Lady Scandal (13 page)

She blinked swiftly. “One can dream.”

“How did you hurt your leg?”

“I…” Juliet braved meeting his gaze again. Though his rapid-fire interrogation was discomfiting, the heat in his eyes gave her leave to continue. She stared back at his strong, stubborn, still striking-her-to-the-core visage. “I believe I’ve answered enough of your wretched questions!”

“Do you now?” She’d thought his expression hot before? At her pert response, it blazed. “Did I not warn you of the penalty if you refuse to answer?”

She stiffened her spine. The action served to emphasize her modest breasts, which drew his notice, she saw with no small amount of pleasure. “You did indeed.”

“My neckcloth,” he rasped, releasing the clamping hold he’d retained on her wrist to haul her onto his lap while taking care not to jostle her injured leg, she noted with awe. “Take it off.”

As her hands went to one end of dangling silk, his took hold at her waist, anchoring her securely atop his muscled thighs.

Juliet applied herself to unknotting what remained. Her fingers shook, not because the task was so very foreign but because of how he watched her, his remarkable eyes skimming over her features time and again, their daunting intensity belied by the slight smile quirking one side of his mouth.

His smile grew just before he released his right hand from her waist to brush several stray hairs behind her ear. The job done, his fingers lingered, traced the perimeter of the shell then meandered down the side of her neck, the pads tapping against her skin in time with the smattering of raindrops that plopped into the upper windowpane and onto the ledge where the lower sash had been propped up to let in the day. Slow…unhurried…unending…

Juliet’s breath hitched. The knot was history, as were any pesky doubts. Up close, his spicy-fresh scent was invigorating, his sensual touch and seductive scrutiny, intoxicating. Gathering one long end of silk, she leaned forward to unwind it from his neck.

“My cue, I believe,” he whispered just before his traveling hand went to her nape and tilted her head. His lips hovered over hers. “Open for me, sweet. I would taste you now.”

Her woman’s place clenched at his words, her pelvis convulsed forward, but Juliet had no time to question either action, not when he bent his head to claim her mouth.

Zeus, king of the gods. He commanded her submission with no more than a single, unhurried glide of his lips across hers. Twice more he made the journey then his tongue stroked a horizontal swath across the seam of her lips. Juliet’s tongue pressed stiffly against her closed teeth.

His mouth opened over hers, encompassed her lips and drew forth the only possible response—a whimper. Then a sigh. Abandoning the neckcloth, she turned her upper body into his and crushed her breasts to his chest, her palms flattening on the hot skin of his shoulders, fingernails digging into pliable muscle.

His tongue licked again then he drew back and swore. Wrenching the silk free with two overhead turns of his arm, he rid his neck of the strip and tossed it aside. Snaring her eyes, he ordered, “Tell me why Miss Hales conducted the interview.”

Heart pounding madly, she remained resolutely silent.

“I’ll unlace your stays.” It was a glorious threat.

“Kiss me again.” The last syllable barely spoken, his mouth returned, harder this time, with more urgency. Hot and open and beckoning hers to be the same.

His fingers sped along her back, swiftly unlacing her corset while his tongue again quested for entry. Twisting upon his lap now, the ache he caused swirling everywhere, she granted it, parting her lips.

Yet his tongue remained beyond. “You come to me,” he demanded. “Give yourself to me ere I go no farther.”

Though he requested it of her—and in no uncertain terms—Juliet was aware, achingly so, how he was giving her a
choice
. Proceed or not. It was her decision.

At last she’d found him! The one man above all others who met her requirements and exceeded many of them, she thought, almost purring her satisfaction as his male protuberance surged against her—
Zeus
.

Eagerly she braved venturing forth, extending her tongue past his lips and into his mouth, a tiny, triumphant sigh accompanying the action.

Immediately, their tongues met and engaged in a clash of discovery, one that echoed the fervency of his fingers frantic along her spine, deftly unthreading the laces. He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth and worried it with his teeth. She muffled a squeal as sensations streaked through her stomach and thighs.

Against the sensual onslaught, Juliet gasped for air. He gave her his.

A second passed and the pressure upon her ribs eased. Her lungs automatically expanded, taking in more of the life-giving, lust-affirming essence that was Zeus.

