Page 34 of To Wager with Love

“Like David,” she murmured, trailing a finger through the coarse hair on his chest.

“You’ve never seen David,” he replied, the words breathless.

“I’ve seen pictures, and a life size copy,” she said, somewhat defiantly. “Though there are… some differences,” she allowed.

Jasper smirked. “Yes, I always thought him rather poorly endowed myself.”

“You might be right,” Harriet murmured, staring down at the part of him that was clamouring for her attention. “But other than that….” Her finger traced a path down his abdomen, making the muscles twitch and leap until she reached his hip bone. She looked up at him. “You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

Jasper’s throat tightened. He knew he was handsome, of course he did. Women had told him often enough, and behaved shockingly to get him into their beds, but never had the words meant anything to him. He couldn’t hold a candle to Harriet’s mind, could never entertain her with his cleverness, but this… he could give her this, as shallow as that might seem in comparison.

“I think that’s supposed to be my line,” he said, trying to smile but finding he was too overcome to manage it.

She huffed out a little laugh at that. “We said the truth only, remember.”

He frowned and reached out, capturing her face in his hands. “I don’t know what you see in the mirror, love, nor what anyone else sees, but I see you, Harriet, and you are beautiful.”

Harriet stared up at him, her eyes misty with tears, with the longing to believe him, though he knew she didn’t. Not yet, but she would. If it took him a lifetime, she would come to believe she was beautiful and loved, by him.

He moved closer, touching his mouth to hers, softly, tenderly, putting all his hopes and dreams into the touch of his lips against hers. Harriet sighed and reached for him, pressing against him and desire flamed again, stronger than ever. It was the hardest thing to hold himself back, to keep his touch slow and gentle.

Reaching for the ties she’d half undone, he finished the job, pushing the wrap to the ground before undoing the neck of her nightgown and pulling it open until it slid down to the generous curve of her hips.

His breath hitched as he pulled back to look at her and he caught her hands when she would have covered herself.

“You’ve seen me before, too,” she complained as he held her hands out of the way.

“And yet you still take my breath away,” he said, meaning it. “Oh, love.”

He bent his head and kissed first one breast, then the other, returning to toy with the tightly puckered nipple, circling it with his tongue before sucking gently. Harriet gasped and clutched at his hair, holding him in place.

“Lovely,” he murmured. “So perfect.”

He stood and looked at her, finding her eyes darker than ever, her cheeks flushed. He smiled and kissed her nose before pushing the nightgown from her hips.

“Come to bed with me, Harry. Please,” he added, still a little uncertain despite the look in her eyes.

She nodded and moved ahead of him, climbing onto the mattress and lying down, stiff as a board. Jasper lay beside her, his head propped on his arm and a ridiculous smile on his face.

“What?” she demanded.

“Nothing,” he said, still smiling like an idiot. “I’m just happy, that’s all. You make me happy.”

“No, I don’t,” she countered, looking away from him. “I make you angry.”

“Only because I provoke you and you retaliate. Then I get angry.”

She huffed out a breath. “True. So, why must you provoke me?”

“Because it’s better than being ignored, Harry. If you don’t see me, I… I feel like I might disappear entirely.”

Harriet’s gaze snapped back to his, intent and questioning, that fierce brain turning over his words and weighing each one. She looked away again, still quizzical, but he knew she’d not ask whatever questions were burning inside her. If she couldn’t puzzle it out herself, she’d leave it unanswered, too proud to ask him to explain.

“Shouldn’t you… do something?” she asked, sounding rather impatient.

“Perhaps,” he said, lying on his back, his hands behind his head. “But I think you should go first this time.”

“What?” Harriet sat up and stared down at him.