Wicked Nights With a Proper Lady (28 page)

He yanked at the material still covering her, stretching and tearing the seams at the shoulder until the garment could be pulled fully beneath her bared breasts. The cool night air kissed her in the same moment Leo licked his tongue down the center of her sternum. Both of his hands pressed and squeezed at her breasts as he kissed first one and then the other.

When he pulled away, he took her hand and pressed her fingers between her thighs and against the wetness at her core. “How much do you want me?”

“I ache so badly for you,” she whispered.

She wanted to rub at the knot of nerves throbbing and pulsating for more, but she also wanted to stretch out the pleasure they shared.

“Touch yourself, Genny. I want to see how you like to be touched.”

“I want your fingers back inside me.”

“Show me,” he demanded.

And she did. She pushed two fingers inside her sheath and couldn’t stop the moan any more than she could deny touching herself at Leo’s request.

She was forced to pull away when Leo removed her drawers and his trousers. He settled on the bench again, his cock jutting straight up in bold demand to be touched. He pressed her small foot against the rigid length, urging her to stroke it gently as he leaned over to blow a warm stream of air over her wet sheath. Opening the lips of her sex, he swirled his tongue around the tight bundle of nerves, then dipped lower and stroked between the lips of her sex. Finally, he pumped his tongue inside, mimicking the act they would soon engage in.

“Leo,” she groaned, hands holding the bench tight in her grasp above her head. When he raised his eyes to hers, tongue lightly rubbing over that most sensitive part of her, she nearly forgot what she was going to ask. “I’m yours to take. Please … I need you inside of me.”

His hands grasped her hips tight and pulled her down the length of his shaft till their bodies were pressed as close together as was possible. He held her in his immovable grip as he flicked his tongue over one of her nipples and sucked it deep into his mouth. Her hands curled around his head, holding him closer, wanting so much more as her body adjusted to his wide width.

She felt the inner wall of her sheath clenching of its own accord around his heavy, straining length.

And then he was moving in long, even strokes that had her exhaling roughly with each thrust. His hands went under her bottom, squeezing the cheeks of her buttocks as he held her lower body elevated from the chilly blanket-covered stone.

Pressing her fingers along the corded muscle in his back, she held on as the tempo of their lovemaking increased.

“I can’t express how much I’ve missed this,” he said next to her ear as he nibbled on the lobe. His tempo slowed to a steady rhythm.

She could be no less than honest with him. “I have, too.”

“Say you’ll give me more time. Say you won’t let this end with the summer break.”

“I can’t make any promises, Leo.”

His hand lowered between them, and his thumb pressed and rubbed her clitoris. She knew the moment he touched her that she’d explode around him.

“You’ve undone me,” she moaned before his mouth descended upon hers. Little stars exploded behind her eyes and lit up every nerve in her body. She was on fire, and the inferno burned through her body in a blazing fire that took some minutes to ebb to a slow simmer.

Leo thrust harder and faster into her, adding to her pleasure. Pulling out at his climax, he took himself in hand, pumping his seed into his palm. Genny sat up on the bench, legs still spread wide and kissed at his pectorals, tracing her fingers over the sinewy sweat-slicked lines of his torso.

He wrapped his arm around her back and held her close as she explored his body with hands and tongue. Scoring the tips of her nails through the coarse hair that speckled the center of his chest. She also drew circles around his small dark areolas before laying kisses upon them.

His hand cupped the back of her head once again and lifted her so he could kiss her full on the mouth.

As he pulled away, she noticed that desire was still etched in his eyes.

“We are so far from done, Genny.” Leo pressed her hand against his renewed hardness. “But we’ll give you a rest and clean ourselves up.”

“You know how to make a lady’s heart flutter in anticipation.” She batted her lashes teasingly at him.

He grabbed up a cloth that was tossed atop the picnic basket and wiped his hand off. Folding the material, he pressed it between her thighs and wiped away the evidence of their intimacies.

