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She shut her eyes, enjoying the ache of her body.
A moment later, a warm rag was pressed between her thighs, her buttocks. He cleaned her as carefully as if she were a child, pushing aside her hands. When he was finished, he lay down on the settee beside her, pulling Georgina against him.
“So, you were taught to kiss and little else.” He kissed her temple. “You should have told me it had only been Masterson instead of leading me to believe you were more experienced. I could’ve hurt you.”
“You could tell?”
“Yes. An almost-virgin is what you were.”
“Hmm.” Her heart tugged ferociously in Leo’s direction no matter how she tried to pull it back. She didn’t want to grow used to being here, encircled in his warmth. She would long for the sensation later, and Georgina didn’t want to. “I should go.”
“No, you should not.” His arms tightened. “You are mine for the whole night whether I’m fucking you or not.”
“You don’t need to be vulgar to make your point.” A pleasant warmth crossed her chest at his pronouncement.
“I’m not bloody finished.” His cock thickened against her thigh. “Georgie,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth before tipping up her mouth to his. She had no idea what he was thinking or if Leo felt anything for her at all. The length of hiscock, she thought, remembering how she’d giggled when her cousin had taught her the word, rubbed sensuously against her still sensitive flesh.
“Why did you create Elysium?” she finally asked. “There were any number of things you could have done successfully besides establish a gaming hell and pleasure palace.”
His fingers paused for a moment. “There aren’t as many opportunities for a bastard as you might imagine.”
Georgina thought that a great exaggeration. He could have done anything. Something less notorious that didn’t require taking the purses of half theton. But no, Leo liked the power it gave him, having those lords curry his favor. Of course he did.
“Besides, I won this mansion in a game of cards. I had to do something with it. The gardens were going to rot. Windows were broken. Urchins were living on the second floor.”
Georgina suspected that wasn’t the entire truth. “Urchins?”
“Grubby little things, urchins. Full of dirt and vermin.”
“Not overly fond of children, are you?” Georgina’s hand slid down his hip, liking the sounds he made.
“I have four younger sisters, as I’m sure you know. Well, three half-sisters and Amanda’s ward.”
“Amanda?”
“Marcus Barrington’s wife. The duchess.” The mention of his father iced the words. “Lovely woman. At any rate, the girls were always sticky. Olivia especially adored honey and it got all over me. Ruined one of my waistcoats.”
“I like Olivia already.”
He gave her a look of reproach. “They smelled bad, my sisters. I suppose they’ve improved but not by much.”
“I’m sure you’re exaggerating.”
“I’m not. Amanda decided all of the girls must play a musical instrument except Theodosia. She paints and thus was exempted from the tuneful torture.”
“The tuneful torture?”
His lips quirked. “My brother is the only one in the family with any musical talent. Brilliant on the piano. I’m not sure how he listens to Andromeda banging on the keys without losing his mind.”
“I’d no idea Welles plays the piano.”
“Don’t mention it to him. He’s a bit sensitive on the subject. Olivia, Amanda’s ward, is decent on a flute. But Phaedra.” Leo rolled his eyes as if praying for divine intervention. “Her violin playing is akin to the screeching of cats mating. We all have to pretend we enjoy her on the violin so as not to discourage her musical talent. Which she does not possess.”
Georgina stroked the line of his ribs, wondering at the unexpected glimpse into Leo’s life. He’d mentioned his sisters only a handful of times. The duchess once or twice. But never Marcus Barrington, the Duke of Averell. He was estranged from his father; everyone in London knew the gossip about the duke and his two sons. Georgina knew what it was like to have a less than friendly relationship with one’s father, though Leo and his brother’s loathing of the duke seemed more...permanent.
Leo was intelligent. Utterly charming with the sort of magnetism that drew both men and especially women to him. A brilliant conversationalist with the ability to put his audience at ease with a few casually spoken words—a skill he often used to manipulate his listener. She’d seen him do it any number of times. He wore his illegitimacy like a badge of honor, forcing others to notice it, announcing it if they did not. Georgina had yet to see him truly angry. He would never lose control of his emotions because it would leave him vulnerable. Open.
Leo never told her any of those things, but sheknewhim. Far better than he thought she did.
