Page 35 of Deposed

Humming my approval, I pushed back and forth against him, increasing the friction. His fingers, which made maddeningly light circles over my clit, quickened and the pressure increased until my muscles rippled around him.

“Carry on like that,” he said, voice strangulated, “and I won’t last long.”

With each sweep of his finger, pleasurable tingles built up around my core. I pulsed and spasmed around the length thrusting into me and gasped out, “I’m getting close, too!”

Edward changed the angle of his thrusts, grazing a spot that deepened my pleasure and made it wind and coil like the lever of his gramophone. Panting hard, I dropped my head back onto his shoulder, and clutched at his thrusting hips. He continued teasing my aching, pulsing clit with heavier caresses until the coil snapped and released an eruption of pleasure that kept going and going.

Edward rocked back and forth, his movements prolonging my climax. “Emilia… Fuck.”

“Yeah,” I said through pants, the spasm of my core muscles showing no signs of ebbing.

His arm clamped around me like a vice, and he thrusted hard and fast, making me cry out. Then he stilled and a tremble wracked his entire body. “F-f-fuuuuck!”

I huffed out a laugh. “I never thought I’d hear a viscount use such naughty language.”

Edward snickered into my shoulder. “Neither did I.”

When Edward softened inside me and withdrew, I sat up and propped my back against the headrest. The first rays of sunlight streamed in through the chink in the curtains, but they were so weak, they provided the barest of illumination. “What time is it?”

“Five, the last time I checked. I wasn’t sure if you wanted to be seen leaving my room, so I wanted to give you the opportunity to go before everyone woke.”

I ran the back of my fingers down his stubbled cheek and gave him a gentle peck. “Thanks.” I leaned over the side of the bed and glanced down at the rug. “Ummm… Where are my clothes?”

“I placed them on the chair hours ago.”

“Did you sleep?” I eased myself out of the rug and padded across the room to his desk and chair.

He glanced away. “I… I wasn’t sure if you would leave in the middle of the night.”

Just as I had the last time we slept together. The thought of him waking to find that I had left Mercia Academy and betrayed his confidence made my heart twist.

Edward closed his eyes and sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“What for?”

“Your interventions brought everything with International House to a head before anyone got hurt. After the end of term, van-loads of police and immigration officers stormed the campus and cleared out those too old to belong to a high school. Since the police arrested Mr. Chaloner and exonerated Father, I’ve slept easier.”

Nadia would probably be back home with her fiancé, just as she had wanted. I wrung my hands. “Are you just saying that to make me feel better?”

Edward pulled back the sheets and slid out of bed. The morning light accentuated his high cheekbones, sexy cupid’s bow, and strong jawline. My gaze meandered down his smooth, alabaster skin and over the contours of his prominent pecs, tight abdomen, and a dark treasure trail that led to a thick, flushed penis.

“Emilia?” He crossed the room and grabbed my hands. “Some of the so-called international students were very dangerous people who should never have been allowed in polite society, let alone near children. At the end of the raid, the police brought out evidence bags of drugs and weapons… It was a disaster waiting to happen.”

My gaze flickered up to meet his earnest, blue eyes, and I blew out a long breath. “Wow.”

“Indeed.” He clasped my head in his hands and pressed a kiss on my temple.

“Then why were you so angry with me?”

He ran his fingers through his hair and glanced away. “I’m more angry about the mess I’d created and irritated that it took an American girl I had bullied to fix things.”

It took me a few moments for his words to sink in. There was one thing I didn’t understand. “Why are you blackmailing me, then?”

“Henry and Blake are your blackmailers.” He tweaked a nipple. “I’m just along for the ride and to give them a bit of moral support.”

I pressed my lips together to hide a smile. “That’s not very nice.”

His face split into a grin. “Don’t tell me you’ve hated the things they’ve made you do. I’ve watched you carefully, and you seem to be having fun.”