that sharp mind of hers. But he was absolutely serious. If she knew what was good for her, she’d turn tail and run.

Instead, the minx slowly approached him, one deliberate step at a time. Her eyes never left his, not even when she reached up to untie her cloak and let it fall to the floor.

His pulse spiked, and as she came closer, he sat back to keep as much distance between them as possible. “I’m serious.”

“So am I,” she murmured in a throaty rasp that sent a quiver of desire arcing through him.

He caught his breath when she reached him. But she didn’t stop even then. With one hand reaching for his shoulder and the other pulling her skirt up her thighs and out of the way, she climbed on top of him, straddling him right there on the settee.

He didn’t dare put his hands on her. If he did, it wouldn’t be to set her away. “Amelia—”

“Let me make certain that I have this right,” she murmured. “If we make love a second time, you’ll never let me go?”

“That’s right,” he forced out through gritted teeth.

Her hand slipped over the now tense muscle of his shoulder to sift tantalizingly through the short hair at his nape. Each brush of her fingers shot electricity straight down to the tip of his cock.

She lowered her head until her lips lingered just above his. Her warm breath tickled teasingly over his lips. “Promise?”

His restraint snapped. With a growl, he rose and kissed her.

She gave a soft cry of surprise when he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her down onto him. Fierce and hungry, he kissed her with greedy, openmouthed kisses that stole her breath away and left her melting into his embrace.

Rasping out her name, he reached for her hair to pull out the pins holding it in place and throw them aside to scatter across the marble floor. He shoved his hands into her golden tresses, letting them tumble down around his own head and shoulders as she leaned over him to match the ferocity of the embrace, kiss for kiss, yearning for yearning.

Gone was the sweet girl he knew from his youth. Gone, too, was the innocent woman he’d made love to in the tavern. In her place sat a goddess, the most seductive woman he’d ever known. That she was also the woman he loved—hadalwaysloved—rocked him to his core.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and arched herself into him, pressing her breasts flat against his chest. Then she squirmed on his lap, the desire inside her pulsing into him, and a groan tore from him. He wanted nothing more than to devour her.

“Touch me,” she urged and bit tauntingly at his bottom lip.

He slipped his hands beneath her skirt and stroked up her inner thighs. The silk of her stockings gave way to bare flesh, and bare flesh gave way to—

“Yes,” she panted out as his fingers found her. “There…right there.”

“Jesus,” he bit out as he stroked her. “You’re already slick.”

To prove it, he slipped a finger inside her warmth. She whimpered with need and clenched around him, her fingertips digging into the tight muscles of his shoulders.

He wanted to tease her to release. But when she threw back her head and began to thrust her hips against his hand, begging with her body to be satisfied, the time for teasing vanished. He flicked his thumb against her clit, and she jumped from a spasm of pleasure that left her folds quivering around his finger.

She was ready for him. God knew he was more than ready for her.

He reached down to open his fall and yanked his shirt out of the way to free his cock. When he teased against her folds with his tip, to slicken it with her dew, her breath came in shallow pants of anticipation that matched his own. He nestled his tip down into her folds to hold himself there and fixed his eyes on hers as his hands encircled her hips. Then with a gentle yank, he pulled her forward and slid deep inside her.

She gasped at being filled so completely, so suddenly. Then the sound transformed into a throaty moan when he moved her hips to seat her fully over him.

“Like this,” he murmured as his hands at her hips began to lift and lower her over his cock in long, smooth strokes, guiding her in a wanton rhythm that left him breathless. “Sweet Jesus…just like this.”

But the beautiful, independent creature in his arms had no patience and began to move against him on her own in jerking little thrusts whose unpracticed eagerness drove him wild. Her thighs shook around him as the tension mounted inside her, her fingers digging harder into his shoulders as she fought for purchase to deepen each delicious rise and fall over him.

Unable to restrain himself much longer, he leaned back as far as the settee allowed and wiggled his hand down between them to find that sensitive little bud buried in her folds. He rubbed his knuckles against her, and she bucked.