After an unproductive meeting with the investigator, she needed this. As selfish as it was, she needed him.
No man had ever made her feel like that. Perhaps it was because she’d been feeling so vulnerable that she let him close, but for the moment, she could not bring herself to worry about her motives. The dinner had been difficult, tolerating cold looks and quiet, snide remarks that were not meant to be heard but were really.
But she could tolerate all of that.
It was the loss of hope that had her so pained. She had finally spoken with Lady Marvelle about her adopted child. The woman, by all accounts, had been one of the more pleasant characters.
It had transpired that her nanny had been excellent, but they’d been persuaded they needed someone with more experience for their child now he was growing up and she’d been a little bitter. That explained why the nanny had expressed concerns about them. As near as Anna could tell, Lady Marvelle was a good mother.
And the mother to a child that was not adopted at the same time as her son. Lady Marvelle had been quite gracious in discussing the matter with her, and it seemed whilst it was not common knowledge, they had told their son of his adoption.
Another lead was dead. She’d wasted her time in London chasing down a child that wasn’t hers. Anna leaned her head back against the cushions. What now?
The investigator told her he’d continue to look into the adoption papers, but her son had been adopted so long ago now. It would be hard to find records of anything. She could not help feel she was paying the investigator to do little. After all, he could not access the upper echelons of society, whereas she could.
It looked as though he was certainly adopted by nobility in a very secret deal, likely so he would never have his inheritance questioned. She tugged out the adoption record from her purse, now crumpled and stained. Some of the crumples were from the amount of times she had tugged it out to stare at it. She scanned the words over and over.
The names had turned out to be fake. Would she ever find out what had happened to her son? Damn her family for making her give him up. Damn her for being weak enough to let them.
Anna put away the paper. There was little she could do for the moment and a slight bubble of anticipation began in her stomach when she realised she was only a couple of streets away from Harris’ house. Maybe this whole endeavour was ridiculous. She didn’t need a man in her life nor did she want one.
But all she could think about was the pleasure and feeling of connection they’d shared. Was it so terrible to want to understand what it could truly be like between a man and a woman? None of her encounters since that first time had been satisfactory.
But with Harris it had been different. She’d felt treasured and beautiful. No longer a ruined woman.
When the cabriolet pulled up, her mouth grew dry and her pulse quickened. Was she really going to do this? They both knew what it meant, her visiting him alone. The deep ache low in her belly told her yes. Like a gambling addict, she needed more, even knowing it could lead to disaster.
She paid the driver and pulled the bell next to the glossy black door. Turning her attention to the ornate foot scrapers by the door, she tried to steady her breathing.
The door opened, and she snapped her gaze up. Instead of a stern-faced butler as expected, there stood Harris. His handsomeness near took what little breath she had away.
In only a shirt and black waistcoat, with his sleeves pushed up and his collar open, it was a miracle she did not melt into a puddle of desire on his doorstep. If he spent most of his time like that at home, she never wanted to leave his home again.
A glint entered his eyes while he ran his gaze over her. She had dressed deliberately in an elegant day dress that was normally saved for special day events. At Stourbridge, she tended to favour more business-like attire, but she was pleased to see she could still have an effect on a gentleman.
“You came.”
The words made her wonder if he’d thought she would not. Was it possible Harris was as nervous as she was? Surely not?
“I did.”
He stepped back and motioned her in. The narrow hallway was decorated in an oriental style with impressive black and gold furnishings, the embellishments typical of Japanese reproductions with blossoms and birds upon them. The wallpaper echoed the patterns in pale colours, adding to the exotic effect.
“You have a beautiful home.”
“You haven’t seen all of it yet.”
She handed him her purse in lieu of a waiting butler and began to undo her jacket and reveal the full effect of the gown. A deep red shade that she knew complimented her complexion, it fit tightly, revealing the full length of her figure. With no bustle and few petticoats, it hugged her hips and rear. Anna hoped he appreciated it. She couldn’t remember the last time she cared what a man thought of her, but she really did want Harris to desire her still.
“You are beautiful, Anna.”
In spite of herself, warmth touched her cheeks. She offered a meek smile. “Thank you.”
He coughed. “Shall I...shall I show you the rest of the house?”
Considering the man had likely entertained many women at this house before, he was being incredibly bashful. It was quite charming really, although she could not help feeling like she was about to die if she did not receive his kiss.
“You could show me your bedroom,” she suggested, coyly.
He flashed a grin. “I could indeed.” Taking her hand, he led her upstairs.
The room proved to be as tasteful and as decadent as the hallway. Teal wallpaper and plush gold bedding added an elegant look to the room. The heavy drapes on the bed beckoned to her, begging her to pull Harris onto it and make love to him until she forgot everything. But his unusual quietness made her hesitate.
She moved to the middle of the room and eased off her shoes before pushing them to one side. The soft carpet cushioned her stockinged feet, and she clasped her hands together as she faced Harris.
He pushed shut the door and eyed her while she waited, her heart thumping painfully. He gave her a crooked smile. “What do you think?”