Chapter 18

Salacious scandal is afoot. This bit of gossip took place in Town … of all the unfashionable places to be during the summer season …

The Mayfair Chronicles, August 4, 1846

Genny gathered up her peignoir and pulled it over her shoulders. Her night rail had definitely seen better days but she would not sit out in the open, naked to the world. Leo pulled on his trousers, retrieved their champagne, and returned to the bench.

“Shall we gaze at the stars for a bit?” He wrapped his arm around her waist and slid her closer to his side. “You have yet to make an astronomer out of me.”

Genny tipped back her fluted glass and looked skyward. “The clouds make it difficult to see any of the patterns. I doubt I could trace a single zodiac. It may clear up in a bit.”

His lips pressed against the side of her neck. “Then I will have to think of better things to trace.”

Genny closed her eyes and swayed toward him, lost in the sensation of his gentle touches.

“Leo?”

“Hmm?” He couldn’t talk when he was nibbling at her earlobe and biting gently at the arch of her neck.

“When I asked you to wait before approaching Lord Ponsley…”

The loss of his lips sent a shiver down her spine. She pulled her garments snuggly around her body, not that it helped to warm her any.

“Didn’t we decide our course of action … for us, that is?” he asked.

“I wanted to tell you that Charlotte will be married come fall. It hasn’t been announced yet, and I shouldn’t tell you even that much, but I think you need to know.” She worried her lower lip. “It won’t be a long wait.”

“Any time away from you will feel like an eternity.”

Her heart beat frantically in her chest, it was so full of joy. Those words further confirmed that he had every intention of marrying her, but she’d still make him wait till her cousin was wed before he so much as attempted to court her.

Closing her arms around his shoulders, she pulled herself over him so she sat astride his thighs. Her hands immediately threaded through his hair, her mouth pressed gently to his. They did no more than kiss for some time, Leo stroking her back, letting her decide the pace and depth of their intimacy.

She’d always felt a deep connection with Leo. As if they were two kindred spirits meant to come together eventually. Being in his arms just felt right.

Was that what love felt like for everyone? Was it the rush of her blood pumping her heart faster, the tingling sensation that made her belly all aflutter with nerves, the happiness that filled her very soul whenever she was by his side and they could forget their positions in society and just be themselves with each other?

She pulled away and stared into his deep brown irises.

“What is it, princess?”

“Did you intend for me to fall in love with you?” she asked earnestly, not sure why she’d said it. “Is that what you were after all along?”

When he didn’t answer right away she dropped her gaze from his. His finger lifted her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye again.

“Do you love me?” His voice was deep and husky, as though the very thought of her confession made his passions rise.

“Shouldn’t that much be apparent?” she said shyly.

“No, not till you say so.”

“I do love you.” There was a profound expression of relief in his eyes before he kissed her hard on the mouth.

“Does that mean you return the sentiment?” She was almost afraid to hear his answer if he didn’t feel the same way. What if he didn’t love her as she loved him?

“I always have.” His tone was soft.

She smiled and ran her fingers over either side of his face.

“I don’t think I’ve ever felt this way before.”

“Not even four years ago?”

She pushed a few strands of loose hair from her face. “Everything was so different back then.”

“Not nearly as fun and freeing as it is now.”

“You are teasing me, Leo, and it’s putting me all out of sorts.”

His finger brushed over her cheekbone. “I like the pretty shade of
rose
you turn when you’re miffed.”

She put her foot down on the ground, having every intention of leaving him here in the maze with no one but himself to mock. “I’ve just opened my heart up to you, and you use the opportunity to poke fun at me.”

He caught her hand and hauled her back down onto his lap. “Don’t leave me here, Genny. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

With the guidance of his hands, he bid her to wrap her ankles around his back. Pressing her hips down, she felt the hard ridge of his sex at the dampened folds of her core.

“Many a man would say you have my balls in a noose.”

She cringed with the image that presented. “Need you be so vulgar?”

“Another reason I need you in my life.” He gave her one of his easy smiles. “You’ll set me straight when I need it most.”

