The Rake's Wicked Proposal

‘We were talking of Darius, I believe?’ she prompted firmly.

If Grace had hoped to disconcert Lucian by her doggedness then she was to be disappointed, as he gave an unconcerned shrug. ‘I merely asked him if he had any objections to your living here with your aunt. He did not.’

Grace’s brow creased with frustration. ‘No doubt you gave him the impression that that was the subject I wished to discuss with him this morning?’

‘No doubt.’ He offered no apology for having done so.

‘You did not question his haste in removing my aunt from Winton Hall?’

‘I did not. Neither shall I.’ Lucian’s mouth had thinned. ‘And neither shall you,’ he added firmly, as he reached for a chicken leg and bit into it with even white teeth.

Grace picked up a strawberry and nibbled on it distractedly. ‘I am sure your arrogance is commendable, Lucian—’

‘You are sure of no such thing!’ Lucian dismissed laughingly, reaching out to take the strawberry from Grace’s fingers and feed it to her himself.

He might never before have considered the eating of fruit erotic, Lucian acknowledged, but he suddenly found himself mesmerised by the way Grace placed her lips about the strawberry before biting down on it with her small, pearly white teeth, and then licked the juice from those lips with her tiny pink tongue. He could think of nothing he would like more than for those red lips to be about him, or for that tiny pink tongue to lick and taste him as it was the strawberry.

Dear God, was there nothing this woman did that did not lead him into thinking of making love to and with her?

It appeared not. And Lucian found himself becoming even more aroused as he tempted Grace with a second strawberry.

Grace was aware of the heat in Lucian’s gaze as he watched her enjoying the sweet juices of the fruit. She did not know quite what was causing it, but was too caught up in the sudden expectant tension between them to question it too deeply. She was prepared merely to enjoy the moment, and her gaze was languorous as she raised it to meet his.

‘May I…?’ She picked up another strawberry and offered to do the same for him.

‘Please,’ he rasped in acquiescence, lying back upon the blanket so that Grace had to lean over him. He made no effort to bite into the fruit but instead tasted it with his tongue, slowly, lasciviously, even as his gaze continued to hold hers captive. ‘Do you know what I am thinking at this moment, Grace? What I am imagining…?’ he murmured huskily.

Grace could only shake her head in reply, the breath caught in her throat making it impossible for her to speak.

Lucian deliberately laved the strawberry once more with the tip of his tongue. ‘I am imagining this is you, Grace. Your breast. The lovely dusky nipple—’ He broke off as she gave a strangled gasp. ‘This is what I did to you that night, Grace. Remember?’ His licked the fruit once more.

Of course Grace remembered. How could she ever forget?

‘Imagine this is you, Grace.’ Lucian’s voice was low, mesmerising, and Grace’s gaze was caught and held by the way he drew the strawberry into his mouth and sucked the juices. ‘Feel it, Grace.’ He traced his tongue delicately over the pointed tip. ‘Feel it!’ he groaned as he once more sucked that juicy red tip into his mouth.

Grace did feel it. Her breasts swelled, their nipples hard and thrusting against the soft material of her shift, and a heat between her thighs dampened her. She felt herself swelling there too, and that heat became a throbbing ache as she continued to watch Lucian suckle on the strawberry.

How did he do this? How did Lucian arouse her so when he was not even touching her?

Grace had no answers. Knew only that the aching heat between her thighs was growing, burning, demanding release. A release that she knew Lucian could give her. That Grace wanted him to give her.

She drew in a ragged breath. ‘Lucian—’

‘Miss Grace! Miss Grace!’

Grace awoke as if from a dream to turn her gaze sharply from Lucian’s. A maid was hurrying across the grass towards them, and one glance at the anxious expression on the young girl’s face was enough to tell Grace that something was wrong.

Very wrong!