by Joanna Shupe
Chapter Twelve
Lily began undressing Calvin for the second time in a few days, her intention completely different in this instance. Now she needed his bare skin, every inch of his lean body available for her touch. Her mouth. All the wicked things she planned to do to this man . . .
This wasn’t how she had intended for the evening to progress, but she would make the most of having Calvin in her bed once more. Just this one time. They would take from each other every sigh and moan, wring pleasure from their bodies until they couldn’t stand, but only for tonight. That was all.
Calvin helped, pushing down his suspenders and kicking off his shoes. When enough buttons were freed, he shrugged out of his shirt and tossed it to the floor. They both dealt with the remainder of his combination and then he was shoving the undergarment over his hips along with his trousers. Finally, he was naked, sleek, tanned skin covering lean muscle, and she tested that hard smoothness with her palms, reveling in the feel of him.
His eyes fell closed as she explored, his chest rising and falling swiftly with each breath. He was perfect, all sinew and strength, rough edges and soft hair. Her fingers traced the slopes of his wide shoulders, the ridges of his ribs, and the flat nipples on his broad chest. He inhaled sharply when she dragged her nails along his flat stomach and tapered hips, over the tops of his thick thighs. His shaft started to thicken once more between his legs, and she delighted in the fact that she could affect him so deeply.
“Have mercy, Lily,” he said with a shiver. “Let me touch you.” He reversed their positions, putting her flat on her back. Then he settled his weight atop her, pressing her into the mattress in the most delicious way. “Let me taste you,” he murmured before placing his mouth on hers.
This kiss was less urgent than before but no less intoxicating. Calvin was thorough, his lips pulling and sliding, coaxing, in absolutely no hurry whatsoever as the kiss dragged on. The hair on his chest rubbed against her stiff nipples, their legs tangling in an effort to get as close as possible. She clung to him and bit his lip, demanding more. He gave her his tongue, slipping it into her mouth to lazily wind with hers.
After a moment, he pulled away, moving down to kiss her jaw, her throat. Lips, tongue, and teeth elicited gasps from her, the sharp pleasure building in her blood. Lower he went, nipping her collarbone and pressing gentle kisses along her breastbone. Her breasts were heavy with need and she arched up, trying to tell him without words how desperately she yearned for his mouth there.
“You are even more luscious than I remember,” he breathed over the slope of her breast. “No memory does you justice. No dream could accurately depict the perfection.”
She dug her nails into his shoulders, anxious to hurry him along. “Stop talking, Calvin. Stop teasing me.”
He cupped her breast, plumping the mound and positioning his mouth over her nipple. His tongue shot out to flick the taut tip and she inhaled sharply, threading her fingers through his silky hair to hold on to his head. “My lovely Lily, impatient as ever.” Then the peak disappeared between his lips, engulfed into the warm recess, deep inside, stealing her wits and her breath with his insistent suction. Each tug produced an answering ache between her legs, the beat of her heart echoing in that slick center.
Calvin tormented her, content to focus on her breasts and nipples, for what seemed like hours. She writhed beneath him, nearly out of her mind, her fingers tightening in his hair. “Calvin, please.”
Then he shifted, working his way down her body, sweeping his tongue over her ribs, raining kisses over her stomach. His big shoulders forced her thighs apart to make room for him, and she heard him inhale deeply through his nose. He muttered a string of words in what sounded like the same language he’d used with Mr. Kwan, but before she could ask what he’d said, his breath gusted over the sensitive folds. “You’re so swollen. So wet. Pink and perfect.” One swipe with the flat of his tongue and she jumped. “And delicious,” he said on a groan. “Christ, I have missed this.”
Using his hands, he spread her open, revealing the small bundle of nerves that craved his touch the very most. But instead of giving relief, he dipped to lick at her entrance, swirling his tongue through the moisture gathered there. Tasting her every bit as thoroughly as she remembered. Savoring her, he’d called this four years ago. Finally, he inched higher, higher, until his mouth reached the hard knot at the top of her sex. His lips surrounded it, sucking on the flesh, lashing with his tongue, and her back arched off the bed, a cry torn from her throat. Oh God . . . she’d forgotten the intense burn, the incredible pleasure. Her lids fell closed, her body no longer her own. In this, he controlled her. He knew exactly what she liked, how best to drive her wild.
