.
Leah leaned away from William and managed to make out his eyes in the dark. “I don’t want to return to the Spinster House. Not yet.”
She was aware of her brother standing not too far away, and he’d undoubtedly heard her words.
William looked over her shoulder and spoke to Zed. “I’ll make sure she returns safely.”
As the night’s stillness filled the air, it was a moment before her brother spoke. “See that you do.” Then there was the sound of the hack’s door closing before horses pulled away.
“Come.” William kept a hold on her as he helped her into his carriage. He only let her go long enough to speak with his driver and then he sat on her side once more with his arm around her. He reached for a blanket underneath the seat and the heavy material settled over them both and locked William’s warmth and scent around her.
Leaning against him, she turned to gaze out the window and noticed when her eyes quickly caught a series of lantern lights. There was also the sound of laughter and horses. They’d entered a busier part of the city.
“I don’t feel like seeing anyone,” she said aloud. And she was far too comfortable to move. William’s heavy arm and ruthlessly male scent were like a barrier from reality, making it hard for her to think about the events of the night.
“We won’t get out. I simply thought you’d enjoy the drive.”
She smiled and realized she did. From her seat, she could make out the glittering women dressed in fine gowns as they waited in line to be received at various doors. Others left the houses, probably after being there for hours. She watched footmen move back and forth from carriages, drivers dressed in their own finery, men whispering in their ladies’ ears in the shadows. London never slept, and there was a peace in knowing that she was not the only one awake at such an hour.
“Do you do this often?” she asked. “Go for drives?”
“Not as often as I used to.” He tightened his arm around her. “You and the other women in the Spinster House have kept me quite busy.” Though he didn’t sound displeased by the fact.
A cool wind flew into the window and brushed her cheeks, but William’s body shielded her from most of it. “What do you often think about?” Part of her was asking just so he’d fill the silence, but another part of her wanted to know him through and through. There was so much she’d missed. He’d lived an entire life without her.
“I think about the past,” he told her quietly. “My family, war, and then having to adjust to living as a lowly titled gentleman during the Season.”
Leah thought about all he’d experienced. He’d hinted that his life had not been easy as a child. She couldn’t even imagine what it was like to go to war, but a few ideas came to mind when she thought of the ‘lowly titled gentleman’ during the Season. He may have used humble words to describe himself, but she had no doubts that his looks and wealth had attracted just as many women as an unattached marquess or duke. “How did you manage to make it this long without marrying?”
He shifted so his hand was wrapped around her arm. His thumb grazed her skin repeatedly as he spoke. “That’s easy. I never put much effort into it. In fact, I’d intended never to marry, to be alone.”
Had intended. Did that mean he was no longer intent on the idea? Leah didn’t let herself hope he’d changed his mind because of her.
She turned in his arms and rested her cheek against the side of his chest. “I hate the thought of you being alone,” she admitted. “It’s very sad, William.” And it broke both her and young Natalia Hext’s heart.
He whispered his next words in her hair. “I didn’t realize how sad it was until very recently.”
She leaned away just enough to look into his eyes. “How recent?”
He smiled and instead of answering asked, “Have you ever been in love?”
Irritated that he’d not replied, she said, “Yes. A long time ago.”
He went hard underneath her. “What happened?”
“I was forced to leave him behind,” she whispered. “We were only children, but it was love in its own way.” How strange that when she fell again, it was for the same boy, only now he was a man.
He held her eyes and then relaxed with a nod. “I’m sure he returned your feelings.”
“How so?” she asked quietly, even though her heart began to race. Had she said too much? Did he know?
He touched her jaw. “Because, if you were anything near the woman that you are today, how could he not have?”
Every trace of cold left her and in its place bloomed new heat.
She moved at the same time he did. Their mouths met, and the kiss was hard, even as her body turned to pure liquid. She wrapped her arms around his neck to anchor herself to him, and his hands slipped under the blanket to grab her hips and pull her close. She was on his lap a second later as the kiss transformed into something close to mating. Their tongues danced, and his mimicked all the things she knew the very special hard part of him could do. She moved over that growing member and smiled when his breath hitched.
“I’m taking you home.” His voice was harsh.
And deflated her happiness. “I’m not ready to return to the Spinster House.”
He smiled. “I’m not ready to let you return either. You’re coming home with me.”
