Tempted by You

by Tiffany Clare

“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  “If you need me to stop, say so at any time and I will.”

  “I won’t ask you to stop.”

  His hands dropped away, and she was forced to release him as he stood. “Have to remove my trousers.” There was a teasing quality to his voice that lightened her heart.

  Reaching out she explored the length of his back before he could turn to her. Then she trailed her hands lower to cover his buttocks at the same time his trousers were removed. The flesh flexed beneath her hands.

  “What is it you’re doing?” he asked, amused.

  “Exploring.”

  She laid her head over the curve of his backside. She’d have kissed it, to see what it felt like under her lips, but that would have to wait for another day. Hand reaching round to his front, she cupped the sac beneath his rigid penis. The skin tightened under her caress, pulling the cods taut.

  He turned around. She’d have taken that fine piece of flesh in her mouth, but had to settle for rubbing her face along it since she knew her lip would split open again. Rising to her knees, she squeezed his prick between her breasts.

  “Tell me what you want,” she said. She wanted to please him, to forget everything about tonight except for the here and now. When he didn’t respond, she said, “Teddy ... I want something beautiful and meaningful. Something to take away all the wrongs of tonight.”

  One of his knees tipped the mattress beneath her. She scooted up to the head of the bed hoping he’d not need more coaxing now that she’d gotten him this far.

  Pulling a pillow under her head, she lay on her side and patted the empty space beside her. Teddy didn’t hesitate to settle in close to her. His sex brushed over her belly, his hand rubbing over her hip and waist with gentle strokes.

  “I’m afraid to touch you anywhere, dreading that I’ll hurt you more.”

  “I’m not so delicate as that. Touch me where you want, Teddy. I want your touch so badly.”

  Kissing her forehead—it seemed to be one of the few places he could touch her without jarring her damaged face—his hand slipped lower to cup her buttocks and bring her closer. She threw one leg over his hip and tilted her pelvis toward his, the jut of his cock pressed against her entrance.

  “Are you sure?” he asked again.

  “Yes,” she whispered against his lips. Then his shaft was buried deep inside her.

  Their lovemaking was slow, gentle, a sweet exploration of each other. And Teddy gave her another memory of that night. One she knew she’d cherish for the rest of her days.

  THE FIRST AWARENESS SHE HAD was of Teddy’s legs tangled with hers. One arm was wrapped around her middle and tucked under her breast. Not ready to get out of bed just yet, she carefully turned in the circle of his arms until she faced Teddy.

  “Good morning,” he said.

  “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

  “You didn’t. I just didn’t want to get out of bed yet. But now that you’re up, I should pack my bags.”

  “What time is it?”

  “Five.”

  Rosa yawned, forgetting her lip and feeling the cut stretch. She clamped her hand over her mouth and let out a curse.

  “How are you feeling this morning?” he asked. She could almost hear the frown in his question.

  “Sore.” She stretched her arms above her head, her breasts crushing against his chest in the process. “But the good soreness is mixed with the bad.”

  Lightly fisting her hands, she rotated her wrists. They felt bruised and a little stiff, but she thought maybe they’d feel better in another day. Maybe not healed, but good enough to play the piano again.

  Teddy’s hand caressed her rear and drew her closer yet again. The familiar ache to have him inside her made her wet and needy. His hand slipped into the crease of her rear, reaching forward to slick through her juices. He groaned on feeling just how wet she was.

  “The last thing I want to do is get out of bed,” he said.

  She pressed her hands against his chest, rolled on top of him, and straddled his hips. His cock was stiff and pressed against her core, demanding entrance. “Can’t we stay a little longer?”

  “I don’t imagine the house will be up for another few hours.”

  He lifted her hips where he wanted them and sheathed himself with a hard thrust that had them both groaning with the impact of their bodies coming together. The walls of her vagina flexed tightly around his cock. As their bodies moved, one of his thumbs rotated around her clitoris, bringing her quickly to her peak. Her hands found purchase against his chest as she rode him hard. It wasn’t long before her climax hit.

