The Langley Sisters Trilogy Boxed Set (80 page)

“Yes.” He stroked a hand down her hair. Picking up a handful, he wrapped it around his fingers. “I haven’t seen this out for a long time.”

“It’s quite heavy.”

“It’s like silk.” He cupped her head, burying his hands through the silken strands. “Bella.”

His sigh stopped as he kissed her. He was ravenous for her; it had been so long since their last kiss and he had thought of it endlessly. She didn’t hesitate; her hands went around his neck as she pushed her body into his.
 

“This shouldn’t happen,” he rasped, kissing her jaw then down her neck. “This is Will’s office.”

“Shut up and kiss me.” She pulled his hair hard, making him return his lips to
 

hers, and he took her mouth in a long, searing kiss filled with heat and promise that left them both breathless.
 

He parted her robe, needing to feel her, wanting to touch all of her, the voice of reason now well and truly banished. Pushing it from her shoulders, he ran his hands down her spine then back up her ribs until he reached the swell of her breasts. He had dreamt of this for years— touching her, making her his. Moving one hand upwards, he took her cries into his mouth as he cupped the full flesh, the nipple pressed against the fabric and into his palm.

Releasing her lips, he skated his mouth over her chin and down her neck, the soft sounds of her breathing driving him on until he reached her buttons, slowly he undid each, kissing the skin he exposed until he pushed the fabric aside.

“I dreamt of you, Bella. Dreamt of kissing you, touching you, swallowing your cries.”

“Since our kisses, I have dreamt to. Woken hot with need.”

He kissed the rise of each breast, then circled the hard nipple with his tongue. Her scent intoxicated him; the taste pulled him deeper into the sensual web that surrounded them. One hand lowered and eased up the hem of her nightdress so he could slip his hand beneath.
 

“Let me touch you, too, Luke. Please.”
 

“I can’t, love. I could never stop then.” His breath brushed her skin, making her shiver. Then he took her nipple into his mouth and she shuddered.
 

“M-must you stop?”

He didn’t answer; this was for her, his need would be assuaged by his hand, not hers. Stroking his hand upwards, he found the crease of her thigh as his mouth continued to torment her flesh, teasing, nibbling. Her breathing was rapid now, her body bowed tight. Turning his thumb inwards, he touched the soft hair between her legs.
 

“I want you, this,” she whispered. “Please, Luke.”

“I know, love.” He lifted his head from her breast as he pushed his hands into the swollen folds and stroked down the damp crease. Her legs opened further and he stroked her softly, his fingers soon coated in her desire.
 

“Let me love you, Bella.” He whispered the words against her lips as he touched the small, hard bud between her thighs, swallowing her cries. He then eased a finger inside her. She was tight and he ached to feel that delicious, wet heat wrapped around him as he buried himself inside her. But not now, not tonight. And definitely not here in her family home.

He stroked as the pressure built. He cupped her breast, rubbing the sensitive tip with his palm, and she arched into him, crying out as the wave of pleasure crashed over her.
 

Luke held her against him as she returned to reality. His body was so aroused it was painful, but he could not step away, not yet. He righted her clothes, and then ran a hand over her head, holding her while her breathing slowed.

“You found no release, Luke.”

“It matters not.” His words were gruff as he fought the urge to press his hard flesh into her.
 

“It matters to me.” She pulled away from him, her eyes still dazed with passion as she looked up at him. “Let me touch you.”

“No.” He stepped away from her as she reached for him. “Go to bed now, Bella. Please,” he added as she followed him.
 

“So I am to find pleasure at your hands, but you cannot from mine.”

“What we just did gave me pleasure, Bella. Never doubt that.”
 

If she touched him, he’d be lost.
 

“But you are aroused.” She moved closer as his thighs touched the back of the desk.

“Please go to bed, Bella.” She was every one of his fantasies. Here, telling him she wanted to touch him, hair unbound, wearing a thin piece of cotton and the remnants of passion still smoldering in her eyes.

She pressed her lips to his as one of her hands swept down his chest. The shock tensed every muscle in his body. The feel of her hand, even through his shirt, made him burn.

“Let me touch you, Luke.” Her breath fanned his jaw as she kissed it.
 

“No, this is not right. Ah, God.” She touched him through his breeches. “You shouldn’t, this is wrong, you’re—”

“Yes, I’m innocent, but I know what happens between a man and a woman. My sisters have told me so I will be ready when the time arises, which is now.”

Gone was the sweet, innocent girl who’d bewitched him; in her place was a sensual woman. She cupped him through his breeches and moved her hand up and down until he moaned long and low in his throat. All power to resist fled as she continued. She released the buttons and then her hand was inside, touching him. He took her face between his hands and kissed her hard as her fingers continued to torment him until the pressure became too much and he pulled away just before his release. Pulling his breeches closed, he fastened them. He couldn’t find any words for what had just happened between them, so he sat on the desk and pulled her between his legs and back into his arms. He knew not how long they stood there, only that it was heaven to feel her head resting against his chest, her body soft and content to be pressed to his. Eventually, he knew he had to take her back to her room in case someone chanced upon them.

“We must get you to bed, sweetheart.”

She didn’t resist as he led her from the room, and when he kissed her goodnight, her lips clung to his. Pushing her gently away from him, he shut her door and found his own room. Stripping his clothes, he washed away the evidence of what they’d done, she’d done to him.
 

How the hell would he be able to resist her now?

Slipping between the sheets, he knew what he had to do. It was time to become the man she deserved so that when the season finished he could claim her for his wife.