A sizzle streaked across the tops of her thighs, her muscles shaking, as he continued to use his mouth and tongue in that one tiny spot. She panted and clawed at the bed and his hands slid under her backside to hold her in place, holding her up to his mouth like a banquet. Finally, he gave a gentle scrape of his teeth and that set her off. White heat ripped through her, the world unfocused as pleasure overwhelmed, dragged her under. She opened her mouth to scream and a large palm muffled the sound. Lily hardly noticed, her limbs trembling and shaking, the powerful climax reverberating through every part of her body.
Before she could recover, he was over her, driving down, filling her, the entry easier this time. He braced himself on his hands, his bare, sweat-slick torso blocking her vision, his head lowered to watch where they were connected, where she drew him inside. His hips began moving, rocking slowly against her. Deliberately. So she’d feel every inch of him. She wrapped her legs around his hips, holding him tight.
He groaned and dropped onto his elbows. “You astound me,” he told her, his blue eyes wild and dark. “I’m a man of words, yet you rob me of them every single time.”
“Then kiss me instead,” she pleaded, her hands sliding up to his shoulders and pulling his mouth down to her own. His tongue invaded her mouth, their breath mingling as his hips churned, the taste of her pleasure still on his lips. The buzz built in her veins, her body primed, each powerful stroke rubbing the perfect spot. Nails digging into his back, she clung to him, her hips rising to meet his, chasing . . . chasing . . .
Calvin moaned, tearing free of her mouth, the lines of his face taut with pleasure. She loved seeing him this wild, when desire and lust overtook everything else, and she whispered, “More, Calvin. Please, harder.”
His lids fell and he grimaced, increasing the tempo of his thrusts. “Oh Jesus. I can’t stop. Fuck, Lily.”
Bracing himself on one arm, his hand reached between them, fingers sweeping her clitoris until she froze, her legs tightening as the orgasm rushed up, swift and fierce, an explosion of every particle in her body. Trembling, she sank her teeth into the side of his neck to keep from shouting as she rode out the waves of exquisite pleasure. Calvin stiffened, hips stuttering, and she felt him pulse inside her. He grunted, his big body shuddering, chest heaving with effort as sweat rolled down his temples.
Finally, the world stopped spinning. Calvin withdrew and dropped onto the bed next to her. “God above,” he wheezed, catching his breath.
The loss of his heat caused her to shiver. She rolled toward him and placed a hand on his damp chest. A hundred questions burned her tongue, questions she might not ever get another chance to ask after tonight.
But this hardly seemed the time for talking. Why ruin this moment with questions about a past that no longer mattered? There was no changing it, certainly not now, so better to enjoy these stolen moments with him in relative peace. There would be time enough for regrets tomorrow, after he left.
There was no future for the two of them after tonight. Tom had been found. Lee would back off, his daughter clearly not with her brother. She and Calvin would part ways in the morning, content to go back to their separate lives. This was not a reconciliation; this was an aberration. An anomaly. A secret night of sin and wickedness, one she’d carry to her gr
ave.
“I came to see you,” he said suddenly. “I hid in the shadows across the street from your house.”
That startled her. “You did? When?”
“Right after your father died. He made me promise I’d never speak to or see you again, and with him gone I figured a conversation between us was long overdue.”
“But you didn’t speak to me. Why?”
He gave a small shrug, looking as uncertain of himself as she’d ever seen. “You came home and you were . . . happy. Laughing with the gent who’d escorted you that evening. I figured we’d both moved on. That the past should stay in the past.”
She didn’t know what to think. He’d watched her? Thought her happy? “I wish you had talked to me,” she said softly.
He didn’t comment, merely squeezed her hip, and silence descended. The house was quiet, the spring wind blowing fiercely outside her windows.