Groaning deeply, he tore his mouth from hers in order to work her corset over her head, dragging the stiff boning past distended nipples that hungered for more attention, atop breasts that felt strangely expanded and heavy. “I need…need you…”
Courage, Juliet. Just tell him.
“To massage away these aches you’ve roused.”

Zeus threw the contraption to the floor, taking little nips and nibbles of her chin, her neck, working his way down, more than ready to massage away her “aches”. Just as soon as he created a few more.

“Why,” he gasped, delirious on the taste of her, on the scent of passion rising between them. Her hands were wild upon his chest, nails raking through the hair covering his torso, her unbridled enthusiasm sending riotous vibrations straight to his groin. After nuzzling the inviting curve of one breast, Zeus pulled away and framed her cheeks within his trembling grasp. “Why hide behind the screen? Why hide this lovely body…this precious face?”

Grey eyes glinted. “That’s three I refuse…” Defying his fragile hold, she leaned forward and kissed his chest, ran her lips over one pectoral while scoring her nails across the tops of his shoulders, drawing a shudder from his body. “Refuse to answer. Three! Your breeches
off
. I want to see you again.
Need
to see you.” Her fingers went to the fall of his buckskins. “Take them off! And your drawers…”

Zeus chuckled. To have a lady—
his
lady—this eager for their marriage bed… Could a man such as he ever want for anything greater?

She scooted back on his thighs and together they wrested his shaft from confinement. At once, her spirited zeal wavered. Silvery eyes flashed from his to the bounty in her hands, and his amusement fled.

Breathing like a stallion after a hard, sweaty ride, Zeus took in the look of wonder on her face, suffered her delicate exploration, and realized—whether this was truly her first time or not—he had a character reference to live up to. Couldn’t go blasting off like some unlicked cub.

As you did not an hour ago?

Damn!

While he sought the best way to slow their sexual journey so he didn’t reach the finish line before she’d barely left the gate, Lady Juliet renewed her agonizing ministrations, lightly, reverently it seemed, fondling the length of his rod with such curiosity and care she created her own brand of torture. One designed to enrage his body while enthralling his mind.

“Thank God I did spew earlier,” he muttered, raking his hair back so he could watch without interference, “to my everlasting shame.”

“Hmmm? And why is that?”

Every tentative, tormenting motion of her fingers upon his erection stole more of his typical reserve, else he wouldn’t have spoken aloud. Wouldn’t have confessed, “Or I’d be in no position to withstand your torture.”

“
My
torture?” Posed as though she liked the sound of possessing such an unexpected talent. Emphasizing the torturous power she had over him, she tightened her fingers.

“Aye. Your touch upon my cock feeds my fantasies, fires my blood.” His dirk jumped within the renewed, heartier grasp.

“Are they always this thick?”

“They?” He strove to block out the increasing dribbles and drips coming in from the window, spraying the back of the settee. Stinging his bare shoulders. Why did it have to start raining again so hard
now
? When she was caressing him in such a manner?

“Your male protru—”

“My
cock
. Aye, when aroused.”

“Leth’s was never—”

Thoughts of raindrops drowned in the deluge of jealous and protective urges that seized him. Her words choked off when his fingers clamped on her nape and tipped her head up until their eyes met. “Let us be clear. When you’re touching me like this, I don’t ever want to hear his name cross your lips, is that understood?”

“Aye.” Her hold secure around his poor, beleaguered male protrusion, she blinked up at him. Licked her kiss-plumped lips then looked back at his crown, straining out between her fingers.

Her mouth. Again, he craved it.

Give her time.

Ah, God. It had been so long since he’d had a woman, longer still since he’d yearned for a
particular
one, or even felt the driving need to claim her mouth, to see her consume him. His shaft disappearing into her hollowed, hallowed depths.

Lady Scandal scandalized his innards to such a degree, his brain couldn’t tell up from down, out from in, and his bauble just wanted to blow—

In her hand.

In her mouth.

Goddammit. This wasn’t like him.

