Never Wager Against Love (Kellington Book Three) (15 page)

Finally, he spoke.  “I cannot pretend to know what you went
through, sweetheart, although I would listen attentively should you choose to
tell me.  But I know life can be very difficult for those who aren’t born to
privilege, as I was lucky enough to be.   I believe I’ve already boasted of my
ability to read people.  Well, I know you wouldn’t have reached the decision to
steal lightly.”

“Do not make excuses for me,” she said, fighting back
tears.  His anger or sudden coolness would be much easier to take than his kind
words.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he said.  “Regardless of what
happened in your past, Lord Willingham and Professor Dumbarton have enough faith
in you to give you this mission.  Obviously, you must have earned their trust. 
How much longer do you have to remain with the Home Office?”

“My term of service was up a year ago.  I asked to stay on
because I was so grateful for the second chance.  And I truly believe I’m being
of service to King and country.”

“And you are,” said Arthur.  “I can think of no other agent
who could’ve humbled the odious Sir John quite so well.”  He was relieved to
hear her laugh, which had been his intent.  “Now, if you believe you’ve
sufficiently used all the hot water, I suggest you ready yourself for dinner,
since I believe our meal will be delivered shortly.”

“Oh, of course,” she said, as sounds of splashing arose from
behind the screen once more.  “We should ring for more hot water for you.”

Arthur could hear her rising from the water.  “Don’t worry
about me, love.  It will be yet one more sacrifice I make for King and
country.  And don’t think I won’t mention it the next time I see His Majesty,
foolish man that he is.”

Vanessa emerged from behind the screen, with her wet hair
about her shoulders and a towel wrapped firmly around her.  She looked at him
shyly, as if unsure whether or not he would treat her differently after her
startling revelation.  But it hadn’t changed his opinion of her one whit.  Or
if it had, it was only to make him admire her more in overcoming the
difficulties of her earlier life.

To put her mind at ease, he kissed her.  “You never cease to
amaze me, Vanessa.  Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time for my cold bath.”

*                    *                    *

After a dinner of decidedly mediocre fare, which Vanessa had
eaten as if it were the finest French cuisine, they headed to bed with the
dreaded blanket hanging once more between them.

“Tell me, Lord Arthur,” she said from just the other side of
the blanket, after he’d made yet another improper suggestion, “how is it you’ve
lived to be this old without someone taking a swing at you?” 

“What makes you think they haven’t?”

“You’re telling me someone hit you?” she asked, trying to
ignore the heat from his body, which was just inches away from hers.

“Many times.  And that’s just counting family.  I was
constantly fighting with Ned and Hal, and even went up against Liam a time or
two.  That was before he became a duke.  After that, he was too conscious of his
advantage in weight and age, not to mention the toll his title had taken on him. 
Of course, he didn’t run entirely tame.  Just a few months ago he went up
against a gang of London toughs and came out very well.  The man can fight. 
But the person who throws the best left hook in my family is Lizzie.  You never
expect it from her.  Underestimate her at your peril.”

“Are you saying I should think myself fortunate she didn’t
lay me out in Kent?”

“I’m just saying you should always expect the unexpected
from her.  Keep that in mind the next time you meet,” he said, resisting the
desire to pull her into his arms, blanket and all.  It was going to be a very
long night.

“I think it rather unlikely that I shall ever see Lady
Elizabeth again.  It’s not as if our paths will likely cross.  Can you please
move over?” she asked.

“Toward you?”

“I believe you know the answer to that.  I was hoping you’d
give me just a bit more room.”

“I hate to disappoint you, sweeting, but I’m pretty much
hanging off the bed as it is.  If I move over anymore, I’ll be on the floor. 
And before you request it, please keep in mind my delicate aristocratic nature.”

Her bottom came in contact with the front of him and she
felt his arousal.  She stilled for a moment. 

“Sorry, love,” he said almost – but not quite – sheepishly. 
“There’s not much I can do about that.” 

