“I told you, I don’t like you being forced to wed against your wishes. And I object to your father selling you to the highest bidder. He has practically fawned over Dunmore these past few days.”
Sophie shot Lord Jack a frown. “You have no right to criticize him. You are wealthy in your own right. You don’t know what it is like to be dependent on your wife’s cantankerous relations, or to live on the edge of society. My parents have been shut out of the ton for years—unjustly, my father believes. And while not poor, they have struggled to get by on a limited income. You have eaten from a silver spoon all your life.”
“Not always.”
“Oh? When have you ever been deprived?”
He hesitated a short moment. “There was a time when I was a child, just after my mother died. I wasn’t certain I would survive.”
She surveyed his face, noting his sudden gravity. “What happened?”
“Never mind. It was a long time ago.”
At the grimness in his tone, Sophie’s brow furrowed. Judging by his guarded expression, it was evidently a painful memory for him. Had he suffered as a child? The possibility brought out her protective instincts and made her voice soften. “Why is it that you never talk about your past, Jack?”
He shrugged off her sympathy by summoning a slow smile. “Because it is decidedly uninteresting. You are far more fascinating to me.”
When he put his arm around her, Sophie knew he was deliberately changing the subject and resisted the pressure. “Jack … what are you doing?”
“Claiming my kiss. I deserve to be rewarded for my valiant efforts to see you.”
She returned a pert reply. “Your foolhardy efforts, you mean. You need to abandon this absurd obsession with kissing me.”
“Impossible. You have the softest, most desirable mouth I have ever encountered.…”
The sinful warmth in those dark eyes made her want to melt, so Sophie couldn’t muster a protest when his mouth settled over hers … or when his tongue thrust inside, lazily twining with hers. Instead she welcomed it. His taste was sweet and tangy, like the apple he’d just eaten. His tongue withdrew and entered again, exploring her mouth in a more thorough tasting of her.
But regrettably, his kiss was over too soon.
He didn’t release her entirely, however. Sliding downward, he rearranged the pillows beneath his head, then reached for her again. “Come here. I want to hold you.”
Although knowing it was foolish, she let him pull her closer and laid her head on his shoulder. Their bodies conformed as if they were a perfect fit.
She was still pondering that realization when Jack took her hand and placed it at the open vee of his shirt so that her palm touched the bare skin beneath. The feel of him was utterly tantalizing, Sophie thought as her fingers brushed his warm flesh.
Wanting to caress him, she spread her fingers over his chest,
relishing the taut shifting of his muscles and the strong beat of his heart. Then Jack reciprocated, moving his own hand to cup the swell of her breast.
When she realized his intent, Sophie sucked in a breath. “I cannot let you seduce me into forgetting my morals.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to.”
Her heart started hammering when he untied the ribbons of her dressing gown and opened the lapels, then slid his hand over the delicate cambric bodice of her nightdress, fondling the curves of her breasts beneath the thin fabric.
She couldn’t bring herself to object, even when he shifted his weight to press her onto her back and cover her partially with his body.
A hot flush spread through Sophie as she stared up into his beautiful eyes. The press of his male arousal between her thighs both startled and stirred her, kindling a warmth inside her that was highly erotic.
She couldn’t look away as he unfastened the buttons that held her bodice closed. When his gaze dropped to her bare bosom, he was openly admiring.
“You have the most luscious breasts,” he murmured.
He dipped a teasing finger into her cleavage, then traced around the pale mounds, paying close attention to her every reaction. His touch was delicious and provocative and left her pulsing with pleasure. And that was before he rolled one nipple between his thumb and forefinger.
Shivering at the sensation, Sophie closed her eyes and gave a breathless whimper. In response Jack bent his head and used his tongue to trace the aureole. He teased the pebbled crest between his teeth, then pulled her nipple into the heat of his mouth, sucking softly. Her reaction was immediate; she arched her back, trying to press closer.
He suckled her slowly, with tender care, until she moaned. The hoarse sound made him leave off a moment.