Page 97 of Counting on Love

He laid her down, crowding beside her, parting her thighs with his knee, while continuing to kiss her and be kissed by her. At the same time, breathing heavily and pushing his thigh close against hers, he also gathered up the folds of her skirts in one hand, pulling them up, exposing her legs. Then he slipped his hand under the material and caressed her skin.

“Tell me if you want me to stop,” he said. His voice did not sound like his own. It sounded raw.

She said nothing. She definitely did not want him to stop.

He began stroking her thighs. Like tickling but nothing like tickling at all. And then he touched her between them, bringing his hand to the most private part of her. He kissed her mouth and her neck and her breasts while continuing the strokes. She gave up trying to suppress her moans and couldn’t keep herself from moving, straining against his fingers. What he was doing felt so good. Until it was unbearably good. And then shattering.

Moments later she was still quivering even after he’d moved his hand softly to her side and his kisses had gentled.

“I’m going to London to speak with your father.”

“Yes.” She twined her arms about him, almost perfectly contented. “That will be interesting.”

“Will he be very disappointed with me?”

“What?” Georgiana’s cheeks heated.

“Oh, Georgiana, no!” He laughed. “I’m not telling him this.” He went on more earnestly. “I mean, will he be disappointed I’m not Jasper? Not an earl?”

Her poor father would be more confused than anything else. “At this point, I think both my parents will be thrilled if a gentleman asks for me and I say yes.” Then she teased him. “You are asking me, aren’t you? I don’t remember hearing the words.”

“Did you open your book?”

“Yes. Why?”

“Did you open the pages? I wrote the question on the flyleaf.”

“I suppose I was too impatient to see you.”

His eyes glowed. “Too impatient to look at Woodhouse’s pages? I’m flattered beyond belief.” He rolled aside and sat up. “I should go. I want to reach London tonight.”

“Don’t go yet.” She didn’t want him to leave. Surely they weren’t finished. “There’s more, isn’t there?”

“More?” He shifted and put his hand on her thigh. “Were you disappointed?”

She heard a caress in his voice. This was a side of Reginald she did not know existed. It was seductive. Rakish, even. An urgent curiosity flushed through her.

She murmured, “I think you know what I mean.”

“I do. Which is why I had better leave immediately.”

“Please don’t.”

He swore under his breath then slid down beside her and began kissing her again. This time she tried to concentrate rather than losing her head. She kissed him back with more confidence. She listened to him, to the sounds he made. She felt the way his thigh pressed against her hip and realized he was as aroused as she was.

“What do I do?” she asked. “What would you like me to do?”

He groaned. “Say you will marry me. Soon.”

“Yes, of course. You know I will.”

He unbuttoned the fall of his trousers and pressed her hand inside them.

“Just…there. Like that. Like that.”

He rocked against her. He started kissing her again, rocking harder, squeezing her breast, rocking faster. Georgiana was fascinated. She felt warm and melting and wished…everything. That they could do these things over and over and over. She wished she knew how to make him feel the way he had made her feel. It seemed that he was too much in charge and she was contributing very little.

He turned from her abruptly, with a sharp cry, shuddering. He faced away from her for a moment, then stuffed a handkerchief into his pocket and rebuttoned his fall. He got to his feet.