by Unknown
“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 she 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?”
She took it and slipped it around his collar. Her nimble fingers tied it into a fairly decent knot. He turned to admire it in the full-length mirror.
“Not bad at all. You must have practiced on someone.” He said it lightly but was aware that a bubble of jealousy was waiting to explode inside him should she mention an old lover.
As hypocritical as it would be to be angered by the idea of her having other lovers, he would be.
“My father.”
The words were cold and empty. She might have meant for it to sound as if she did not care, but he could hear the anguish there. All he knew was that her family had disowned her after her ruination. What sort of family would do such a thing, he did not know. By all rights, their eldest brother, Julian, should have given up on the lot of them, but he never did.
Though tempted to take her in his arms again, he suspected she wouldn’t appreciate it so he finished dressing and slipped on his shoes.
“You really do not need to escort me home,” she protested.
“Nonsense. It’s dark, and I could not rest unless I knew you were safe.”
“Well, if you must.”
“I must.”
And then he would get the chance to find out her plans for tomorrow. If she had more business, he would play chaperone again and perhaps persuade her to let him take her to dinner.
Harris almost surprised himself. He eyed the raven-haired woman in front of him, drank in her slightly-mussed beauty. Her lips were still swollen from his kisses, and he would not tell her that he’d left a tiny red mark on her neck where he’d nipped her.
Of course, he wanted to be sure he could protect her while she stayed in London—that had not changed—but should their time together not have drained him of his need for her? And taking her to dinner? That had never been his plan.
Yet the idea resided there in the back of his brain. He thought to their time on the lake the other day and how pleasurable her company had been. How easily they had talked. He had wanted to find out more and still did. Now that he knew what she sounded like when she came and how she looked when she cried, he wanted more still. What did she do when she was deliriously happy? Or when something truly angered her?
Harris smirked at himself. He’d irritated her aplenty, but he didn’t think he’d made her truly angry. If he tried, he probably could. Anna was like a firework. One little spark, and she’d ignite. Her passion was another thing he adored about her, if only she did not keep it hidden behind that wall of ice.
“What is it, Harris?”
He shook himself mentally. “You are very beautiful.”
She gave him a tender smile and cupped his face. “You are very sweet.”
“I do not think I have ever been called that before.”
“Then this certainly is a day of firsts.”
“No one has called you beautiful?”
“They have, but I am not sure they meant it.”
He took her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “Well, I did.” Glancing at the clock on the mantelpiece, he released a resigned breath. “Come, if we wish to find you a hack, we had better make haste.”
They headed downstairs and paused in the doorway. Once in the streets, they would have to have some semblance of decorum. She was aware of it too—he could tell by the way her gaze kept falling on his lips.
Unable to resist, he took her face in his hands and kissed her hard. He tasted and sampled her in an attempt to get his fill of her. It didn’t work. By the time, they parted once more, he was rock hard and in dire need of her.
He straightened his waistcoat while she adjusted her hat. Wordlessly, they left the house and began walking down the street in search of a hack for hire.
Harris did not keep his own carriage as it was too hard to keep and maintain in London. Much easier to hire a carriage each time he needed one. And right now, he was grateful for that decision. It prolonged his time with Anna.
The lamps were lit and spilled their glow upon the pavements. Most shops were closed with the exception of the few coffee houses lining the road. Many younger men and women filled the tables outside of the establishment, their conversation mingling with the clop of horses and the squeak of carriage wheels going past.
Anna looped her arm through his when they passed the busy cafes. He doubted she thought he offered protection from the harmless patrons, but he liked it nonetheless. He did not even think it had been a conscious move.
A smug grin was likely working its way across his face right now. He had, on his arm, a beautiful, powerful woman who had just made love to him so vigorously that he could probably sleep for a week.
And he very much hoped it would happen again.
Anna stiffened beside him and stopped. He came to a sudden standstill next to her and scowled. “What is it?”
Her face had turned ashen. It reminded him of the other night at the dinner party. Except this time, she trembled from head to toe.
“Anna?”
She stared at him through sightless eyes before turning on her heel. Forced to hurry after her, Harris grabbed her arm.
“Anna, what the devil is going on?”
“I cannot—” She tugged away from him and continued on back toward his house. “I just need to...”
He wasn’t sure what she needed or what on earth had triggered this, but he looped an arm about her shoulders and led her back to the house. She leaned a little into him. First those tears the other night and now this. Anna was so strong, what could possibly be making her like this?
Once back inside the h
ouse, he led her into the drawing room, settled her on the sofa and turned on all the lamps. She clenched her hands together. He eyed her for a few moments before opting to sit next to her and force her into his hold. She remained stiff for a moment before easing against him. Her body began to relax into him after several minutes of silence.
“What is wrong, Anna?” he asked firmly. Today he would understand her what was making her so upset, and he wouldn’t take no for an answer, not when it turned her into this ashen shadow of the woman he knew. Whatever burden she was carrying, she had to share it.
“I—” She glanced briefly up at him then stared ahead. Her fingers toyed with the buttons of his waistcoat.
He continued to wait, simply holding her until she was ready.
“I thought I saw someone I knew.” The words tumbled out so fast he barely caught them.
“I see. And this person? You were not happy to see them?”
She shook her head.
“Why?”
Anna drew in an audible breath and eased away from him. Shoulders straight, she eyed him. “Few people know this.”
“You know I will not say a word.”
“I do.” Her chin trembled but there were no tears. Just a great sadness in her eyes that made him want to drag her back to him and take away all the pain she’d experienced in her life. “You know about my ruination. That I had a lover, and it was discovered that I was not a virgin.”
“Yes.”
“I did not have a lover,” she said simply.
“It was a rumour?”
“Not as such.” Her gaze landed on the fireplace, and she stared into the unlit grate.
A chill ran through Harris, and he curled his fingers. Whatever she said, he had to react properly. If he was one of the few to know this, he would not mess it up.
“I was no longer a virgin, that much is true. But it was not by choice.”
It was like a punch to the gut. She still refused to look at him. And for that he was glad as it took him several moments to gather his wits and ensure his fury didn’t show on his face.
