“You’re surprised,” he said.
“Well, yes.” And a thousand questions were darting around inside her brain. “Why didn’t you marry her?”
He took a deep breath. “Because I was young, and according to my father and stepmother, not aware of the ‘importance’ of my marriage. I was heir to a very old title and I had the unfortunate luck to fall in love with a merchant’s daughter. Not even a very prosperous merchant, at that.”
Still digesting the shock, Clara probed further. “How old were you?”
“Sixteen. I knew within a week that she was the one for me, and I was her lover for four years before I proposed. The marriage was of course forbidden, and she was sent away.”
“By whom?”
“My father.”
Clara was brimming with curiosity. “Where did she go?”
“She was sent to America, but the ship went down somewhere in the Atlantic.”
A lump formed in Clara’s throat. She swallowed over it and laid her hand on the marquess’s thigh. “I am very sorry to hear that.”
He looked the other way toward the red velvet curtains that covered the window. “It was a long time ago.”
“Have you never cared for anyone since then?”
His gaze dropped to her hand upon his thigh, then flicked up and settled with intensity on her eyes. “I’ve cared for many.”
Feeling nervous all of a sudden, she discreetly lifted her hand off his leg.
“No need to do that,” he said, reaching to take her hand and slowly place it back where it was.
“Things were just getting interesting.”
Her heart began to pound. “I only meant to offer commiseration, my lord.”
“Yes, I know, and you’re very good at it. Care to offer a little more?”
He leaned closer. His gaze went from her eyes to her lips, back up to her eyes again. He was so close, his nose was almost touching hers. The proximity stirred her pulse.
“Are you going to kiss me now?” she asked ridiculously.
“Only if you want me to.” He remained where he was, gazing down at her lips. Tension seemed to crackle all around them.
“I’m not really sure. It doesn’t seem right.”
“Sitting in a carriage alone with me at three A.M., asking all kinds of personal questions, doesn’t seem right either. But here we are.”
“Yes, here we are.” His nearness was overwhelming. The rush of blood through her body throbbed in her ears.
Clara moistened her lips.
The marquess smiled.
He was still smiling a few seconds later when he kissed her, his lips touching hers almost experimentally. Clara closed her eyes and gave in to the desire to open for him, to welcome his tongue inside after so many days remembering what it had felt like that glorious first night under the stairs. Now, here it was again—the passion, the eroticism, the sweet, pounding ache of lust being fulfilled.
He cupped her face in his large, warm hands and grinned roguishly. “I had not forgotten how delicious you were.”
“Nor I, you,” she said, trembling all over, a blush warming her cheeks. She wished she could be more in control at this moment and feel as if she knew what she was doing, but she did not. She had no idea. This was unlike any experience of her life.
“You even taste like strawberries,” he said. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to kiss you again. There’s no getting around it.”
“Please do.” But she pressed her open mouth to his before he had the chance to comply.
The kiss was deep and fierce and utterly intoxicating. A shiver ran through Clara as she devoured his mouth, clutched at his shoulders, realizing she had been starving for this, more than she ever could have comprehended.
The marquess eased her down upon the seat, never breaking the intimacy of their kiss. His hands roamed leisurely over her hips, then he rose up to move her leg to one side and adjust her skirts so he could settle himself between her thighs.
This was wrong, she knew—to part her legs for him like this, to let him lie on top of her, so close—but she couldn’t help it. She wanted to feel the weight of him upon her body, to feel his hips near the private place between her legs that tingled and ached for the pressure of his arousal. She had not known that lust could have such an overwhelming effect on all her senses and reasoning.
Laying hot, open-mouthed kisses on her neck, he whispered, “You must tell me how far you wish to go tonight, so there are no surprises or disappointments later on.”
“I don’t know,” she said breathlessly. “I’ve never done any of this before. I don’t even know what should come next. Or last.”
He smiled and kissed her cheeks and nose. “You are charming.”
“I can only trust you, my lord. You said you could give pleasure without destruction. Can you really? And do you promise?”
“I certainly
know
how to. Whether or not I can remain disciplined toward that end, I’m not sure.”