CHAPTER TEN

Luke rose early as the gray fingers of dawn slipped through the crack in his curtains. He’d known that further sleep was hopeless, so he washed, dressed and went to work in Will’s office. There were no signs of what had taken place in here, nothing to say he and Bella had pleasured each other. He’d never experienced anything like that with another woman before. He’d been with women and most had been to ease the need inside him, but with Bella, it had been exquisite pleasure. Pushing aside the memory, or he would get no work done, he began planning an investment opportunity he had been thinking about. It was time to move forward with his life if he wanted her to share it with him.

Looking at the clock, Luke realized he’d been in the office for many hours. Standing, he stretched and decided to make his way to the kitchens and see if he could coerce Mrs. Cockle into giving him food. Leaving the room, he walked down the hall to the stairs. Looking over the railing as he started to descend, he stopped. Leaning over further, he was confronted with a sea of color.

“Where the hell did they come from?”

There were flowers everywhere, and Roberts, Will’s butler, was just bringing another bunch inside.

“From Miss Langley’s admirers, Mr. Fletcher,” Roberts said, grunting slightly as he placed the flowers beside the others. “There have been people calling all morning and cards delivered, followed by flowers.”

Luke had known she was beautiful; in fact, to his mind no one was her equal. But he hadn’t known this would happen. That after just one night in society, she would have men sending her flowers and calling. He’d refused to acknowledge that she would be a success because she was his; therefore, no one else could have her.
 

“My dear Miss Langley, we have yet to make a date for our drive in the park.”

Luke heard the voices above him and hurried down the stairs.

“I have yet to accept your kind offer, Lord Anthony.”

Luke ground his teeth. Bella sounded almost flirtatious as she followed her words with a little laugh.
 

“You there!”

Luke had made it to the door before the words halted him. Turning, he looked up. Anthony recognized him. Luke saw it in a glance, but he wasn’t about to acknowledge him for any other purpose but as a servant.

“Have my horse brought round,” he fired at Luke.

“Lord Anthony, I’m sure you remember me. Mr. Fletcher,” Luke came forward holding out his hand, which forced the man to shake it. “We had tea together at Will’s house.”

“Of course, Fletcher. Lord Ryder’s man of affairs.”

“Roberts.”

The butler appeared at Luke’s call.
 

“Have Lord Anthony’s horse brought round, please. He is leaving now.”

“At once, Mr. Fletcher.”

Anthony’s eyes narrowed as the butler went to do as Luke requested.

“Good morning, Luke.”

Her smile held secrets that only he knew. Taking her hand, he bowed deeply.

“Good morning, Isabella.”

“I must see to my other guests. Please excuse me, Lord Anthony, Luke.” He gave her hand a final squeeze before making her way back up the stairs. Both men watched until she had disappeared.

“We are not so familiar with our staff here in London, Fletcher. It may pay you to remember that fact.”

“As I do not work for you, my lord, I will not be paying close attention to anything you say.” Luke didn’t like the man and had no qualms about letting him know it. Anthony had an interest in Bella, and Luke would be watching him closely from now on.

“She is a woman who should live in the manner she was born to, Mr. Fletcher, with a man of title and bearing in her community.”

Luke held the man’s gaze, and it was not he that lowered first.
 

“I think I hear your horse, Lord Anthony. I pray your return journey is a safe one.” His words sounded insincere, as he’d meant them to be.

Anthony didn’t acknowledge him, simply brushed past and stalked out the door. Dismissing the man, Luke looked at the clock on the wall beside the door. He then ran back up the stairs to tell Will he was going out, and then minutes later he followed.

Hailing a hackney at the end of the street Luke gave the address he wanted to go to. Dillinger had sent word of a property that he believed would suit him, and he was to meet the man there in twenty minutes.

He paid the driver, then making his way along the neat row of white fronted town houses, Luke stopped at number 8. Looking up the tidy façade, he counted the windows. It was three stories; the trim was black, and matched all the others to the right and left.

“Fletcher.”

Turning as Dillinger approached, Luke watched the man. He’d seen a jungle cat once, and he was surprised that a man so big could prowl, but he did. He wore no hat, nor gloves, like Luke, but was tailored just as immaculately, although even the elegance of his clothing could not deny the menacing air that surrounded the man. Under one beefy arm he held a folder.

“Dillinger.” His hand was shaken firmly.

“Come, we’ll go inside.”

Not being a man of many words himself, Luke appreciated it in another. The door swung open to reveal the ground floor. He walked while Dillinger talked, and he looked and studied, and wondered what Bella would think of it.

“I’m not sure I want something this large immediately, Dillinger. There is only me, after all.”

“When you have a family, it will be the perfect place for them. Rooms aplenty,” he said, swinging yet another door wide, this time on the third floor.

“Be a trifle big for just you and a couple of servants to start with, but it is an excellent location and thereby a good investment. Purchasing this property now will ensure that when, and if, you sell it you will make a tidy profit.”

He felt the man watching him as he walked around the room. Moving to the window, he looked down to the street below. He liked the feel of the house; it seemed to settle comfortably around him.

“I had hoped to bring my family to London one day,” he said, surprising himself. Luke didn’t share things with strangers; actually, he didn’t share things with anyone but Will and Bella.

“A perfect place for them, to my mind.”

They were both silent for a while and Luke went back to looking down at the street below.
 

“Fletcher, you look to me like a man straddling two worlds. I’ve no reason to pry, and God’s truth I have enough troubles of my own now, too. However, I’ve been there and walked both, and believe me when I say you will eventually have to choose.”