Page 30 of Loving an Earl
“But, my lord . . .”
“Could you at least tell her I’m here and let her decide if she wishes to see me?”
Several minutes later, he came back with a disapproving look. “Lady Langford will see you in her rooms. Come this way.”
Edmund followed the protective butler up two flights of stairs and down the hall to a door on the right. “You may go in. She is expecting you.”
In truth, she should not be admitting him at all. It was well beyond inappropriate.
Entering the door and closing it shut behind him, he squinted in the dimly lit room until his eyes fell upon her sitting on a chaise longue wearing her night clothes. His feet ate up the distance until he stood in front of her. The picture she presented had his insides jumbled up with desire. “I’m sorry to disturb you so late in the evening.”
“This could not wait until tomorrow?” she said with surprising clarity. Perhaps she’d been having trouble sleeping and hadn’t gone to bed yet.
“No. It could not wait. I’ve been an arse. You have every right to hate me, and I don’t blame you.” Dropping on the chaise longue beside her, he wondered how to articulate the jumbled-up mess inside his head. Instead, he turned and gazed into her green eyes and time suspended. Her eyes dipped to his lips, then back to his eyes. She took her bottom lip between her teeth. His body tensed with desire.
He jumped back up and paced the room. “I came to apologize for my treatment of you since the moment we met.” His fingers combed through his dark hair. “From the second I saw you, I felt something inside me shift, something I didn’t understand, and I took my anger and frustrations out on you. And to be honest—and I’m embarrassed to admit this—I was jealous of Uncle Henry.”
“Jealous?” She hugged herself. “How could you be jealous of a dead man?”
“Easy. He had you.”
“But how could you have felt all that? We had just met.”
“I can’t explain it.” He stopped pacing and looked at her, instantly wishing he hadn’t. Her cheeks were flushed, her light hair loose and falling in waves across her shoulders. The white nightgown made her look young and innocent, and his heart accelerated. “Anyway, I’m sorry I barged in so late. I had no idea of the time. Forgive me.”
She stood and went to him. “Edmund, you’re acting so strangely and you seem flushed. Are you feeling unwell?” she asked, her eyes studying him.
“I’m fine.” His eyes dropped to her lips. “Except that I want to kiss you. So very much.” He breathed in slowly as he cupped her cheeks with his large hands. “May I?”
She smiled nervously. “You’ve never asked before.”
He smiled back. “That was the arrogant me, thinking only of what I wanted without regard for the consequences of my actions.” He pressed his lips to hers briefly. “Tonight, I wantyouto wantmeto kissyou.”
“Kiss me, please.”
*
Edmund wrapped hisarms around her back, holding her close, kissed her again and then deepened the kiss. She opened her mouth on a moan and his tongue slipped inside to tangle with hers. The kiss intensified, and her body hummed with what she believed was desire. When she could no longer breathe, and every nerve in her body was overwhelmed, she broke the kiss and nestled her head against his neck.
His hands caressed her back. They stood that way for several minutes before Edmund stepped back holding both her hands in his.
“I should go.” He dipped his head and kissed her cheek. “Good night.”
She grabbed his hand. “Stay.”
The next thing she knew she was swept up into his arms and gently placed on the bed. She moved the covers aside and sat against the pillows, waiting for Edmund, who stood watching her intently. “Is this what you want?”
She felt uneasy for just a moment, wondering if he would be able to tell she’d never lain with a man before. But she pushed her doubts aside and whispered, “Yes.” She was feeling reckless and in need of a loving touch. Even if it was just this once, she wanted that loving touch to be from him.
He sat on the edge of her bed and removed his boots, then stood again and removed his coat and waistcoat. He locked his passionate eyes with hers as he untied his cravat, pulled his shirt over his head, and removed his breeches. Naked and unabashed, he stood, letting her take him in. She trembled with excitement and trepidation. His manhood jutted out, engorged and large. She swallowed down her nerves. Since he was naked, she inhaled and removed her night rail, then sat back against the pillows again and closed her eyes up tight.
The bed dipped and she knew he’d joined her. Still, she didn’t open her eyes. She was afraid and nervous and shy and embarrassed. No man had ever seen her body unclothed.
His fingers skimmed down her cheek and her body tingled. “Open your eyes. You don’t have to hide from me.” His voice was deep and vibrating. Relaxing her facial features, she fluttered her eyes open to find his face close to hers and unease in his eyes. “Do not be nervous.”
She shook her head. “I’m not.”
One dark brow rose. “I don’t believe you.” Then he wrapped his hands around her by the waist and pulled her down so she lay flat and he came down on top of her and claimed her lips. She forgot why she was nervous as he devoured her mouth with his tongue. Breaking the kiss, he placed barely there kisses down her neck, causing her to break out in gooseflesh. His lips continued down to her breasts, and she arched her back and gasped as he sucked her nipple into his mouth, causing pleasure to throb between her thighs. Every time he sucked, she felt a pulse of pleasure down there.
