The Viscount's Veiled Lady (Whitby Weddings 3)

‘Mmm?’

‘I need you to stand up for a moment.’

‘Oh...yes.’

Reluctantly she forced herself to her feet, swaying slightly as she did so, though his hands were around her waist in an instant, holding her steady.

‘I’ll be quick.’ He sounded positively husky now, untying her belt and the laces of her petticoats before pushing both to the floor, leaving her in just her new lacy undergarments.

‘There. You can sit again now.’ He guided her gently downwards and then crouched in front of her, rolling her stockings slowly over her legs.

‘This is like that first day on your farm.’ She laughed, feeling vaguely delirious as the memory drifted back to her. ‘Except that I’m not injured or angry with you this time.’

‘I’m glad to hear it.’ He caught her eye and winked and she felt a rush of tenderness towards him. He was the same man, only he seemed so different from the one she’d confronted in his hallway just a couple of months before. Now he looked kinder, calmer and even more heart-stoppingly handsome, the old and new Arthurs rolled into one perfect whole.

‘Just two more days,’ he murmured, ‘unless you want to marry me tomorrow, that is? I have the special licence all ready.’

‘Tomorrow?’ She smiled at the idea. It was tempting, but what would her parents say? ‘Why so soon?’

‘Because I think perhaps we need to hurry.’

‘Why?’

‘Because of this...’ slowly he lifted one of her legs, tracing the arch of her foot with his fingertips ‘...and this...’

She gasped as he pressed a kiss to the inside of her calf. She’d never imagined that a leg could be so sensitive, but she felt wide awake again suddenly. She wasn’t entirely sure what his words meant, but the touch of his lips on her naked skin was giving her a much clearer idea. It was giving her a whole raft of new ideas, each more shocking than the last. The warmth of his breath on her body seemed to be heating her blood, too, sending a hot pulse shooting along every vein, straight to her core, as if he were touching her all over.

‘And this...’ he murmured again, sliding his lips all the way down from her knee to her ankle in one long, drawn-out caress.

She was panting now, she realised, but she didn’t care. It felt too wonderful as his lips and fingers moved over her, taking their time as if he were determined to learn every inch of her body.

‘But that’s all. For now.’ He released her again abruptly. ‘You need to get some sleep.’

‘Sleep?’ She stared at him blankly for a few seconds. What kind of insane idea was that? How could she possibly sleep when he’d just woken her up so effectively? Now that every part of her was throbbing and tingling and longing for more? She didn’t want him ever to stop.

‘Yes.’ He stood up, swinging both of her legs on to the bed as he did so. ‘You’ve had a long evening.’

‘So have you.’

‘But I was only pacing.’

He leant over her again, stroking a finger down one side of her face and cupping her cheek in his palm before kissing her tenderly on the lips. She kissed him back, feeling the heat in her veins turn into something else, a warm, fuzzy glow that seemed to envelop her whole body and make her feel sleepy again. It made her want to wrap her arms around him and pull him closer, to hold on to the feeling for a while longer.

‘I won’t go until you’re asleep.’ He smoothed his thumb over her cheek as if he’d just read her mind, sitting down on the edge of the bed and pulling the quilt up to cover her. ‘I promise.’

‘Thank you.’ She rolled on to her side, curling her legs up beneath her and regarding him through half-closed eyelids. ‘You can lie down, too, if you want.’

Amber eyes seemed to spark as if there were actual candlelight behind them. ‘Under the circumstances, I don’t think that’s a very good idea. Tonight, that is. Another time, I believe it might be the best idea I’ve ever heard. In fact, I can’t think of anything I’d like more.’

She laughed softly. ‘You know you look like your brother when you smile like that?’

‘That’s a good sign.’ He winked again. ‘Women have always found him irresistible.’

‘Really?’ She yawned. ‘Not to me. Which is funny considering that you’re twins.’

‘You prefer grumpy farmers?’

‘I suppose so.’ She closed her eyes on the words. She did like them. More than that, she loved them, or at least one in particular. She loved him. After tonight, she was more certain of that than ever. He hadn’t said that he loved her, but she knew that he liked her, that he wanted to share his life with her and now, incredible as it seemed, that he found her desirable, too. She knew he’d never reject her like Leo did because she could rely on him, too. Maybe one day he might care for her the way Lance cared for Violet, but for now, what they had was enough...