As if to punish him for his unholy thoughts about such an innocent, the sky chose that moment to further unleash its wrath, the peltering downpour emphasizing the ferocious pounding of his blood. He fisted his hands in her shift where it bunched at her thighs, striving for patience even as he swelled under her stirring attentions. Heart and cock both, lurching uncontrollably in response to this enchanting woman and her unguarded, unassuming manner.

But there was one thing he could control—his need to see her in bed. Upon sultry, satin sheets perhaps. “Why don’t we take this interview up to your bedchamber and I’ll demonstrate—”

“I regret we cannot.” Said so swiftly, she couldn’t have given the matter a speck of consideration.

“Forgive me. That was too forward—”

“No! No it wasn’t.” Her maddening clasp stroked up his shaft again. “You weren’t. ’Tis because it leaks that I said no.”

“It leaks? Your bedchamber?”

“The roof. After all the rains this past week, my room is soggy beyond reckoning, I’m afraid.”

Ah. At the reminder, he did recall how her advertisement had mentioned roof leaks needing repaired. He’d have to see to that sooner rather than later. Make those silk sheets and her satin limbs a reality…

“The settee it is then.”

“Oh, do ask me something else,” she said on a wisp of air, her fingers about to send him round the bend—or to straight Bedlam. “Hurry!”

And she called
him
impatient?

Zeus paused, reflecting. There remained so much still to be asked, discussed…
discovered
. But her breathy encouragement and the lure of tasting her proved too great a temptation. Time enough to tame his mind’s curiosity later. For now, he needed to explore the rest of her body—with his own.

“Shall I demonstrate my command of my delightful tongue?” he queried as calmly as possible, in view of how said tongue was practically frothing at the remembered taste of her mouth, at the thought of sampling her intimate charms, those honeyed secrets shielded betwixt her thighs. “I confess a need to do so, to see if
you
find it pleasing as well.”

Her stroking fingers skidded to a halt…brow furrowed. “You want to entertain me with witty
repartée
—now?”

Laughing more than any man in his position had a right to—Who knew lovemaking could be so refreshing?—Zeus gingerly lifted her off his lap. Sliding her back onto the settee, he guided her down with a gentle push to her shoulder.

She dug her elbows into the cushion and propped herself upright, indignation firing her gaze. “Where’s the humor, pray? For I fear ’tis
me
and my ignorance you find merits mock—”

“No you don’t!” Splaying her resisting arms wide so he could lean forward and steal a kiss—then slowly steal his way toward her breasts, Zeus chided, “Don’t turn stiff on me now.”

Tugging the shift out of his way, he winced when several threads snapped, but he didn’t stop, not until one finger tapped upon a bare nipple.

“But—” Eyelids fluttering, her protests dwindled as the tiny nub grew taut, firm beneath his touch. “But…”

“Show some trust, my lady. Trust that I know what I’m doing. You owe me that, wouldn’t you say?” Rotating his thumb over the beaded tip, he held her gaze. “Have I not answered every blasted question you’ve lobbed my way? Allowed my pride to be shredded fulfilling your bedeviling requirements? Suffered Hastings’ judgment, that of Miss Hales’, and ultimately your own? Choked down a scone not fit for starving swine?”

“What?”

Overriding her confused murmur, he demanded, “Did I not disrobe without demure—”

“Hardly without demure!” Despite her rejoinder, her mild pout at his litany of valid complaints, her back arched, thrusting her entire breast toward him.

“Very good, my lady.”

“What is?” she grumped, her diffident gaze bouncing from her distended nipple to his chest to a point somewhere over his head. “That I weakly allow myself to be mocked?”

“Nay, never that.” He settled his broad palm across the pliable mound of her breast, and damned if the firm tissue didn’t leap into his touch as if it belonged there.

“That I’m too curious to learn what else you may show me I fail to depend upon pride to see me strong and instead…” Once again, she cut her gaze to his. “Instead I begin to depend on you?”

“Mayhap I find the idea of you depending upon me satisfying in the extreme.” Exhaling audibly with a measure of contentment he’d never thought to feel today of all days, Zeus ensured her splinted leg was fully supported then he angled the other to hang off the settee, widening her thighs. He climbed into the vee he’d created between those pale, creamy limbs, a broad smile lifting his cheeks. A moment later it was wiped clear when his tongue sought the destination his hand had claimed seconds ago—her plump little breast.