One Night Scandal

“I told you this morning that our conversation was not finished.” Spying the key to her room on her nightstand, he grabbed it and then locked the door.

Now she was trapped in her bedroom with the one man she seemed unable to resist. “There is nothing left to discuss.”

He strode back across the room until he stood before her. Dressed completely in black, he appeared sinister and cold. “How could you think for one moment that I would have an affair with Jennette?”

She backed up a step until she was against one of the cherry posters of her bed. “It wasn’t that hard to determine. You love her. She is with child and very upset by it. I heard her tell you that it happened the night you returned from Venice. And that you both had had too much to drink.”

He folded his arms over his wide chest and smirked. “And that was all you heard?”

“That was enough!”

“No, that was enough for you to make the wrong conclusion. Had you stayed longer, you would have heard us talking about the fact that Jennette was only upset by her condition because her husband wanted to start improvements on the estates. He wanted more time between the children, and Jennette was concerned that he wouldn’t love this child as much as Christian.”

“That doesn’t explain how she said it happened the night you returned from Venice.”

He sat down on the edge of the bed. “Jennette had invited me for dinner. She and Blackburn were both a little foxed by the time I left. I only had one glass of brandy.”

Sophie bit down on her lip as tears blinded her eyes. She should have trusted him. But how could she? Even after two months, she barely knew him. Still, she should have let him explain before jumping to conclusions.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. She glanced back at him and her heart pounded madly in her chest. It dawned on her that all the time he’d been in the room she only wore a thin white nightgown. Her nipples hardened into peaks so tight they almost hurt.

He stood and approached her slowly. He lifted her chin with his warm hand. “The only woman I have been with since Venice is you,” he said softly. “The only woman I have wanted to be with since Venice is you.”

She felt horrible about how she treated him. She stared into his sensual brown eyes and was lost. Rising on her toes, she inclined her head toward him.

“If you kiss me now,” he whispered, “I will not leave your bed until morning.”

“Good,” she replied, before moving her lips over his.

As his velvety tongue touched hers, all the exciting sensations of being with Nicholas returned even stronger than before. Desire damped her folds as she attempted to push his jacket off his shoulders. He pushed her hands away and yanked off his jacket. In one swift movement, he slid her nightgown down until it fell at her feet.

Standing naked before him, she felt timid about the slight changes in her body that she could already see. Would he notice them too? He pulled her against him and kissed her deeply. His hands skimmed down her bare back until he cupped her derrière.

She worked at the buttons on his shirt, eager to feel his skin next to hers. He released a low growl before moving away from her.

“Lay down,” he commanded as he tore at his shirt.

Sophie did as he requested and then watched as he exposed more skin to her wanton gaze. With his chest bared, he sat down on the bed to yank off his boots. She couldn’t help but glide her hand up his muscled back as he worked at his boots. He turned toward her with such a deep smile her heart beat faster.

He stood and slid his trousers down his hips until his erection came into view. Her hands itched to touch him everywhere. Moving to her knees, she reached out to caress his chest until he hissed. She moved her hand lower until she reached his curly hair and penis. With a whispered caress, she touched him. She glanced up to see his eyes shutter as she slid her hand over the top of him. She moved closer and let her tongue circle the top of him.

“Oh, God, Sophie,” he muttered hoarsely.

Since he hadn’t told her to stop, she slipped him into her mouth. She brought him in and out of her mouth. The feel of fullness in her mouth excited her.

“Oh, stop,” he moaned. He pushed her back on the bed and covered her body with his. “Do you have any idea how much I want you right now?”

“Mmm,” she said as he kissed her neck. “I think I do.”

He trailed hot kisses down her neck until he reached her taut nipples. As his mouth enclosed over one, she tried not to wince. Her breasts had never been this sensitive. But as his tongue swept across her nipple the pain turned to exquisite pleasure.

Nicholas tickled his tongue down her belly and farther until he reached her clitoris. As his mouth found her sensitive nub, she bucked her hips. He could feel her muscles tightening as he stroked her. Slipping a finger into her wetness, his control weakened.

“Nicholas,” she moaned softly. “Now.”

He smiled against her soft thigh. “Anything you say, Sophie.”

Positioning himself over her, he entered her silky depths slowly. The desire he felt for her