Clara knew her eyes had revealed her sudden fears and doubts, and knew that Lord Rawdon had recognized it. She could tell by the way his eyes warmed.
He kissed her on the lips again, then eased her mind with a tender smile. “I give you my word,” he said. “No destruction tonight. I know what to do. But are you sure you want to even begin? It might leave you starving for more.”
She nodded. “I’m sure, only because at the moment, I cannot even contemplate stopping you.”
He smiled and lowered his mouth to hers, letting out a deep and sensual growl. His tongue in her mouth heated her blood, sent waves of erotic excitement to all her frazzled nerve endings.
“We might as well allow ourselves to get comfortable, then.” He unfastened the covered buttons on her bodice one by one, and kissed lower and lower down the length of her neck and across her sensitive collarbone.
When her bodice finally fell open, he thrust his hips against hers and slid his hand up over her corset to her bare neckline. Clara’s pulse quickened at the softness of his caress.
He smiled seductively as he kissed the swell of her cleavage, unhooking the corset clasps over her breasts.
Sucking in a breath, Clara marveled at the quivering sensations deep within her belly. This was all so deliciously wicked. If anyone caught them! Oddly enough, the danger only served to pour kerosene on her already flaming desires.
The corset came loose and she reveled in the physical freedom. Seger massaged her breast through the light fabric of her chemise, then tugged at the ribbons to loosen it and pull it down. He took one of her breasts into his mouth. Every tingling fibre of Clara’s being cried out with shock and delight at the feel of his tongue flicking back and forth.
“This is inconceivable,” she whispered, clutching at his head. The sound of his lapping tongue in the otherwise silent coach, and the feel of his hot breath against her skin caused an ache down lower where his arousal pushed against her nether regions. She had no idea what was happening down there, how he could be so huge and rigid where there had been nothing visible earlier.
Curious and aching to touch him, she let her hand slide down his back, then around to the front. He stopped what he was doing and glanced at her with a rakish grin. “You are absolutely delightful.”
“I want to know what you feel like.”
“Be my guest.”
She slid her hand down inside his pants, without attempting to unbutton them. What she touched was astonishing. He was so smooth and hot and large. She wrapped her hand around him and remained there, very still, holding him.
After a minute or two, he reached down to unbutton his trousers. “I think you need a little more room to maneuver.”
“Maneuver?”
His voice was quiet and husky. “I’ll show you.”
He closed his hand around hers and proceeded to teach her how to touch him. As soon as she caught on, he closed his eyes and returned his mouth to her breast. Clara tilted her head back on the seat, surprised when a tiny moan escaped her throat. It didn’t even sound like her.
“Lord Rawdon,” she whispered, feeling strange.
“Call me Seger.” Then he reached down to lift her skirts until they were bunched around her waist. He slid a hand over her thigh, then into the heated confines of her drawers. “I’ll be gentle,” he said.
Clara clutched onto his broad shoulders. “Seger…”
While he kissed her on the mouth, he stroked her with his fingers, paying particular attention to one spot that seemed more sensitive than anywhere else, causing her insides to quiver with an unfamiliar need.
After a few minutes of that skillful touching, he lifted her chemise and kissed her belly, then went lower down, past her bunched up skirts, until he was pulling her drawers down over her hips and tossing them onto the floor of the coach. Then he began to pleasure her—down there— with his mouth and tongue.
Reeling with shock at the intimacy of such an act, Clara arched her back on the seat. “Seger, what are you doing to me?”
He didn’t answer. She didn’t mind, not if it meant he would continue whatever it was he was doing.
She could hear the carnal sounds of his mouth on her. Aroused beyond any imaginings, Clara grabbed onto the curtains and squeezed them in her fist.
Soon, all her muscles began to tremble and quake, then an extraordinary sensation licked over her like hot, advancing flames, followed by an intense shudder of release. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced. It was divine, liquid ecstasy.
Afterward, her body relaxed. Seger sat back, draping her legs over his lap. He held her hand.
“Good Lord,” she said, feeling utterly depleted of strength. “Am I dying?”