“It’s very nice.”
“It could be nicer.”
“How so?”
His grin turned a little wicked and the hint of the Harris she knew made himself known. “You could be naked.”
She laughed. “And that would make your bedroom nicer?”
“Infinitely nicer.” He stalked toward her but paused a pace away. He ran a finger down her cheek and touched the curl hanging by her ear. “Though you have improved it vastly already.”
Anna closed the gap, tilting her head to eye him. Was he being so hesitant because of her emotional tirade yesterday? She had to prove to him that she was fine, that she needed this. Needed him.
Her one step forward was the permission he must have been waiting for. He wrapped his arms about her and brought her close.
“You have no idea how hard it was to leave you yesterday,” he said, his voice harsh before he closed his mouth over hers.
Anna lost herself to the sensations, to the firm hands upon her body and the way he kissed her.
He held her close, making her aware of the strong body beneath that shirt. Anna splayed her palms to feel the heat of his skin while he kissed her into oblivion. By the time he broke the kiss and turned her to pluck the pins from her hair, her legs trembled and her heart raced. Not from nervousness, however.
Harris divested her of the various clips in her hair and the locks tumbled about her shoulders. He pushed them aside to press a kiss to the side of her a neck. A shiver ran through her and need pooled between her thighs.
“Exquisite,” he murmured against her skin, leaving a tiny trail of kisses while he undid the back of her gown. Cool air touched the top of her shoulders, and she leaned into his kisses, feeling greedy for them.
Pushing the dress from her shoulders, he eased it down and away before tackling her corset. A pang struck her briefly when sh
e realised what an expert he was. How foolish of her. Harris Cynfell was no virgin and nor would she want him to be. An inexperienced lover was no good to her, and he wouldn’t be the man he was without his history just as she would not be the woman she was either.
The thought that she might be a little grateful for past events struck her. How odd.
He flung her corset aside and she twisted to slide her hands up his shoulders and into his hair. All thoughts of jealousy or their sinful pasts vanished. Here and now, it was only them. Their slates were wiped clean.
She kissed him hard, then nipped at his lower lip and neck. He groaned.
“Anna, you try my patience.”
“Then do not be patient.”
A growl arose from the back of his throat, and he pulled her tight against him. This kiss was deep, intense—the sort of kiss that made her want to tear off his clothes at once. His arousal throbbed incessantly through his trousers, and she felt it against her lower belly. The ache inside her grew.
She began to fumble with his shirt, picking out the buttons while accepting his kisses and kissing him in return. He aided her with her undergarments with unsteady hands whilst kissing every part of available flesh. When her breasts were revealed, he took each tight peak into his mouth and sucked and tasted until he declared he could not wait any longer.
Anna released a breath of relief. “I need you now, Harris.”
He nodded and near tore off the rest of their clothes.
Part of her wanted to appreciate his body from the width of his shoulders down to the scar on his leg but the urgency was too great. He gripped her rear and pulled her close. The feel of flesh upon flesh had them both groaning.
“Christ,” he muttered then kissed her.
Anna gripped his shoulders and felt his muscles tense and flex. There would be no time for the niceties surrounding sex, no time for him to touch her and work her up to a peak. She did not need it either. Today she had come to forget and enjoy. The rules did not apply here and nor did she want them to. Even in her position, she spent too long adhering to them.
“Harris,” she whimpered when he cupped a breast roughly.
“I know.” He tightened his grip on her bottom. “I know exactly what you need.”
He lifted her in one swift movement, and Anna latched her legs around his hips. Still kissing her, he moved her over to the bed and laid her down. She kept her legs wrapped about him.
With one quick thrust, they were joined. The shock and pleasure of it made her eyes fly wide open. They stared at each other for a moment—the quiet before the storm.
Then he took her, hard and fast. There was no finesse. Their kisses were messy and unsteady, their hands everywhere. She cried out over and over, and Harris swore and told her she was beautiful in as many ways as a man could.
The crass words rang in her ears and mingled with the sweeter ones. They drove her pleasure. Here was a man who charmed and seduced, but now, he was inelegant and unthinking. She adored it.
The bed creaked. Their harsh breaths rasped between them. He thrust into her relentlessly. Anna flung her arms high above her head and curled her hands around the bedding in some bid to maintain sanity. But all she could think on was the great pleasure smouldering deep inside, awaiting that spark.
Harris gave it to her. He eased her legs over his shoulders and bore down upon her. Such was the angle that the exquisite sensations overtook her. She orgasmed hard around his cock, feeling him drive into her while her vision went hazy with pleasure.
Through the haze, however, she saw his face contort and felt his muscles tighten. He issued her name in a harsh groan and he came. The sensation sparked a second wave of pleasure, and she could do nothing but swim with it, letting it take her along for another blissful ride as he moved slowly inside her, drawing out both of their orgasms.
He collapsed against her, a welcome weight. “Jesus Christ.”
“My name is Anna,” she said with a giggle.
