How to Catch an Elusive Earl (Romancing the Rake 2)

“Really?” she asked, her other hand covering his. “Luke. I…” Her voice tapered off.

Rather than speak, he took advantage of the silence by pulling her in for a soft kiss. He’d teach her how to make a man beg for more of her kisses. He knew it wasn’t exactly what she wanted from him and he’d hate to let her go when the lesson was over. She’d been the first person to break through his shell in such a long time. But he also understood he wasn’t the man who’d give her forever either. He didn’t know how to love any longer and he wasn’t certain he could ever really open himself up again.

But he could give her this. Luke started slowly, a few small, slow pecks and then leaned in for a longer kiss. “The key to a good kiss,” he whispered between touches, “is to build the tension.”

Another longer kiss. “Oh. I see.”

“There are lots of men…” Another touch of their lips. “Who think that passion should instantly explode…” He slanted her mouth open and touched his tongue to hers. She gasped and trembled underneath him. “But I think desire should build slowly. That’s when the end is most satisfying.”

“The end?”

She shivered again and he smiled before taking her mouth in a long, drawn-out kiss where their tongues tangled together and their breath mingled. He could explain it to her and that had a certain appeal but somehow, he thought the end might be a thing best shown.

And so, he settled her into his lap as he continued to ravage her mouth. Their bodies pressed together and he had the sudden urge to remove her dress and corset, really feel her curves, explore her bosom, her chest, and then lower, down her belly. But all of that wasn’t for tonight. He had a virgin in his arms and this was a lesson, not a seduction. Well, perhaps it was a bit of both and he’d enjoy every moment to its fullest but it was ultimately for her benefit. Not his.

With that in mind, he ran one of his hands down her neck and over her chest, cupping one of her small breasts. He liked the way the entire globe could be covered by his palm and he began to lightly massage her skin, feeling her nipple peak in his palm.

She whimpered, pressing closer, and he gave a groan of satisfaction. Damn but he wished he could suck the whole thing into his mouth.

Growling out his frustration, he slid his hand lower, over her waist and down her hip to her long, lean legs. Only when he’d reached her hem, did he flick the fabric up and start running his hand up her soft cotton pantaloons, feeling the muscles of her leg underneath. He liked them and gave her calf a soft squeeze. “I can tell you walk and exercise much more often than a woman of the city.”

She stilled underneath him and he swore, her cheeks grew hot close to his. “There must be so much more to do in the city. How wonderful that must be. I like to be busy. I…”

“Trust me when I say it’s much nicer here, love.” Then he kept sliding his hand over her knee and up the inside of her thigh. “I’d love to see those legs.” Bloody Christ, he wanted them wrapped around his hips, squeezing the life out of him.

She gripped his shoulders as her breath came in short gasps but her thighs trembled in anticipation and widened to allow him to continue. He smiled against the skin of her neck as he closed his eyes. This was even better than he’d imagined.

Adrianna blinked trying to think a clear thought, but all of them were foggy and muddled with a burning need for his touch.

He’d mentioned something about a proposal, hadn’t he? But she couldn’t even focus on that thought as his hand slid higher until he nearly reached the apex of her thighs, his caress so slow that it was a deliberately exquisite torture. She wiggled underneath him, practically begging for more of his touch. Her body yearned for something she didn’t quite understand.

And then, with a practiced flick of his hand, his fingers slipped past the slit in her pantaloons and his fingertip just barely touched the skin of her folds, so light that she could hardly feel it and yet… Her entire body jolted in response.

“Oh,” she said as she gripped his shoulders harder, pushing toward his hand because she just needed…more.

He chuckled, soft and low close to her ear. “I know, love. See how much your desire builds with my slow touch? You can drive a man crazy if you do the same to him. So light, so gentle, he’ll want to beg you for more. But don’t give it to him. Make him wait.”

She let out a small, high moan as he lightly rubbed his finger up and down her seam. “I need,” she begged, absolutely loving the touch, but wanting more pressure, deeper contact.

“I know,” he answered, not giving it to her, instead keeping his touch so soft and light she thought she might faint from the need. “I’ve seen the way you spar. You know how to hold a man back while still drawing him in. Tempting and salty and so sweet, it’s maddening.”

She was surely leaving marks on his skin, she dug her fingers so deeply into his flesh. “You,” she ground out. What was he saying? Did she madden him?

He smiled against her hair. “Remember this lesson. It will help you later.”

Lesson? Help her with what? But then he gave her what she’d been begging for and he pressed more firmly, right against her sensitive nub, drawing a tight circle and pleasure spiraled through her as her head fell back and her body arched. She cried out as he increased the pressure further, pleasure like she’d never experienced before building inside her.

“That’s it, sweetheart,” he murmured. “Let go and let it happen.”

Pleasure tightened every muscle in her body until she could hardly stand another second. Her insides convulsed and then pleasure exploded inside her, causing her body to shake and spasm. She cried out, holding him tighter. “Luke,” she whimpered, not sure what else to say.

With the euphoria came a vulnerability she’d never experienced before, a need to be close to him that overwhelmed her so completely her eyes pricked with tears.

He pulled his hand from her under her dress and wrapped them both around her. “I know,” he said against her temple. “It’s hard to explain, isn’t it?”

She nodded, her hands slipping from his shoulders to wrap about his waist. “I didn’t know.”

He shuddered against her. “Adrianna.”