That happiness returned and with it, a heavy helping of need.
He licked her lower lip before biting it gently. “I want you.”
She shivered. “I want you, too.”
“So, you’ll come with me?” he asked.
“Anywhere.”
He felt the air shift in the carriage, desire lacing their every breath and surrounding them. William thumped the roof and, minutes later, the carriage was turned around, but neither paid much attention as they continued to use their mouths, tongues, and teeth to convey to the other their every wish.
When the carriage stopped, it took them another second to break apart, and then William was helping her down and into a terraced residence somewhere in the city. She hadn’t had the chance to look around and didn’t waste time in doing so. The moment William closed the door behind him, she grabbed him and kissed him hard.
“Where are your servants?” she asked. He’d unlocked the door and opened it himself.
“Besides the driver, I have none.” His mouth moved down her jaw and to her throat. “I recently bought it after Francis married, but I’m rarely here. There was never a point. You’re my first guest.” That pleased her, but not as much as when he bit her and then licked his way back to her mouth.
“Will he come in here?” she asked as she scraped her teeth down his jaw.
He tightened his hold on her hips and shook his head. “He’d have no reason to. He lives downstairs.”
Leah thought that perfect, because she’d never wanted anything or any man so desperately in her life. It pounded in her skin and made her ache everywhere.
She kissed him and then fell to her knees. Her hand pressed to the hot ridge of him that rested between his legs.
“Leah.” His harsh voice scratched at her senses and scraped across her pulsing core. “You don’t have to—”
She leaned forward and bit him gently through his breeches.
His hand shot out and grabbed her head. Her wig.
She grabbed his wrist and released his manhood. “Don’t touch me.”
He slowly released her. His voice was clearer but still heavy with desire. “I don’t think I can stand this, Leah. I’ve wanted you too much.”
“You can, and you will.” Because she wanted this far too much not to have it. She undid his breeches, and he helped her slide them and his smallclothes down his hips, taking care with his sensitive member.
The full beauty of his cock was put on display, but Leah only took a second to admire his generous size before she seized it with her mouth. She didn’t tease. She needed it too badly. She engulfed his head before sliding her lips farther down and allowed it to stretch her mouth to capacity.
She placed her hands on his thighs and felt William shiver as he pulsed between her lips. The sound that followed was savage and wild and very like a man on the brink.
“Leah, oh, God.” He rocked slightly forward, groaning and cursing. The foulness only made her hotter, made her crave him this way more.
She allowed herself to enjoy the flavor of him as she ran her tongue around him and sucked him deeper, wanting him to fill every part of her, needing it like air or food. His vicious grunts of pleasure fueled her as she began to concentrate at his tip, running her tongue over its slit while using her hands to stroke him back and forth.
More swearing. More groans.
She gently scraped her teeth against the underside and then she was on her feet, but only for a moment. In the next second, William threw her over his shoulder and started up a flight of stairs.
She laughed and placed her hands on his back to keep herself level. “I wasn’t done.” She’d been so close herself, and she’d not yet been touched.
“You wicked woman.” His hand came down on her bottom. Hard.
The shock and pleasure traveled from that spot and spread everywhere. She gasped and dug her nails into him.
She was about to ask him to do it again, but he swung around a corner and then she was on her feet once more. She rocked and reached out to use the bed to steady herself as William closed the door.
The room was plunged into darkness. Then a lamp was turned on by the bed, illuminating the room just enough for them to make one another out.
When he turned to her, she was disappointed to see that he’d covered himself.
He grinned. “Keeping myself exposed would have made running rather difficult and dangerous, and I have far too many plans for you to let anything happen to it.”
She smiled and then looked around the room.
The wallpaper was old, and the room was hardly furnished, with only the large bed and a chair with a writing desk.
Removing his jacket, he placed it over the back of the chair. Then William walked over to the fireplace and created flames in seconds but hardly added any light to the room itself. But Leah was drawn more to the muscles she saw bunched in his shoulders and back than anything else.
He rose and found her watching him. “You’re still dressed. Good. I wanted to undress you myself.” His stroll was slow and painful to watch, even as it excited her. He came to a stop before her and reached up to undo the first button of her dress.
She reached out to help, but he took her hand and placed it on the other bedpost. Now with her hands on either side, she was stretched out before him and at his mercy.