  Teddy sat up, his cock as far in her as it could possibly be, and he let her ride out the pleasure with his fingers scissoring the tender bud at her apex. The hot jets of his seed pulsed inside her as she rotated almost frantically around his hand. She didn’t stop her movements until the pleasure became too much and her body could take no more.

  She fell limp in his arms, unable to move an inch as she waited for her breathing to level out. She tucked her head into the crook of his shoulder and held him tight. With his fingers drawing lazy circles along the length of her back, Teddy held her in his arms without a word.

  “We should leave before the household wakes,” she finally said, still not willing to get off Teddy, for he was still in a state of arousal and her body though replete was unwilling to move.

  “I made arrangements about an hour ago to have your packed things brought down to the carriage.”

  She wanted to smile, but had to put her hand to the side of her face on feeling the tenderness. She frowned instead.

  Teddy grasped her hand where she held the side of her face. “We have to get moving if we’re ever going to make it out of this bed.”

  “I know.” Though she would much prefer to stay in bed with Teddy all day, she knew it wasn’t possible.

  He lifted her easily off him and set her on the edge of the bed. “I’ll get a cloth so we can clean you up.”

  Arms outstretched, she fell back on the bed. The water was running in the next room so she waited for Teddy to come back, since she didn’t know where to find anything in his room. She didn’t even know where to start in looking for her clothes. The taps were turned off in the bathing chamber.

  “I wish we could stay in bed for the remainder of the day,” Teddy said. His hand pressed intimately between her legs with a warm cloth, and he wiped away the evidence of their lovemaking.

  A soft knock came at the door. Rosa pulled the blankets around her.

  “That’ll be your maid with a change of clothes.”

  She relaxed a little, but still held the blanket close to cover her naked state. She heard Teddy open the door and he spoke too softly for her to hear what was said. The door closed a minute later.

  “I can assist in dressing you, though I’m afraid your maid was not too impressed with the suggestion. It’ll be such a hardship,” he said with a hint of wickedness.

  “Thank you.” She threw off the covers and stood following the sound of his voice .

  Dressed and ready to face what the day would bring, Rosa made her way down to the foyer on Teddy’s arm.

  “Rosa,” her brother sounded shocked.

  She touched the side of her face self-consciously.

  Teddy released her. “I’ll give you a moment alone. Montgomery, if you could bring her out to the carriage when you’re ready.”

  “Of course,” Daniel said as he pulled Rosa into the circle of his arms.

  “I’ll be fine,” she whispered in his ear, feeling a fresh deluge of tears, which she refused to let fall.

  “I wish I had been the one to see Johnson out.”

  Rosa pulled away from her brother’s arms. “It’s done. I honestly believe he was so intoxicated last night that he’ll barely remember his actions.”

  “You’re far too forgiving.”

  “No. I just want to think better of
him. He was a decent young man, and I know it was long ago, but I always expected him to turn out better.”

  “It doesn’t excuse his behavior.”

  “I know.”

  She also knew that she needed to put her almost-rape behind her, because she would not let that awful memory shape the person she was. She would not live in fear.

  To distract her brother, she reached up to memorize his face. She remembered him being as fair-skinned as she, though his hair was lighter, after their father. There wasn’t an ounce of the baby fat she remembered had rounded his features. His cheeks were sharp, his jaw well-formed and strong. Slight beard growth wrapped around his chin and above his upper lip, which were shaped the same as hers.

  Moving higher, she felt the length of his straight nose and laughed a little to herself that her big, bad gambler brother who preferred the seedier side of life had never been in a fight that had broken his nose.

  His brows were trimmed and prominent on his face, and slight lines crowed out from his eyes, as though he found reason to laugh often.

  When she lowered her hands, she said, “Thank you. I normally ask, but it’s been so long since I could see your face ...”