Vanessa lay still, hoping sleep would come to her, but knowing
it wouldn’t.  Heat radiated off his body to envelop her.  Heat and his clean,
masculine scent.  While he hadn’t taken  time to shave, she knew his regular
soap had a hint of bergamot.  A rich man’s soap.  A man who was very much not
for her, especially now that she’d told him some of her past.  She needed to
remember that. 

From the room next door came a rhythmic movement.  Vanessa
hoped she was imagining it, but as the headboard began hitting the shared wall,
she knew there was no sense trying to sleep.  She could only hope Arthur wouldn’t
bring it to her attention.

“Have you read any good books, lately?” he asked, with the
hint of choked laughter.

“I don’t get as much time to read as I would like,” she
replied, trying to be heard over the increasingly loud goings on next door
between a man called Alfie and his vocal, unnamed female  companion.  “But I do
try to keep abreast of criminal reports.”

“A requirement for your position, I would imagine.”

“Indeed it is,” she said, increasingly discomfited by the
couple next door.  “I also read the broad sheets.  I remember being quite
surprised when I read Lady Elizabeth’s treatise.”

“Which was how we felt, as well.”

Alfie’s companion was now crying out to God.

“Isn’t that blasphemous?” asked Vanessa, as it became all
but impossible to even pretend to ignore Alfie and his partner.

“Not necessarily,” said Arthur, still so close behind her. 
“I believe passion is a great gift from God.   It’s quite fitting to thank
Him.”

“Now you’re being blasphemous,” she said, turning on to her
back, hoping it would help block out the noise from the wall which was only
inches away from her.

“Do you have much experience with passion, Miss Gans?”
Arthur asked, as he also turned onto his back, which pressed their bodies
together all the way down their sides.

She waited for a moment before answering.  “Enough to know
it can be a powerful experience, but wise enough to realize it has great
potential to harm.”

“True enough on both counts.  Although from the sounds of
it, Alfie and his lady friend are experiencing the good portion right now. 
And, with sleep an impossibility in the near future, I was wondering, Miss
Gans, if you might like to experience a bit of pleasure yourself.  I know you
said we should not become lovers.  But I was wondering if it might not be possible
to do some exploration, without going too far.”

He held his breath as he waited for her answer.  After what
seemed like an eternity, she replied.

“How far would this journey take us?”

“Only as far as you’d like to go.”

After another moment of no sound other than the pounding from
next door, Vanessa replied.  “Very well.  We can go for a small excursion. 
More of a stroll through Hyde Park, rather than a voyage to the continent.”

She couldn’t see his smile, but knew it was there.

“I would like to begin by doing this.”  He sat up, then
ripped down the blanket and the rope she’d secured to hold it up.  “I am quite
tempted to throw both of these into the fire, though I fear not having enough
funds to replace them.”  He tossed them onto the floor, instead.

He shifted so that the upper part of his body lay atop
hers.  She could feel his naked chest press against her as his lips claimed her
in a ravenous kiss.  Her breasts were pressed against him, separated from skin
on skin contact by only her thin shift.

Without conscious thought, her arms went around him,
stroking down the sleek muscles of his back to his bottom.  His rigid cock was
pressed into her thigh and she longed to place it where she needed it most. 
She was wet and aching and knew without a doubt this was a mistake, but
couldn’t bring herself to end it.  It had been so long since she’d felt the
weight of a man on top of her.  And that had been the wrong man.  Not that Lord
Arthur Kellington was the right one.  But she had an aching need for him at that
moment.  In that bed.

He kissed his way down her neck, to the breasts he’d felt
but not seen during their card game.  The light through the window was too dim
to see much, but he couldn’t take the chance of lighting a candle for fear
she’d change her mind.  His imagination would just have to fill in the details
until he had the opportunity to see her naked in the light.  And he would have
that opportunity.  He’d make certain of it.

He quickly untied her shift, then greedily suckled first one
breast then the other.  She tasted sweet, as he’d known she would.  As he
continued to lay claim to her breasts, he explored her body by touch.  Across
the flat plane of her stomach, out to the curve of her hips.  He visualized
what she looked like in breeches and his cock spasmed in response.  He moved
his hand further down to her sleek thigh.  The skin was like silk, the leg toned
from riding.  He inched his hand beneath her shift, up the soft skin of her
inner thighs.             

