Read Online Lord Will & Her Grace by Sophia Nash - Free Book Online

he'd ever beheld, despite the rigid armor she
sported.
    With a slowness meant to torment him, he
moved his hands to her waist and gently slid his hands up the sides
of her body. He inhaled deeply her rose scent and placed his hands
on the sensitive area below her breasts.
    A sheet of hardened metal—or something like
hardened metal—greeted his hand. This was no simple corset. He'd
never felt anything like it before.
    Reluctantly, he broke off the kiss and rested
his forehead against hers. "My dear, this…this article you're
wearing is impossible. How can you even breathe?"
    Before she could answer him, he nudged the
edge of the silk bodice and found the strings of a bow holding an
exceptionally wide tooled whalebone busk in place. He deftly
untied the laces and pulled out the tortuous device in a fluid
movement before she could stop him.
    "My lord!" she exclaimed. "That was very
wrong of you. Give it back!"
    She had the most beautiful eyes. So easy to
read and openly honest.
    "No, I think not. We should send it off to
London—where they're always looking for new forms of torture to
coerce confessions."
    His gamble worked. She couldn't hide the
merriment in her expression.
    "I sense it not only hampers your breathing, chérie , but will dampen the spirits of your most ardent
admirers. You must never use this again, unless you have need of a
chastity device," he added dryly.
    "My aunt says I must wear it lest I appear
too common. And I'm so tired of males looking at me with knowing
glances. It's always been the case, even at twelve years old."
    He shook his head. " Chérie , there are
ladies who would gladly give their teeth to have your physique. You
must stop covering yourself, and start taking pride in your, mmmm,
assets."
    "Well, I'll admit it's difficult to breathe
with it. I know I should be mortified, but I feel ever so much
better." Miss Somerset smiled timidly.
    "No, no. You have exquisite teeth. You must
smile more fully and raise your head to look down the end of your
nose at us, the less fortunate members of the ton . That's
it. Now we must practice the kiss again, and you must open your
mouth this time."
    "What?" She looked flustered. "Oh, this is
ridiculous."
    "Come, come, you almost had me thinking of
petticoats and stockings instead of, of waistcoats and watch fobs.
Let's try again." He stifled his smile and kissed her again. God
help him if she obeyed his instructions.
    She did.
    The lapping of waves drummed out of his head
as the heat of the blood in his veins pounded his temples. She was
utterly delicious, all sweet femininity and boundless honest charm.
Unconsciously, his hands moved to her luscious breasts and
reverently stroked the tips through her modest gown. For the life
of him he couldn't remember why he'd ever preferred petite,
small-breasted women. Miss Somerset was like a Viking goddess,
tall, strong, yet every inch a female. He could feel her quick
intake of breath in response and prayed she would not pull
away.
    She did not.
    Oh Lord, she didn't move save for the
slightest trembling around her mouth. And then, very slowly, she
wrapped her lovely long arms about his neck and he feared he
wouldn't be able to hold on to the edges of this charade. Since
when had he not been able to control the minutest of his actions in
a seduction? He was dazed and slightly out of control. If she knew
anything about the nature of a man's arousal, his goose was
cooked.
    But clearly she did not.
    And then truth dawned. She was quite possibly
not the fallen spinster everyone assumed. She was using none of the
techniques a more seasoned lady performed naturally. She was all
hesitant touches and shy maiden despite her ripe curves.
    And, he was showing a lamentable lack of
finesse. He was seconds away from placing her on the sand, lifting
her skirts and committing the most contemptible act of his life.
Worse yet, an uncomfortable, heretofore unknown sensation stirred
near the cold recesses of his heart.
    William had