“No, you just had a glimpse of heaven, that’s all.”
She shook her head in disbelief. “I’ve never glimpsed heaven like that before. What did you do to me?”
“I gave you an orgasm.”
She tossed a limp arm over her forehead. “An orgasm? Did I give
you
one?”
He smiled. “No, my dear.”
“Have you ever had one?”
He smiled again. “Yes, and your innocence is enchanting.”
“I’m not so innocent anymore, am I?” she asked, then frowned. She leaned up on both her elbows. “I’m not ruined, am I?”
Seger caressed her cheek. “No, darling. You’re still a virgin.”
She laid back down again. “You’d have to touch me with that other part, wouldn’t you?”
He chuckled. “I’m afraid so.”
“Well, I don’t want you to do that. At least not tonight.”
“Have no fear. I’ve got it under lock and key.”
She could sense his amusement. She knew he was pleased with her and she couldn’t deny the satisfaction that came with that knowledge.
“But was it enjoyable for you?” she asked. “If you didn’t have an orgasm… Do you usually have orgasms with other women?”
“Almost invariably.”
She thought about that. “Then this wasn’t quite as gratifying for you as it usually is, then.”
He touched a thumb to her lips. “It was gratifying enough. I made you a promise.”
“But you gave me pleasure. Can’t I do the same for you?”
He raked a hand through his hair. “I wouldn’t want to overdo it your first time out of the gate.”
Clara laughed and sat up. “What if I want to overdo it? I’m a very enthusiastic pupil. Besides, I’m not ready to go back inside yet. The servants won’t be up for at least another hour.”
She slid across the seat to take his face in her hands and kiss him again. “Show me what to do,” she whispered. “I don’t want to go yet.”
He responded instantly and lifted her onto his lap, kissing her with unleashed abandon. His hand slid up under her chemise again and cupped her breast, gently pinching her pebbled nipple between his thumb and forefinger.
Feeling aroused all over again, Clara straddled him. Her drawers were still on the floor, so she could feel the rigid length of him easily through the barrier of his trousers.
“What can I do to give you an orgasm, without losing what’s left of my virtue?” she asked, blowing in his ear.
He groaned and kissed her neck. “Maybe you should quit while you’re ahead, while I’m still in control of myself.”
“But there must be some way that you can have a glimpse of heaven tonight, too.” She had to admit, she was feeling determined.
“There are a couple of ways,” he said into her mouth, “but I think one in particular would be the better choice.”
“Show me.”
He lifted her up so he could slide his trousers down over his hips. Knees braced on the seat on either side of him, skirts bunched under an arm at her belly, Clara gazed down at the tremendous sight of him in the dim light and trembled with awe.
He didn’t give her much time to stare. He slouched down and took her hips in his strong hands, then guided her down on top of him. “Like this.”
His erection lay flat on his stomach. She simply covered him with her private center. “Slide over me,” he said, “back and forth, but gently and not over the tip.”
She understood and held onto his shoulders while she moved. Everything was slick down there. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back on the seat.
Clara began to move in a way that brought the pleasure swirling back into her own senses again. She slid that one sensitive nub over the firm but silky length of him. Her breathing quickened. So did his. Clara let out a tiny little moan.
He began to quickly unbutton his waistcoat and shirt, then pressed both garments open. He inched down a bit more.
Clara gazed in bewildered awe at the sheer beauty of his bare, muscled chest. He enflamed her desires more than she’d ever dreamed possible. Was this love? Was she falling in love with him?
Heart racing, she let her fingers skim over the smooth skin on his chest and pressed her palm over his heart to feel it beating. She leaned forward and kissed him.
“This is as close as one can get to the real thing,” he whispered. “But what I wouldn’t give to be inside you right now.”
She watched his face in the lamplight; he, too, watched hers. The movement took on a life of its own and Clara simply had to thrust her hips in harmony with Seger’s. It all seemed so natural. So intimate and tender.
He shut his eyes. She saw the muscles in his jaw clench, then he reached into the breast pocket of his jacket and pulled out a handkerchief.