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Authors: Vanessa Kelly
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thinking how long I’ve waited for this. For you.”
Linnet opened her eyes wide, genuinely stunned. “Truly?”
One corner of his mouth kicked up into a wry smile. “You had no idea, did you?”
She shook her head. “I always assumed you saw me as more of a nuisance, not worthy of your notice. After all, why would the great Sir Anthony wish to spend time with the dowerless daughter of an undistinguished family?”
He looked startled, but then his eyes flared with irritation.
She sighed. “You see? Even when you’re making love to me, I manage to annoy you.”
He gripped her by the shoulders, practically lifting her off the divan. “If I’m annoyed, it’s at the absurd notion that you’re not good enough for me. And what you saw these last several months was not irritation, but frustration at your attempts to avoid me. Why the hell were you so intent on that?”
She grimaced. “I suppose I was trying to protect myself. The last thing I wanted to do was act like a silly schoolgirl in front of a man who barely knew I existed.”
His eyes softened. “Linnet, I always knew you existed, believe me. And you’re the farthest thing from a schoolgirl I can imagine.” His gaze swept hotly over her. “Thank God.”
“If you say so, then it must be true. Sir Anthony would never lie about something like that,” she joked, even though she felt an overwhelming relief.
He let out a mock growl. “I’ll teach you to Sir Anthony me.”
Threading his fingers through her hair, he gently tugged her head back. When his lips landed at the base of her throat, his tongue trailing liquid fire over fragile skin, Linnet let out a gasp and fell slowly back onto the divan.
Anthony followed her down, his body crushing her against the cushions. He opened her wrapper and gently unlaced the top of her night rail, all the while trailing kisses over her throat, behind her ear, and along her jawline. Linnet spread her fingers across the back of his head, reveling in the feel of his thick, unbound hair. Never had she thought to have the luxury of touching him like this. Greed spiraled through her as she ran her hands over his broad shoulders and traced the flex of muscles in his back. Need pooled low in her belly, and the tender flesh between her thighs grew damp.
When Anthony broke off she made an inarticulate sound of protest. He moved to her mouth, soothing her with a gentle kiss before drawing back.
“We’re not going to rush this, Linnet, so you might as well stop trying to control things right now.”
“That’s rich, coming from you,” she muttered.
A wry grin was his only answer as he continued to undress her. True, she hadn’t many clothes on to begin with, but the speed at which he divested her of wrapper and night rail left her struggling for breath. The idea of being naked on a divan with Sir Anthony Tait—in Lady Farnsworth’s study, no less—was almost too stunning for her mind to fully grasp.
“There, that’s better,” he murmured as he carelessly tossed her night rail on the floor.
Linnet was sure she was blushing from head to toe. Instinctively, she tried to cover herself, but he caught both her wrists in one hand.
“No, you don’t, my sweet,” he said. “You are not to cover one inch of that luscious body.”
Before she could even think of a response to that, he bent over and fastened his mouth on her nipple. Sensation bolted through her body like a flash of lightning, and she had to bite off a strangled cry. Linnet froze, stunned by her lack of control and terrified that someone might have heard her.
Not that Anthony seemed to be worried. In fact, he let out what sounded like a murmur of approval, gently pushing her back onto the cushions as he continued to kiss her breast.
Although kiss hardly described what he was doing to her. Devour was a better word.
He brought his tongue and lips to bear on shivering flesh, even using his teeth to gently tug on her nipple. Never had Linnet felt such a
Linnet opened her eyes wide, genuinely stunned. “Truly?”
One corner of his mouth kicked up into a wry smile. “You had no idea, did you?”
She shook her head. “I always assumed you saw me as more of a nuisance, not worthy of your notice. After all, why would the great Sir Anthony wish to spend time with the dowerless daughter of an undistinguished family?”
He looked startled, but then his eyes flared with irritation.
She sighed. “You see? Even when you’re making love to me, I manage to annoy you.”
He gripped her by the shoulders, practically lifting her off the divan. “If I’m annoyed, it’s at the absurd notion that you’re not good enough for me. And what you saw these last several months was not irritation, but frustration at your attempts to avoid me. Why the hell were you so intent on that?”
She grimaced. “I suppose I was trying to protect myself. The last thing I wanted to do was act like a silly schoolgirl in front of a man who barely knew I existed.”
His eyes softened. “Linnet, I always knew you existed, believe me. And you’re the farthest thing from a schoolgirl I can imagine.” His gaze swept hotly over her. “Thank God.”
“If you say so, then it must be true. Sir Anthony would never lie about something like that,” she joked, even though she felt an overwhelming relief.
He let out a mock growl. “I’ll teach you to Sir Anthony me.”
Threading his fingers through her hair, he gently tugged her head back. When his lips landed at the base of her throat, his tongue trailing liquid fire over fragile skin, Linnet let out a gasp and fell slowly back onto the divan.
Anthony followed her down, his body crushing her against the cushions. He opened her wrapper and gently unlaced the top of her night rail, all the while trailing kisses over her throat, behind her ear, and along her jawline. Linnet spread her fingers across the back of his head, reveling in the feel of his thick, unbound hair. Never had she thought to have the luxury of touching him like this. Greed spiraled through her as she ran her hands over his broad shoulders and traced the flex of muscles in his back. Need pooled low in her belly, and the tender flesh between her thighs grew damp.
When Anthony broke off she made an inarticulate sound of protest. He moved to her mouth, soothing her with a gentle kiss before drawing back.
“We’re not going to rush this, Linnet, so you might as well stop trying to control things right now.”
“That’s rich, coming from you,” she muttered.
A wry grin was his only answer as he continued to undress her. True, she hadn’t many clothes on to begin with, but the speed at which he divested her of wrapper and night rail left her struggling for breath. The idea of being naked on a divan with Sir Anthony Tait—in Lady Farnsworth’s study, no less—was almost too stunning for her mind to fully grasp.
“There, that’s better,” he murmured as he carelessly tossed her night rail on the floor.
Linnet was sure she was blushing from head to toe. Instinctively, she tried to cover herself, but he caught both her wrists in one hand.
“No, you don’t, my sweet,” he said. “You are not to cover one inch of that luscious body.”
Before she could even think of a response to that, he bent over and fastened his mouth on her nipple. Sensation bolted through her body like a flash of lightning, and she had to bite off a strangled cry. Linnet froze, stunned by her lack of control and terrified that someone might have heard her.
Not that Anthony seemed to be worried. In fact, he let out what sounded like a murmur of approval, gently pushing her back onto the cushions as he continued to kiss her breast.
Although kiss hardly described what he was doing to her. Devour was a better word.
He brought his tongue and lips to bear on shivering flesh, even using his teeth to gently tug on her nipple. Never had Linnet felt such a
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