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Chapter 23
Simon’s left arm wrapped around the back of Eloise’s knees and the right around her waist as he lifted her up to his chest. Inhaling, she allowed his sandalwood cologne to overtake her senses and she rested her head against his beating heart. It felt scandalous to allow him in such close proximity, but the warm ache in her core pushed all common sense aside. Simon had experienced a side of her no one else had, and for some obscure reason even she couldn’t understand, she craved it once more.
“What are you doing?” she asked in between giggles. Her hands wrapped around the nape of his neck, steadying her.
“I’m taking you back to the Castle.”
“Your chambers?” she whispered, low and quiet as if she were uttering the most outrageous words.
A smirk appeared across Simon’s face, and he kissed her softly. “No, actually. We’re going to the billiards room.”
“Whatever for?”
He interrupted swiftly, silencing her with another kiss. “Whatever you would do at a billiards room, one would suppose.” Eloise playfully slapped his chest in annoyance, but he only smiled more.
With steady strides, Simon carefully guided her out of the stables, crossing the snowy path and carrying her all the way to the veranda door to make their way in. He was being so careful and gentle, his eyes remaining fixed on her the whole time. It was dark and quiet; the only sound present, their deep breaths and pulsing hearts. The servants were fast asleep, as were their inhibitions.
Carrying her up the stairs, he pricked his lips to her forehead. Like the touch of a butterfly. Once they reached the top, the realization of what they were doing hit, and she found herself worried that someone would see them. And her fears came to light soon after as a young maid, likely finishing up with her final chores of the night, noticed them. But she scuttled away before she could see anything else.
“I think someone saw up,” Eloise said with wide eyes.
“She won’t say anything.” Simon turned his back to a grand door, and pushed it open with his hind. It opened with a creak, and he allowed it to shut carefully, not to make a noise. Eloise allowed herself to take a look, realizing they were indeed at the billiards room, a small and modest chamber with a fireplace to the side and red-brown painted walls.
He set her to the ground, her toes touching the wooden floor.
“Come here,” he said. “How about a game of billiards? You know, to fill the time.”
“Billiards? But women aren’t allowed to play.”
“They’re also not allowed to be alone with a man.” That seemed to silence her. Grasping her wrist lightly, he tugged her to the middle of the room, where a heavy billiards table stood.
Simon handed her the leather-encased pool cue, and she took hold of it, unsure of what to do. It felt sturdy and soft, yet foreign all the same. “I never learned to play the pianoforte. What makes you think I can play billiards?” she added, as she tugged at her sleeve a little nervously.
“I’ll teach you. What? Don’t tell me you’re afraid of a billiards game? After everything we’ve been through too?” His words sounded almost accusive, but instead, they held a playful and teasing ring to them, as if he wanted to toy with her. Eloise narrowed her eyes at him. “No wagers this time, I promise,” he quickly added.
“Fine,” she conceded.
“Bend forward.”
She obeyed his command with stunted breaths, the sexual nature of the act not escaping her. There was no doubt in her mind that he knew what he was doing, and this was all a carefully constructed plan. As she remained bent over the tall table, Simon lowered his body behind her, trapping her body against the wooden frame and kissing the side of her exposed neck.
“I…I don’t see…” Eloise took a deep breath, trying to find her words,
“So you hold the cue…like this…” he held her arms, resting them over the table to hold the cue steady.
His lips now hugged to her shoulders, licking and kissing, sometimes gently and other times lustfully. But the moment his hands roamed over her body and touched her in places she’d only ever been touched once before, her body trembled with an unspoken desire. It was wrong to feel this way, yet she didn’t care.
“…Shouldn’t you be teaching me how to play?” she asked. All the teasing was beginning to get too much to bear.
“It’s all part of the lesson, I promise.” He continued his trail of kisses. “And then you…pull this arm back…” his words trailed off again into nothingness.
A throbbing muscle twitched behind her, and accompanied by the closeness of Simon’s breath, Eloise felt trapped under his weight. Unsure of what else she could do, she squirmed under his hold, feeling her bottom stroking against his hardness. It was followed by the deep hiss of Simon near her ear.
“Oh, to hell with the game,” he said. “Turn around.”
She obeyed, swiftly turning around to face him. He looked a mess, his hair tangled and falling over his face, his cravat and waistcoat wrinkled and out of place, but his eyes remained dark and full of desire. For her. She suddenly found herself pinned against the table, her back touching the hardwood. A gasp escaped her as Simon grabbed both of her wrists and quickly nested between her legs, his hardness touching her wetness.
“Simon…” she whined, begging for something she didn’t know she needed.
