Part 71 (1/2)

”Affairs? A good choice of words.” He gave a hard laugh. ”Have you forgotten what we had together?”

An ache carved a swathe through bone and muscle all the way to her soul. ”We had nothing,” she cried. ”And you know it.” She eyed the distance to the door. If she ran . . .

He cut off her retreat with one smooth step, held her upper arms. Fury blazed in his eyes along with the hotter fire of possession.

”We had this,” he growled and claimed her mouth with a plundering kiss.

Even as she began to fight, he softened his mouth, wooed her with his sensual lips, planted small kisses to the corners of her mouth, the tip of her nose, her closed eyelids.

Every inch of her face garnered his attention and her heart opened like a parched rose in the desert to a gentle rain.

Yielding, she sighed and twined her arms about his neck as her body remembered the sensations of his touch. He nuzzled her throat, kissed the pulse beneath her ear, and murmured, ”I missed you.”

”Oh, Gerard.”

More kisses rained on her face and lips, tastes and licks remembered and yearned for over long tearful nights.

One step at a time he eased her into the window embrasure. Under the spell of his delicious mouth, she startled when the window frame touched her back. He pressed into her, his thigh parting her legs, his hands cradling her face. ”Remember?” he asked.

She laughed, a poor broken sound He closed the curtain around them. Their own private world. As if they were young and innocent again. And deeply in love.

His mouth found hers. Thought slipped away as their tongues tangled and danced to the music one heart played to the other, until dizzy and breathless she broke free. ”How could I forget? It was a conservatory then, though, not a library. And your father almost caught us.”

He kissed her jaw, her ear, nibbled the lobe, tasted her throat when she arched back against the wooden frame to give him access.

Her insides ran hot, like melted honey, warm and golden and sweet. His scalding breath s.h.i.+vered across sensitive skin, his lips teased the rise of her breast.

She ran her hands through the silk of his hair, across the breadth of shoulders more manly, stronger than she remembered.

He licked the hollow between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, his long clever fingers working free the tapes of her stays at the neckline of her gown. He tugged the confining fabric down and found her nipples beaded and aching.

He suckled.

She moaned at the surge of desire. She clenched her fists in his thick wavy hair and her body tightened, remembering the bliss. Yearning.

Gently his hand trailed down her hip, caressed her thigh, and inched her skirts upwards. He stroked the bare flesh above her stockings.

”Gerard,” she warned half-heartedly.

”Hush, sweet,” he whispered and flicked her nipple with his tongue.

She melted.

He pushed against her with his knee and the sweet pressure made her squirm. So delectable. But not nearly enough.

”Put your leg up on the seat,” he said softly. ”Remember how you liked it like this?”

”Gerard, we can't. We mustn't.”

He chuckled, deep and low. ”Say no then, love. Say it now.”

Love. Her heart stilled. How many times had he called her his love? Remember? How could she ever forget? Free will seemed to flee. She could not deny him, for to do so would be to deny all the years she'd been so alone. And lonely.

Dear sweet heaven, she'd missed him.

One large warm hand raised her thigh and she rested her foot on the window seat. One hand drew her gown languorously to her waist and cupped her b.u.t.tock, steadying her, the other roved ever higher.

He took her mouth as he caressed and teased her body, until she could do no more than moan her pleasure.

”You are ready, sweet,” he said. ”Let me in.”

She gasped her a.s.sent and raked her hands through his hair, kissing his mouth as he unb.u.t.toned his falls. He cupped both hands beneath her and easily lifted her up. She brought her legs around his waist and clung to him. A moment later, his hard flesh sought entrance to her body.

She lowered herself on to him, with a sigh.

He groaned against her neck. ”My Charlotte,” he said. ”Mine.”

Pleasure cast her on to tossing seas where tempests raged. He held her in arms of steel, driving her, deep and hard, her spine protected from the harsh wood at her back by his hand. She was transported to another realm, a place of naught but pleasure. A place where she gave as much as she took and the bright light of completion beckoned.

A place where love reigned supreme.

His ragged breaths rasped in her ear. ”Now,” he demanded. ”Now, darling.”

She ground against him, seeking to break the bonds of earth.

He thrust into her, his hips sensually twisting.

She shattered. He came with her.

Together they drifted on the warm current of hard-breathing bliss. His forehead dropped against her shoulder. ”Dear G.o.d,” he muttered.

Suddenly aware of her surroundings, of what they had done, thoughts rolled around in her head, while her body stretched like a luxuriating cat's. She s.h.i.+fted in his arms and he carefully lowered her to her feet. He fixed his clothing, then helped her with hers, tying her tapes, hiding her bosom, rosy with his kisses.

He drew open the curtain.

The library door swung back. She couldn't see the intruder as Gerard moved in front of her, protecting her from view.

”Your Grace?” Graves' voice.

Charlotte shrank into the shadows.

”My cousin said you wanted to see me? Am I interrupting some . . .”

Gerard moved, s.h.i.+fting as if to s.h.i.+eld her, but somehow failing.

”Charlotte?” Graves choked out.

Her face flamed as she met his distraught gaze. All her hopes crumbled.

”Pardon my intrusion,” the young lord said, all stiff and hurt.