was unlike anything he had with other women. As he filled her completely, he wanted to stay there forever but her wet warmth was like a siren’s call to him. Stroking her, he watched her face as desire overtook her.
“Nicholas,” she whispered haltingly. She arched her back as her spasms rocked him.
Unable to control himself any longer, he let go to the sensation. His body shook with pleasure. Finally, he eased himself down on her.
“Sophie,” he said against her neck. He had done it again. Instead of withdrawing, he’d stayed inside of her. What was wrong with him that he lost control when she was near? This had never happened with another woman. Not even his mistresses. Only one time had he forgotten with Maggie.
Knowing he had to be hurting her, he moved off her to lie on the bed. He pulled her closer until her head rested on his chest.
“Sophie,” he said softly.
Her fingers splayed across his chest. “Yes?”
“We really should talk.”
Her hand stopped its gentle caress. “And what topic would you like to discuss?”
“Shall we start with your father?” he asked and then pushed a few black tendrils off her forehead.
She shook her head. “No. That is a topic best left closed.”
“I already figured it out.”
She rose up and then looked down at him. Her face lined with agony. “You could not possibly know.”
“My curiosity was raised by Somerton’s overprotective attitude toward you. He appeared to be acting like an older brother.”
“I already told you that Somerton is a longtime friend.”
He smiled at her. “Yes, you did. But you should never have told me you knew Mrs. Griffon,” he said, drawing a finger down her jaw.
“She never would have told you who my father was!”
Nicholas caressed her cheek with his palm. “It wasn’t hard to determine. She had only worked for one employer before coming into my house. So if you hadn’t told me that she had been your teacher, I would have continued to assume she had only been Lady Genna’s governess.”
She lay back against the pillows and covered her face with her hands. “How could I have been so foolish?”
Slowly he removed her hands from her face. “You weren’t being foolish. You were pleased that I had such a wonderful governess for my daughter. You wanted to be certain I knew she was excellent.”
“He is going to be furious,” she cried. “I might even lose my home!”
“Sophie, I would never tell a soul about this.” He picked up her hand and brought it to his lips. “I would never do anything to hurt you.”
“How can I trust you?” she whispered.
“Other than our rather peculiar first meeting when I told you my name was Nico, I have not lied to you. You know more of my secrets than any other person.”
“Only because I sensed them,” she retorted.
“Because I let you sense them,” he insisted, then kissed the tip of her nose. “You don’t know all my secrets.”
“Indeed?” she said as she rolled on her side. “Tell me a secret that no one else knows about you. And not about Jennette because I already learned that one.”
Nicholas lay back and watched her gray eyes sparkling in the flickering candlelight. Warmth suffused his body. “Very well, but if this gets out, I will be forced to seek vengeance.”
She smiled at him. “Agreed.”
“I hate rats.”