  Daniel’s hands wrapped around her upper arms. “There’re no thanks necessary, Amy. We are siblings and despite our long separation, there’s no reason we can’t pick up right where we left off.”

  She smiled at that, stopping only when the skin stretched over her lip. Having her brother in her life again lifted her heart in ways she couldn’t describe.

  Daniel helped her into her jacket before they headed outside. “I’ll visit you soon. I’d go with you, but Teddy made it clear that he planned to ensure your safe return to London.”

  “And I believe the doctor would be upset with you should you hurt yourself further.”

  “Don’t worry about me. The duke insisted I stay on at the good doctor’s advice. I promise not to do anything that might make the duke regret his invitation.”

  “I didn’t expect you would.”

  A blast of cold air slapped her in the face as they descended the front stairs. Rosa wrapped her hands around her brother’s arm, trying to warm herself.

  Before she climbed into the carriage she turned to give her brother another hug good-bye. “We still need to discuss your financial troubles.”

  “Ah, Rosa. That you think of me so fondly warms my heart. My finances have been in order for at least half a year. In fact, I can pinpoint the day to Warwick’s failing health.” With her look of puzzlement, he added, “He always made sure we had little. Father’s apothecary bills will decrease significantly now that the earl can’t dictate the prices.”

  She opened her mouth to reply, though she wasn’t sure what she could say. How had she not known about this?

  “Don’t worry yourself over it.” He caressed the side of her face. “Father and I survived this long, haven’t we? We Montgomerys are a resilient bunch and we’re not so easy to get rid of.”

  “I’ll still fret. I can’t have found you only to have anything else happen to you.”

  “You won’t, now,” he said, helping her into the carriage. “Safe travels, sister. We’ll see each other again before you know it.”

  WITH NERVOUS FINGERS, SHE TUCKED the veil under the collar of her ermine pelisse just to be sure the lace wouldn’t lift anywhere. It was amazing that Teddy had obtained access to the Grand Opera House. The opportunity to explore the old music hall would not be wasted. He’d already promised her a tour when his rehearsal finished.

  It seemed strange to be in here without the constant din of conversation, and the presence of other patrons, with their whispering and gossip, their glances around to see whom arrived with whom and if they left with the same person. It was eerily quiet. So quiet, she practically tiptoed down the hall, not wanting to hear the click of her boots through the empty corridor.

  She clasped Teddy’s arm. He was down to shirtsleeves and his vest. He must consider this place like a home if he felt comfortable enough to remove his outer layers.

  “They won’t see me in the box will they?”

  “And if they do?”

  “I don’t want to cause you any problems.”

  “You are no problem to me. If they want to make up their own stories as to your identity, I care not. They will see you, but you are veiled so they won’t guess who you are—maybe some lady out with a gentleman not her husband, since you hide behind lace. Now stop fussing like a shy chit. You are far from one, my dear, and I think you well know it.”

  “I’m not playing coy. I don’t want to be the start of some grand scandal with you at the heart of it.”

  “What? By having a woman secreted away in the royal box? Even if they thought you my mistress, instead of a lady, it’s no bother to me. Nor should it be to you. Whose ears will their tales reach? No one of consequence, that’s who.” He undid the frog closure at her throat to take her pelisse off.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I thought that was obvious. You’ll swelter under all these layers. I’ll drape your pelisse over the chair by the curtain.”

  “I’ll freeze.”

  “Hardly; you’re afraid someone will see you. You are veiled, darling. I can barely make out your features when I’m standing right in front of you. Besides, you have your muff to keep your hands warm.” Which was true. She wore long sleeves; they belled over her hands to keep her bruised wrists well hidden, too.

  “I know. I just feel strange, all covered up as I am. I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t apologize. It’s been a long morning. It was an even longer night. We’ll be here two hours at the most. Not long, really, once we get down to the grit of the piece. Have faith in me that I’ll keep you well amused. Hopefully amused enough to make you comfortable and glad to have agreed to give me the day. When this is over, we’ll go back to the town house and sleep the rest of the day away.”