“Will you stay the night?” she asked.
“Do you want me to?”
“You’ll need to leave before my maid arrives in the morning, but yes, I do.”
Lifting her, he settled her atop his hard frame, his mouth curved in amusement. His lips nibbled her neck, causing goose bumps to break out along the surface of her skin. “But then I won’t experience the red room to its full potential.”
“I suppose that’s true. Either way, you’re not getting any sleep tonight.”
* * *
For about two minutes, Lily contemplated skipping breakfast and hiding in her rooms all day. But she was not a coward. Yes, she and Calvin had . . . engaged in some energetic and intimate evening activities, but she did not feel ashamed. They were both adults. Had been married at one time. She and Monty were not promised to each other, so what was there to regret?
All in all, it had been perfect.
Four times Calvin had taken her, each more tender than the last. No words had been exchanged when he finally left in the early morning. He’d merely pressed the softest, most delicate kiss to her lips, then her forehead, and strode out of her room without a backward glance. No false hope of reconciliation. No awkward declarations. No vows of what the future held. Both of them were too wise and too realistic for those things.
Lily had moved on, made a life for herself that did not include Calvin and his web of lies and deception. She needed a man who did not elicit such strong feelings, someone she could live around instead of live with.
And if her heart still fluttered every time she saw Calvin . . . well, that was a condition better ignored.
In the breakfast room she was pleased to discover her brother already there, alone, reading the papers and drinking coffee. His brown hair was perfectly oiled and he was dressed in a fine morning suit of navy wool. “Good morning, Tom.”
His head lifted and he studied her carefully. She tried not to blush. “You seem better this morning. Did you sleep well?”
Like the dead, once Calvin left. “Yes, thank you. I think I just exhausted myself over the last few weeks.”
He frowned, the lines on his brow deepening. “I apologize. I had no idea you were searching for me. I never meant to cause you any distress or worry.”
“I realize that. I’m just glad you’re safe.” She reached for the silver urn and poured a large cup of coffee for herself.
He set down his cup in the saucer. “Cabot filled me in a bit last night about this Mr. Lee. I cannot believe you went running off to Chinatown to confront the man. Into a brothel and opium den. Have you lost your mind?”
“There is nothing I wouldn’t do if you were in trouble, Tom. Even if it meant confronting the devil himself.”
“Well, cross that item off your list, then,” Calvin drawled as he strolled into the breakfast room. Lily’s heart soared into her throat at the sight of him, with his freshly shaven face, chiseled jaw, bright blue eyes, stark cheekbones. . . . He was a sight to behold, even after being wrapped in his arms all night. Before she made a fool of herself, she forced her eyes to her cup.
“And how could you have allowed her to go there?” Tom snapped at Calvin. “You knew Lee was dangerous.”
Calvin lowered himself into a chair and reached for the coffee. “I don’t know if you’re familiar with your sister, but she’s not exactly biddable.”
Lily didn’t bother to inform Tom that Calvin had refused to help her, had even suggested she visit Chinatown on her own. “It hardly matters. Everyone is safe and we can all return to New York and forget this entire business.” She noted a muscle jumping in Calvin’s jaw and wondered about it. He still hadn’t even glanced at her since he’d entered the room. Did he regret last night?
“Well, do not be so reckless in the future, Lily. With my traveling, I worry about you home all by yourself.”
She gave a small laugh. “I’m surrounded by a legion of staff. Nothing could possibly happen to me.”
Langley entered and cleared his throat a second before Montgomery Fields hurried into the room. Lily blinked. “Montgomery,” she exclaimed, standing. “What are you doing here?”
Monty still wore his black overcoat, a derby in his hands. As usual, he was perfectly put together, his long mustache fashionable and neat. Unassuming and inoffensive. He strode to her side. “Your brother cabled last night and said you were in need of assistance. I came as quickly as I could.”
Lily’s eyes flew to her brother, who merely smirked and sipped his coffee. “Tom—” She bit off an angry remark. Something was happening here, something she didn’t understand. She snuck a glance at Calvin, whose face had clouded over with an inscrutable expression.
