unmoving, paralyzed by the promise of what might happen.
“Would you like to be?” His heated gaze dropped to her mouth and lingered.
She seemed to surprise herself with her response. “I believe I would.”
“Would you like to be kissed by me?”
He might have jabbed her with a pointed stick, so rapidly did she jump to her feet and head to the window, the sofa becoming a barrier between them. She braced her back against the panes of glass, glaring at him accusingly, as though he’d actually kissed her instead of simply considering it.
“This is not about me!” she insisted. “This is about Caroline, and my need to assist her with accurate information.”
“But how will you give her
accurate
information if you have no firsthand knowledge?”
“You said you could teach me!”
“I can. I merely indicate that your understanding will be greater if you experience something of physical desire yourself.”
“No,” she declared, shaking her head. “That is not what I want. Or what I came for.”
“Are you certain?”
“Absolutely positive,” she ultimately answered, but not until after a protracted delay, which provided him with ample evidence of her confusion over what was just beginning.
He stared calmly in return, as if he couldn’t care less about which choice she made even though he was dying to feel the press of her lips against his, but he was a patient man. There was plenty of time to wear her down.
“Come,” he coaxed. Missing her adjacency much more than he ought, he patted the empty spot next to him on the sofa. “I have some more pictures to show you.” But like a skittish animal, she did not move closer, so he added assuringly, “I give you my word that I will do nothing unless you ask it of me.”
“Swear it,” she fervently required.
“I swear.”
Unfortunately, his pledge failed to mollify her, and she remained where she was. Her chest heaved, her cheeks burned, her teeth worried her bottom lip, and she kept a hand pressed against her stomach as though she might be ill.
“I think,” she finally said, finding her voice, “that will be enough for today.”
He intended to argue against quitting so soon, needing the extra time to figure out how he could change her mind. Then he looked at her again, and decided she’d heard all she could bear for one encounter.
“As you wish.” He nodded in agreement, then stood to go, but not before scooping his lewd pictures into a pile and stuffing them into their protective portfolio. The collection was too precious a memento to leave behind, and he couldn’t stand the thought of possibly losing it. Besides, rogue that he was, he wanted to be with her as she viewed every rendering. “Will we meet on Monday as we planned?” He tried to ease her distress with a smile. “Or have you had enough?”
He held his breath, waiting for her answer. If she said
no
, he’d have to find a method of inflicting himself into her world, because he
was
going to see her again.
“Yes,” she ultimately concurred, “I would like to meet again on Monday.”
His knees weak with relief, he just managed to suppress a satisfied grin. As he’d suspected, the woman was being gradually lured toward the dark pleasure that so easily tempted. While she still believed she was enduring this for her younger sister, she was a grown woman—a woman who yearned to know all. Which meant he could push her limits a bit further.
“I find you very beautiful, Lady Abigail.”
“Mr. Stevens . . .” She groaned his name.
“No secrets, milady, and no shame. Not when you’re here with me like this.”
“Your comment is overly personal . . . and it doesn’t have anything to do with Caroline.”
“No, it doesn’t.” He made a step as though to depart, then stopped himself. She was still huddled by the window. “Tonight, after you’ve sent your maid to bed, go stand in front of your mirror. Completely unclothed. I want you to touch your breasts. . . .”
At
“Would you like to be?” His heated gaze dropped to her mouth and lingered.
She seemed to surprise herself with her response. “I believe I would.”
“Would you like to be kissed by me?”
He might have jabbed her with a pointed stick, so rapidly did she jump to her feet and head to the window, the sofa becoming a barrier between them. She braced her back against the panes of glass, glaring at him accusingly, as though he’d actually kissed her instead of simply considering it.
“This is not about me!” she insisted. “This is about Caroline, and my need to assist her with accurate information.”
“But how will you give her
accurate
information if you have no firsthand knowledge?”
“You said you could teach me!”
“I can. I merely indicate that your understanding will be greater if you experience something of physical desire yourself.”
“No,” she declared, shaking her head. “That is not what I want. Or what I came for.”
“Are you certain?”
“Absolutely positive,” she ultimately answered, but not until after a protracted delay, which provided him with ample evidence of her confusion over what was just beginning.
He stared calmly in return, as if he couldn’t care less about which choice she made even though he was dying to feel the press of her lips against his, but he was a patient man. There was plenty of time to wear her down.
“Come,” he coaxed. Missing her adjacency much more than he ought, he patted the empty spot next to him on the sofa. “I have some more pictures to show you.” But like a skittish animal, she did not move closer, so he added assuringly, “I give you my word that I will do nothing unless you ask it of me.”
“Swear it,” she fervently required.
“I swear.”
Unfortunately, his pledge failed to mollify her, and she remained where she was. Her chest heaved, her cheeks burned, her teeth worried her bottom lip, and she kept a hand pressed against her stomach as though she might be ill.
“I think,” she finally said, finding her voice, “that will be enough for today.”
He intended to argue against quitting so soon, needing the extra time to figure out how he could change her mind. Then he looked at her again, and decided she’d heard all she could bear for one encounter.
“As you wish.” He nodded in agreement, then stood to go, but not before scooping his lewd pictures into a pile and stuffing them into their protective portfolio. The collection was too precious a memento to leave behind, and he couldn’t stand the thought of possibly losing it. Besides, rogue that he was, he wanted to be with her as she viewed every rendering. “Will we meet on Monday as we planned?” He tried to ease her distress with a smile. “Or have you had enough?”
He held his breath, waiting for her answer. If she said
no
, he’d have to find a method of inflicting himself into her world, because he
was
going to see her again.
“Yes,” she ultimately concurred, “I would like to meet again on Monday.”
His knees weak with relief, he just managed to suppress a satisfied grin. As he’d suspected, the woman was being gradually lured toward the dark pleasure that so easily tempted. While she still believed she was enduring this for her younger sister, she was a grown woman—a woman who yearned to know all. Which meant he could push her limits a bit further.
“I find you very beautiful, Lady Abigail.”
“Mr. Stevens . . .” She groaned his name.
“No secrets, milady, and no shame. Not when you’re here with me like this.”
“Your comment is overly personal . . . and it doesn’t have anything to do with Caroline.”
“No, it doesn’t.” He made a step as though to depart, then stopped himself. She was still huddled by the window. “Tonight, after you’ve sent your maid to bed, go stand in front of your mirror. Completely unclothed. I want you to touch your breasts. . . .”
At
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