“You never said it.”

“Said what?”

“Leo.” She crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a look of pure annoyance.

“Genny. I am falling madly, deeply, and completely in love with you. And waiting even one day to court you and then have to wait a respectable time to marry you is testing my very sanity.”

“You intend to marry me?”

“I have since the moment we saw each other again. We should have married years ago. I certainly hope you’ll have me.” The way he phrased it almost made him sound vulnerable and unsure of himself. She’d never heard him sound this way before now.

She wanted to scream out her joy. But her excitement would have to wait till her cousin was wed because Lord Ponsley wouldn’t allow Barrington and her to have a proper courtship. She was sure they’d have to marry either by special license or ride to Gretna Green when the time came. “December. Let us make our intentions clear in December.”

His expression brightened. “Is that a promise, Genny?”

Biting her lip to keep from screaming out her utter happiness, she nodded her head and grinned like the fool she surly resembled.

“I have an idea,” he said.

He suddenly lifted her off his lap, tied her peignoir tight around her waist, and dumped their unfinished champagne in a hedge.

“What are you doing?” She had wanted to finish that champagne.

“Taking you somewhere more comfortable for one.”

“Back to your room?”

He paused and thought over his answer before giving her a response. “In a sense.” Gathering up the blanket and holding it bunched up under one arm, he placed the glasses, the empty bottle, and her stockings in the basket.

“Let me take something,” she said.

He handed her the blanket and grabbed her hand with his free one. “Will you give me your complete trust right now?”

“Of course. Haven’t I done so at every opportunity?”

“Then we’ll go to my house. It’s ten minutes there, ten back. It will invigorate us for later,” he said with a sly grin. “And no one will see us together there. And we really can be as loud as we like.”

“What would your staff think?”

“They’ll all be abed. They keep to their country hours. Your reputation is safe with me, Miss Camden.”

“They won’t talk to Lady Carleton’s staff? That’s often the way rumor spreads. I don’t want to be the one whispered about come morning.”

“You won’t. My staff is loyal. Besides, if you still agree to marry me in five months’ time, they’ll be yours to command.”

She frowned. “I’ll not command anyone.”

“Then they will adore you all the more. But”—he stopped to press his mouth to hers—“not nearly as much as I.”

It took them nearly forty minutes to reach his estate. It was his fault for kissing her. She hadn’t been able to resist kissing him back, which had led to touching, then groping, then them on the lawn with her night rail hiked up to her hips and his trousers down around his shins.

They were both laughing and out of breath when they entered through the back portico. Genny looked around her, and though it was dark, and more clouds filled the sky, she could see that the gardens looked as extensive and well maintained out here as they had in the greenhouse.

The door they entered led to a large parlor. She could not make out the colors or see the furniture layout clearly without light. Leo took the blanket from her and tossed it on a sofa, laid the basket down on the floor, and then he took up her hand and led her through the dark house.

“Will you be showing me your etchings in your room, my lord?” It seemed an appropriate moment for a joke, though it was ruined when she couldn’t cover her own laugh.

Leo pressed his hand to her bottom. “If I had any, it would be a novelty to fulfill your request.”

“You’re a rogue to suggest such a thing.”

“Yes.” He turned toward her and gathered her close. “But I wasn’t the one to mention it, madam.”

“You make me think and do very
wicked things,
Leo. I daresay it’s your fault I even suggested such a thing.”

“That I agree with. Now, come, before we are distracted in here as we were on the field.”

When they entered his room, he lit a taper and placed it on a desk. “Make yourself comfortable. I need to retrieve something.”

He disappeared in the room beyond his chamber. She assumed it to be a dressing room. She picked up the candle and looked around the large room. The walls were a fairly light color, indistinguishable in the amber glow of the candle. The bed had four tall posts; she ran her fingers over the grooves of the pineapples carved into the dark wood pillars. It was an unusual design. Perhaps he’d shipped it over from the Americas or the West Indies.