“I want someone to watch over you,” Tom explained. “Fields can see you safely back to the city.”
“What about you?” She didn’t even ask after Calvin. No doubt he had his own plans that didn’t include her. “I thought we would travel together.”
“Cabot and I are sailing the boat back to New York while you take the private car on the train. Aren’t you happy to see Mr. Fields?”
“Yes, of course,” Lily said, shaking off her surprise and turning to Monty. She rose up on her toes and kissed his cheek. “Hello, Montgomery. Thank you for coming on such short notice.”
Monty smiled, his face softening. “Anything for you, Lily. Now, if you’ll sit and finish your breakfast, we can return to New York as soon as possible.”
Nodding, she retook her seat. A steady drumming sounded, Calvin’s fingers busily tapping against the dining table. She said, “Montgomery, do you know Calvin Cabot?”
“We’ve never met.” Monty moved around the table until he reached Calvin’s side. “Mr. Cabot, I am Montgomery Fields.”
Calvin did not rise, but he shook Monty’s hand. “Fields.”
An awkward silence fell. Calvin’s demeanor was about as welcoming as a snowy day in June. She sent a helpless gaze toward her brother.
Tom indicated a chair. “Fields, please. Join us for breakfast.”
“Yes, thank you. I’d like that.” Monty shrugged out of his overcoat, which Langley promptly accepted, along with his hat and gloves. Monty walked back around the table and sat down next to Lily. She poured him coffee and added cream, as he preferred.
The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and she discovered Calvin’s icy stare locked on her hands. She replaced the creamer on the table and put her hands in her lap. Tom returned his attention to his food, but Calvin leaned an elbow on the table, appearing relaxed to anyone who didn’t know him well. Lily, however, was instantly wary.
“You and Lily certainly seem comfortable with each other,” he said to Monty. “What are your intentions toward her?”
Monty froze and Lily’s jaw dropped. “Calvin!” She shot daggers at the man across from her. “That is hardly your concern.”
Calvin’s innocent expression did not fool Lily for one moment. “I’d say it’s definitely my concern, as I still care about your welfare. We were married once, after all.”
The words rocked Lily back in her chair, sh
ock filling her. She felt Monty’s confused stare settle on her, but she could not look away from the challenge in Calvin’s expression. “That was a long time ago,” she gritted out.
“You were married?” Monty’s voice had gone high with incredulity. “The two of you? When?”
Satisfaction flared in Calvin’s irises. “Oh, didn’t she tell you? We eloped four years ago.”
“The marriage was annulled,” Lily snapped. “For obvious reasons.”
“Obvious reasons? What were those?” Monty shifted in his seat to see her more clearly. While they weren’t engaged, Lily owed him an explanation. They had been close for the better part of a year, and she knew the news came as a surprise, one that would hurt because of the deception.
Lily angled her head toward him and lowered her voice. “I apologize that I never told you. No one knew, however, not even Tom. The news was kept secret from everyone, so I hope you understand. We were young and foolish.”
“I wasn’t,” Calvin inserted instantly, and Lily stretched to kick his shin under the table. Hard. He showed no outward reaction other than the raising of one eyebrow.
Fury and frustration welled up in her chest, her skin turning hot. She pressed her lips together to keep from shouting at him. Then she took a deep breath and struggled for composure. “As I was saying, it was a long time ago. My father made the case to annul the marriage and Calvin and I both agreed.”
Calvin held up a hand. “Actually—”
“Shut up, Calvin!” Her palm slapped the table, rattling china and silver, wrath obliterating everything beyond the object of her ire. The two of them locked eyes, the room suddenly gone deathly quiet. She could hear blood rushing in her ears, her muscles vibrating with the need to reach across and strangle him. He appeared equally incensed, color blooming above his shirt collar, his jaw clenched.
Tom cleared his throat. “Perhaps we should—”
Without warning, Calvin pushed to his feet, his chair teetering. “If you’ll excuse me, I need some air.”