  “It’s not that I’m tired. I’m just nervous after last night.”

  “No one will hurt you here.” Teddy held her hands between his. His touch was comforting and put her a little more at ease.

  “I know.” She sat in the chair. “The concerto will keep my thoughts on better things. Now go to your musicians. A number of them have stopped playing since you settled me in up here. Though it could be they’ve stopped out of curiosity.”

  “I’ll be but a shout away,” he said as he leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead through the veil. “Try not to laugh too hard at their efforts playing some of the more difficult passages. It was rough when I did the initial run-through. They’ve had the sheet music a little over one week and only two practice runs.” His fingers lingered on the good side of her jaw.

  “I’d never laugh. I know what it’s like learning music you’re unfamiliar with. Perhaps one day I will show you how I pick a composition apart. It can be a very long and painful process. Now go to your musicians, I’d like to hear what they can play of this magnificent piece.”

  “As you will it, my lady.” She imagined him bowing before he ducked out of the box. She gave the smallest of smiles to keep her lip from hurting, settled deeper into the high-backed, velvet-covered chair, and listened.

  The musicians below her box warmed their instruments. She could pick out each instrument amongst the clamor: two oboes, a few flutes, and at least four clarinets in the woodwind section. There were fewer violins and violas than she expected, maybe ten or twelve. The cellist plucked out some pizzicato notes, limbering up his fingers. A bassoon player ran through a series of low notes and warmed his reeds. A roll of deep notes on the timpani sounded strong and clear. She heard brass. A lot more brass than was typically part of the orchestra, especially with so few woodwinds and strings to balance them.

  The conductor’s baton tapped against the podium, bringing silence to the room.

  “Where is my pianist?” Teddy asked, his tone firm, angry.

  Murmurs rose from the musicians, but they
did not have a definitive answer.

  “Fine, we’ll start without Klaus. If anyone sees him, tell him he’d better have enough sense to send me a note for his latest absence. Let’s warm up with something familiar. I am for some Strauss. High notes to tighten your embouchure and some steady, heavy articulation to get your fingers flexed. Radetzky March.” Papers shuffled as they pulled out the appropriate sheet music.

  He tapped the podium to give them the tempo. It was a very lively tune to start the day.

  The snare drum started a roll into the march, and the cymbal clashed before they played as one. The high trilled notes of the winds and strings followed the brass. She wanted to clap when the appropriate time came, but did not. Another time perhaps. It was exhilarating to hear the life of the orchestra breathing and singing so joyously around her. When the piece came to an end, she wished she could stand up and offer her praise. Once again, she did not.

  The sound of booted feet reverberated through the hall as someone noisily made their way across the stage.

  “Ah, Klaus, you’ve decided to grace us with your presence after all.” There was no mistaking Teddy’s sarcasm.

  “Sorry, maestro.”

  “We’ve already warmed. Why don’t you give us something on the piano? I think we should have a listen to something worth our while for waiting.”

  Chairs moved and papers shuffled then a sudden quiet filled the theater. She could not blame the ensemble for their wariness; she’d never heard such a dangerous tone from Teddy. He sounded as commanding as his brother, but somehow harsher, although the stage belonged to him, and he knew that his musicians would obey.

  She heard the piano bench slide briefly, then the cover was opened with a loud clank. “What is it you wish to hear?” The pianist did not sound thrilled to be playing solo, but he wasn’t fool enough to object to an order from the conductor and composer.

  “Something worthy of the old Érard, I’d think. How about some Liszt?”

  “I’ve no music to go by for Liszt.”

  “Of course. Then give us something you do know.”

  “I haven’t brought anything with me other than your composition and the sheet music you put together for practices.” The bench slid across the floor again.