AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It is not ideal,” he whispered. “If you have changed your mind....”
“I have not,” she interjected, swallowing a lump in her throat. “I do not care at the moment if the whole room crumbles around us.”
His face contorted with some deep emotion. His eyes darkened. He nodded briefly, climbing onto the bed beside her. She turned to him, submitting to him. She felt the surrender deep in her soul.
Their lips finally locked. It was fierce, and it was hungry. She strained towards him, unable to get enough of his lips. His hands started to caress her body, sweeping over her breasts and hips, gathering her to him. He squeezed her buttocks, moaning softly.
“You are so beautiful, Jane,” he whispered. “So beautiful.”
She basked in his words as if beneath a ray of bright sunlight. She knew they would have to be enough. He found her beautiful, and he desired her, which was more than she had ever dreamt was possible. His heart was forever closed, but that had nothing to do with her—it had been well and truly closed before she had even met him, and she didn’t think anything could ever open it. It was for the best anyway that he could never love her as she couldn’t marry him, for reasons that had nothing to do with him, either.
What they had in this moment really was enough. Itmustbe enough.
He pulled the bodice of her gown aside with feverish hands, his mouth seeking her breast, like a sunflower seeks the sun. She shivered with delight as she felt the hard tug on her nipple, sending ripples of sweet sensation throughout her body. Tenderly, she interlaced her hands in his dark hair, pulling him closer to her breast, urging him to take the nipple deeper into his mouth, feeling like she wanted him to swallow her entirely.
His hands gathered up the skirt of her gown, hitching it high around her hips, so that her stockinged legs were exposed. Her heart was pounding as she felt his hand seeking beneath, sweeping up her inner thigh, plunging into her warm depths. She was slick with wetness already, feeling the heat emanating from her like a furnace.
He caressed her moist folds gently. Her head fell back against the bed in abandon as she closed her eyes, surrendering to the intense sensations that were already starting to gather force within her.
Abruptly his mouth left her breast, travelling down her body, kissing it reverentially the whole way. To her shock, he buried his head between her legs, his tongue taking over from his hand. Her eyes flew open as she felt the cold, slithery feel of his tongue upon her wet heat, licking and lapping at her.
Her body contorted at the strange new feeling. To her shock, it was far more intense. The sensations were gathering at a rapid rate now, coursing through her body as if she had lightning running through her veins instead of blood. She gripped the bed, clawing at it, tossing her head from side to side, unable to even think clearly. She felt like she was in the grip of a delirious fever.
He didn’t stop for a moment, his tongue flickering like a snake’s, probing and licking. Then she felt his whole mouth close over the most tender part of her, suckling gently, just like he had suckled her nipple. Jane gave a strangled cry. It was almost too sweet, too much…the force of it was hurtling through her, shooting through her, gathering momentum like a snowball gathers snow as it races down a hill.
Suddenly, it peaked, crashing over her in such fierce waves of pleasure that she screamed into the empty room. Vaguely she heard her own voice echo off the walls. She bit into her fist as she rode that intense wave, feeling like she was about to fall off the edge of the world. When it finally subsided, she felt like she was a different person entirely.
Panting, she lay back, staring at the peeling plaster on the ceiling. He gathered her up in his arms, kissing her gently on the forehead. It was almost a tender kiss. In that moment, she could almost believe that he loved her.
They lay contentedly in each other’s arms as her breath returned to normal and her heartbeat slowed down. They didn’t speak for a long time. Jane felt shy again, wondering what he was thinking. She wanted to ask him so many questions. She wanted to ask him if it was agony for him to deny his own pleasure like this. But she remained silent. She didn’t want to spoil it, for she knew it was over and that the real world was returning.
Desperately, she wanted it to go away. She wanted to stay like this in his arms on this old bed, in this ramshackle house. She didn’t want to be anywhere else. She thought she could happily die like this and have no regrets at all.
She turned slowly towards him, studying his face. How handsome he was. Her heart fluttered in her chest like a bird stirring in a nest just looking at him. She felt as if she was committing his features to memory for she knew that one day very soon, she would never be this close to him again.
Her gaze turned to the window. The dark clouds in the sky were clearing now. The storm was finally subsiding. It had left as quickly as it had arrived.
Reluctantly, she sat up. He stared at her questioningly.
“I should go,” she said in a faltering voice. “The storm has passed. My family will be worried about me.”
He frowned as if the thought had never occurred to him. “Yes, of course. You can take my carriage. There will be large puddles. You need to get back safely.”
She nodded, accepting his gift. She knew she would have to explain how she ended up in the Earl’s carriage to her family, but she didn’t want to think about it now. Perhaps she would just say he saw her stranded in the storm and offered to help. They would prefer that she got home safely rather than walk in this weather.
Percy reached out, stroking her face gently. “You know I do care for you, Jane,” he said slowly. “I have tried not to, but it is true.”
Her heart flipped over in her chest. “I care for you, too,” she admitted. “I would never have allowed this to happen between us if I did not.”
They stared at each other. Percy was the first to slide his eyes away.
“It makes no difference, though,” she continued, her heart tightening. “We agree that you shall not pressure me into marriage? And that you should look elsewhere for your bride?”
He nodded slowly. “Yes. I will respect your wishes.”
Her breath caught in her throat, and her heart felt heavy. Once again, she felt terribly conflicted. A part of her wanted him to tell her that he couldn’t let her go at all—that he felt more deeply for her than he ever wanted to and that his heart was hers.
She knew she was being ridiculous, but she couldn’t help it. She had been the one who had insisted that marriage was not an option and never would be. And he had been honest with her that he could never love her, despite their physical connection.
