Vexing the Viscount

“I did it.”

“Why?”

The little slur in her voice told him this couldn’t go on very long. He’d never forgive himself if he took her innocence when she wasn’t able to fully give it. Still, it didn’t stop him from drawing a taut nipple into his mouth and savoring the sensation.

Her hips pushed against his hard cock as she moaned softly. Dear God, he wanted to hear her moans as she climaxed. He had to stop this madness. Slowly, he drew away and stared at the wanton on his lap. Her red hair fell in curls to past her breasts. Her full lips were slightly swollen from the kisses she had enjoyed. Her eyes were half-shuttered as if she’d already come, but he knew that was just the drink.

Slowly, she lowered her head to his shoulder. “I don’t think you’re all that bad, Middleton.”

“Oh, I am,” he replied softly. “That and more.”

Chapter 8

The sunlight hit Tia directly in the eyes, forcing a cry of pain from her. “Oh, who left the dratted curtains open?” Slowly, she cracked her eyes open and noticed it was only a slight part in the curtains that had caused the agony in her head. But the curtains that hung in Emily’s guest bedchamber were pale yellow. These were blue. A beautiful dark blue velvet with gold roping along the edges.

“Where am I?”

She glanced about the room, but didn’t recognize anything in particular, though it seemed strangely familiar to her. As if she’d been here before. But when?

She lay back against the bed and closed her eyes. What happened last night? She had danced with a few gentlemen, had only one glass of wine, and then . . .

“Middleton.”

Pieces of the evening came back to her. She remembered dancing with him and how he kissed her in the middle of the dance floor. Then she agreed to come back to his house, didn’t she? Or had he abducted her? She shook her head slowly as pain hammered her head. Brandy. She should have known better. They came back to his study and she had several glasses of brandy. Had Middleton been a gentleman, he would have stopped her.

What happened after the brandy?

A thought niggled her mind. Something profound happened after she drank all that brandy, but what?

“Miss Featherstone, may I come in now?”

“Yes.”

Mrs. Abbott walked in with some gowns in her hands. “You have a visitor.”

“At this hour?”

“It’s noon, Miss Featherstone.”

Tia sat up in bed and then rubbed her forehead. “Noon? Why did I sleep so long?”

“The viscount told me to let you sleep. That you’d had a difficult night.”

Mrs. Abbott dropped some pins on the nightstand. “Mary found these on the floor of his lordship’s study.”

Tia’s eyes grew large. “His study?” Memories of removing her pins and then her dress flooded her mind. “Oh God, did I . . .”

Mrs. Abbott gave a disapproving look. “Only you and he can answer that question.”

“I couldn’t have. I wouldn’t have done that . . . not with him!”

“You don’t remember?” Mrs. Abbott put away the dresses and then pulled a green muslin out to wear.

“No, I was angry with him. We came back here and I drank too much brandy. It’s all a blur.”

“Then you’d best ask him.”

“But I would remember if I lost my innocence, wouldn’t I?”