It was a journey he’d made many times with countless women. 
But no one had ever felt that good.  No skin had ever been that soft.  No
anticipation had ever made him that hard.

As he inched his hand up her thigh, expecting to be stopped
but praying he wouldn’t be, he became aware of just how much this experience meant
to him.  It was unsettling in its intensity, but he decided to file that away
for future consideration.  Right now, he had better things to contemplate.

He could feel the moist heat of her.  As his fingers brushed
her curls, he was scalded by her desire and knew he was just as hot.  She whimpered,
and it was everything he could do to not bury himself inside her.   But he
remembered his promise to her.  A stroll through Hyde Park.  Not a trip to the
continent.

He slowly inserted one finger into her sheath.  Then he almost
came by doing so.  She was hot, wet and incredibly tight.  If his instincts
were correct and she wasn’t a virgin, it had certainly been quite some time
since she’d had relations.  He moved a second finger into her and she moaned. 
She was holding his head to her breast, running her fingers through his hair in
a way that was driving him mad. 

He pulled his fingers out of her and she whimpered in
protest.

“Don’t worry, love.  I’ll take care of you yet,” he said as
he gave one last kiss to her beautiful breasts, then began moving his way down
her body, finding new places to worship as he went.  She writhed beneath him. 
He paused at her ankle to run his tongue lightly over her arch, then began
kissing his way back up her lovely long legs.  Arthur explored with lips,
tongue and hands.   He discovered the back of her knees was a ticklish spot, so
he gave an extra lick there when she wasn’t expecting it and was rewarded with
her bucking toward him.  Somehow he knew he’d pay for that.  And would enjoy
every minute of it.

From the tensing of her body, he could tell she was a bit
uncertain as he kissed his way up her inner thighs.  Right before he reached
his destination, she grabbed his shoulders.

“What are you doing?” she asked in a husky voice.

“Don’t worry love,” he said, as he placed another kiss on
her thigh.  “I remember my promise.  We won’t go too far tonight.”

“We’ve already gone well past the park, Arthur.  And just
what are you doing down…there?”

He smiled against her leg.  “Has no one ever done this to
you before?”

“Of course not!” she said.  “I’m not entirely sure to what
you’re referring, but no one has ever lodged himself where you are now.”

“Then I am quite honored to be your first lodger.  Lie back
and let me attend to this.  I promise to stop for the night in just a few
moments, but there is something I really must do first.”

He didn’t think she’d comply, but then she warily lay back
on the pillow.  The first swipe of his tongue against her curls had her sitting
bolt upright in bed again.

“Arthur!”

“Quiet love.  You wouldn’t want the neighbors to complain.”

“But you can’t…it’s not right…it’s…oh!”

Vanessa sank back to her pillow as she gave in to Arthur’s
sensual ministrations. Knowing he was between her legs and intent on bringing
her pleasure was heightening her arousal.  She felt herself losing control as
he licked the lips which lay before him.   As his tongue lapped the core of
her, she raised her hips to press against his mouth.  He grabbed her arse to
keep her there.  She was unable to do anything other than submit to the
incredible sensation he was lavishing upon her.  He was feasting on her. 
Allowing her to feel everything she’d kept suppressed for so long.  Then he
slid two fingers into her as he sucked her most sensitive part.

She exploded with passion, felt herself fracture into pieces. 
Her every muscle felt drained of life.  She lay there, savoring the lingering
sensations, but afraid of what she’d see when she looked at him again.  This
was too raw.  Much too real.  She felt his soft kiss on her thigh then was
vaguely aware of his moving up the bed.  She had no energy to protest as he lay
on his back and pulled her against him to pillow her head on his chest.  She
also had no desire to protest.  It was the most comfortable she’d been on their
entire journey.

“That was….that was…” she couldn’t find words to complete
the statement.

He stroked her hair, then kissed her temple.  “I will take
that as an enormous compliment, sweetheart.  But feel free to fill in the
sentence at some later point when your power of speech returns.”