“Cheeky wench,” he murmured in her ear. When he moved back, a self-satisfied grin teased his lips.
He manoeuvred them around the bed and tucked her against him. Cheek resting against his chest, Anna happily let him hold her while they gathered their breath.
His heart thudded heavily in her ear. She splayed a hand across where it pulsed. For the life of her she could not summon any coldness, any kind of defence. Harris had broken it down, and she was weak for him. But, it did seem that he was weak for her too. At least she hoped there was some kind of balance to it.
Though she would not expect much, Harris could teach her so much about the pleasure between a man and a woman, and she wanted more. She wanted to live selfishly and as scandalously as people thought she did—just for a little while.
Pressing a kiss to her head, he put one hand behind his head and used the other to stroke her bare back.
Anna leaned up to give him a kiss on the lips. “Thank you.”
“Well, I think that’s a first.”
“No other woman has thanked you?”
“Certainly not like that. Certainly not as though I had just opened a carriage door or rescued a puppy.”
She couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, you know I am never one to follow in the footsteps of others.”
“No, you’re certainly not. And I adore that about you. You are a strong, brave woman, Anna. It is to be admired.”
Anna smiled softly against his skin. Sometimes she was so caught up in the hurt of that past and how others treated her that she forgot what it had created. She had come out of this successful, strong and independent, and she’d been able to help other less fortunate women. Gratitude filled her, but why had it taken making love to Harris to make her more aware of these things?
“I should not have spilled inside you,” he murmured regretfully. “I am never so careless.”
“I would not have let you had it not been safe. I am using a sponge.”
“Of course you are, clever woman.” He stroked a finger down her face and raised her chin up so he could look in her eyes. “You really are quite astounding; do you realise that?”
She lifted a shoulder. Was her life unusual? Yes. Was she a rarity amongst women? Certainly. But she never thought of herself as astounding. Mostly she considered herself lucky to have inherited and to have been free to pursue a lucrative living. But had Harris not scolded her for saying it was all luck? She supposed much of it was down to the very many hours she put in at Stourbridge. Usually she was lucky to have five hours sleep a night.
“You must be hungry,” he announced, saving her from a response. “I’ve given everyone a day off so we can avoid any embarrassments.”
Anna raised a brow. “I somehow doubt you would be embarrassed by your conquests.”
He sat, his face an image of mock outrage. “Firstly, I do not consider you a conquest, beautiful Anna, and secondly I have been known to be embarrassed at least...well, once, perhaps.”
She laughed. “Well, at least we know you are human.”
“Oh I’m human all right.” He skimmed his gaze over her breasts and the way the sheet pooled in her lap. “Flesh and blood.” He shifted over and kissed her deeply. “And I’ll show you that later.”
“I’m fairly certain I already discovered that,” she said, a little breathless from his kisses.
“Are you saying you do not wish to check further?”
“Not at all.” She gave a wicked grin. “I think I should like to check over and over just to be sure.”
“Excellent.” He climbed off the bed and tugged on a robe before pulling her up by her hand and dragging the sheet off the bed. He proceeded to wrap it around her in a make-shift robe.
“Whatever are you doing?” she asked, amused.
“Preserving your modesty,” he announced and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead.
“I don’t think I have much need for modesty at this point. In case you did not notice, we just indulged in quite scandalous behaviour.
“We did indeed.” His grin echoed hers. “But not to worry. I intended for it to get far more scandalous.”
Chapter Nine
By late evening, Harris had made love to Anna three more times. He would have kept going had his injured leg not begun throbbing. She had noticed him wince and refused to let him take her again. Damn woman.
He watched her dress and try to style her hair in some semblance of an updo before he began dressing himself. She steadied her hat on her head and peered at him.
“What are you doing?”
He paused to do up his trousers before returning his attention to her. “Getting dressed.”
“You should be resting, Harris.”
“I can rest when I’m dead.”
“At the rate you’re going, you will be.”
“Come now, I am not so old. I had hoped I might have just proved that.” He slipped on his shirt and pushed the cufflinks through the holes.
Anna approached and took the golden cufflinks from him. He could not help like her doing these things for him. A woman had never dressed him before. Undressed, to be certain, but never the other way around. The fact was, most women weren’t around when he was wanting to put clothes back on. Anna, however...Anna was different.
Never mind that he’d never bedded a woman like her. Admittedly, he’d known it would be amazing between them, but not like this. He was still hungry for her, and if it wasn’t for his damn weak body, he would probably take her back to bed and make love to her at least another half dozen times.
“What do you intend to do this evening, then?” she asked, avoiding his gaze while she did up the buttons of his shirt.
“Escort you home then likely sleep the night away.”
“Oh.”
“Why oh?”
“No, it is just—well, I assumed you were getting dressed for some other reason. I supposed you might be going out to one of your clubs or some such.”
“I’m flattered you think I have the stamina.” He pushed a hand through his hair and found a necktie. He eyed it. “Are you any good with these?”
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