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Chapter 7
It was a soft, sweet brush of his lips against hers. Blink, and she would miss it. She closed her eyes and gathered the pleasant sensations around her like a blanket. She heard him chuckle, but before she could open her eyes, one more brush followed. And another, and one more. Suddenly, he opened his mouth over hers and licked her lips. The tingly sensation was so unexpected that she almost fell. Evie raised her hands and clutched his shoulders.
At that exact moment, his arms snaked around her waist. He licked the seam of her lips, then concentrated on one corner. With a whimper, she opened her mouth, and his tongue darted inside. He did a slow and sensual sweep inside her mouth that dulled all her other senses. She lost all control of her actions, clutching him tightly, letting him do whatever he wanted with her.
She felt his hand slide down and squeeze her bottom. With that motion, he brought her body closer to his, making her feel his heat from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. A hot, hard bulge poked at her stomach, and it curiously sent a jolt of desire through her body.
Gabriel grabbed her tightly by the nape of her head, angling her for better access for his tongue. He was kissing her fiercely and rubbing her against him in sensual movements that robbed her of any rational thought. She didn’t hear anything beyond her own whimpers and his groans of satisfaction.
The next moment, it was over.
He broke the kiss so abruptly that she gave a pitiful whimper and tried to clutch him back closer.
He chuckled and lowered his head to her ear. “The ball is over. We need to go.” He drew away, straightened his clothes, and offered his arm as if nothing had happened.
Evie was still dazed and confused. She was certain her turban was falling out of her pins, and her gown was rumpled. Her lips felt swollen and aching. She was aching in other places, too, with a sensation she hadn’t felt before. In contrast, Gabriel was a picture of a self-possessed, perfectly groomed gentleman.
When her senses returned to her, she noticed that the music had ceased playing. A buzz of people talking and filing out of the ballroom meant that Gabriel was right. The ball was over. She composed her features, took a deep breath, and placed her hand in the crook of his arm.
They didn’t talk during their walk to Widow Jane’s house. When they entered their room, the air was filled with tension. Their earlier kiss lingered between them. Evie wondered if Gabriel felt as uncomfortable and self-conscious as she did. Probably not. He’d done it a million times. She walked farther into the room before turning to him. He still stood by the door, or rather leaned his back against the door, with his eyes closed.
Evie needed to undress, so she untied the laces at her bodice and slowly took it off.
She turned to Gabriel. “Do you mind undoing my stays, please?”
“Yes.” Gabriel’s voice was hoarse and barely audible.
“Pardon me?” She furrowed her brow.
Gabriel cleared his throat. “Apologies. I meant no, I don’t mind. Turn around.”
He came closer and started undoing her stays as she stood with her back to him. His fingertips brushed against her chemise, and the tingly feeling traveled low down her body. His breath worried the wisps of hair at her nape, and goosebumps covered her skin in reaction.
She caught the corset against her as it sagged so it still covered her upper body. She heard his sharp intake of breath as he bared her chemise. They both stood there for a few energy-charged moments before he finally stepped away.
She turned to him, still clutching the stays tightly to her body.
“We can’t do this,” he said as he turned to the door. He ran his fingers through his hair. “If you wish to stay a virgin, that is.”
“We can’t do what?” she asked, confused.
“This.” He gestured, encompassing the room in one swooping motion. “Sharing a bed, kissing, undressing in front of each other.”
Evie protectively clutched her stays tighter to her.
“I’m not like most men, Evie,” he continued. “I am used to bedding women every night, and my body is missing the feeling fiercely. So…” He swallowed audibly. “Unless you want to end up on the bed with skirts over your head, you better steer clear of me.”
She didn’t have time to respond to his unfair demands as he left the room and shut the door behind him with a decisive click.
Evie stood there in the middle of the room, still clutching her stays to her chest and trying to resolve her feelings. She was tingling all over from the simple act of having him unhook her corset. Her body had been acutely aware of him ever since that devastating kiss and refused to let go of that knowledge. Now he wanted to cut communication with her. And probably sleep with other women from this moment on.
The thought depressed her more than she was willing to admit. He would spend the following nights in bed with other women, hugging them tightly to him, touching them like he had touched her that first night they spent together. She covered her eyes with her hands, letting go of her corset, and it fell with a loud thump.
What was she thinking? They’d made a deal: he would marry her, then she’d leave to Peacehaven, and he would continue his debauchery in London and wherever else he pleased. That was the only reason he was marrying her. And if she let him get closer to her now, she was bound for heartbreak later. As he said, he was used to having a different woman in his bed every night, and it was unlikely to ever change. No, she shouldn’t let him even further into her heart. With his smooth words, his roguish smile, caring attitude, and those sensual lips…
She closed her eyes tightly and shook the thoughts from her head.Don’t be a ninny, Evie!Those lips will never be just yours; the man will never be one you can rely on. Just let it go.
It was easier said than done, however. She changed into her nightgown, packed all of her belongings for an early morning start, performed her nightly ablutions, and stared out the window half the night. She finally lay in bed and spent several hours tossing and turning. But Gabriel did not return to their room.
