Page 60 of Loving an Earl
Lilly awoke tobirds chirping and the sound of rain. But there was another sound that puzzled her: snoring—deep rumbling snores. And then last night’s events assaulted her memory. She swung her legs off the bed, stood, and silently made her way to the chaise longue where Langford slept. Her heart stopped as she took him in. He was stretched out on his back, his legs dangling over the edge of the chaise longue, one hand behind his head and the other resting on his stomach. His features were soft, and he looked angelic and young. One lock of hair curled down the middle of his forehead and she wanted so badly to push it aside. Any excuse to touch him. She could pretend most days that her feelings for him were trivial, but the truth was that she was utterly and hopelessly in love with him.
“Do you always sneak up on your guests and watch them sleep?” He raised both his arms over his head and stretched, and she couldn’t take her eyes off his chest, his stomach, and the bulge in his breeches.
Embarrassed, she adverted her eyes. “Forgive me. I heard you snoring.”
He chuckled, “I have been accused of that from time to time.” She must have made a face because he quickly added, “From Blackstone and Caldwell as we sometimes share a cabin on one of our ships when we travel.”
“I see.” She had mistaken his meaning and felt contrite. “Did you sleep well?”
He sat up and patted the cushion next to him, clearly hoping she’d sit. She did, and the warmth from his body radiated into her side where they touched. “I didn’t think I would at all, and it took me a while to fall asleep, but yes, I slept well. Did you?”
“I’m shocked to say I fell asleep as soon as my head rested on my pillow. The events of the night with Redford must have taken a toll on my mind and body.” She turned her head and looked at him. “What will happen to him?”
He tilted his head and asked, “To Redford? He will be punished. What sort of punishment depends on the magistrate and what can be proven.”
She reached between them and gripped his hand. After last night, she felt much more comfortable touching him. “Thank you again for saving me.”
“I’ve been a fool.” He squeezed her hand gently. “I hope I have begun proving myself to you, shown you I’m not always an irrational, insensitive arse of a man. And I want you to know I would do anything for you. I’m going to tell you something and I hope you won’t be upset. The night I arrived at Langford Manor, I found a sealed letter on my pillow from Uncle Henry.”
Her eyes blinked in surprise.
“He asked me to look after you,” he continued. “And his greatest wish was for you to marry the second time for love.”
“Henry and I talked about it many times. I hadn’t realized all this time you knew about it.”
“I did, and I’m sorry I kept it from you. What I want you to understand is that, yes, I’m looking out for you as per Henry’s letter.” His hands cupped her face, his compassionate, warm brown eyes tinged with desire bore into the depths of her soul. “But my feelings for you have nothing to do with Henry and everything to do with how my heart aches for you. My hungry eyes seek you out whenever we are in the same room. My insides don’t relax until I know you are safe and well. My hands wish to touch your soft, silky skin at every opportunity, which in my opinion is never enough. Your full, luscious lips call to mine and drive me nearly insane with the need to taste them.” His lips brushed against hers, making her entire body quiver. “None of that has anything to do with an obligation to Henry and everything to do with you and me.”
Tears silently trailed down her cheeks and Edmund wiped them away. “I pray these are tears of joy?”
Words stuck in her throat, so she nodded her head.
“Thank Christ.” Their lips met, their tongues seeking each other’s essence. Nothing and no one would intrude on this moment. Without breaking the kiss, Edmund cradled her body to his, stood, and she found herself plopped down onto the chaise longue to the sound of his laughter. “I forgot about my leg. I’m sorry. I can’t carry you to the bed.”
Standing, Lilly giggled and wrapped an arm around his waist. “I’ll help you.” They made their way to the bed and Edmund sat down, Lilly hurried to the door and locked it. She knew it was early for Daisy, but she didn’t want to risk someone coming in.
What little clothing they wore was tossed to the floor, and Lilly got her first close-up look at his leg and the jagged scar adorning it. Where the stitches had been was raised and purple.
“This healed nicely,” she said as she ran a gentle fingertip down the scar.
“It did.” Edmund’s amber-flecked eyes were intense as one large hand roamed up and down her body, instantly distracting her from his leg. Every touch, every caress, tore moans from her lips, and her hips rose off the bed, hoping his hand would touch her where she craved it most. When his hand cupped her womanhood, her legs opened wider and she almost cried with relief. His fingers sought her entrance, sliding in and out. His eyes locked with hers, and as much as she wanted to look away, she couldn’t. As her body tumbled over that elusive precipice, with Edmund watching her, she’d never felt so vulnerable, cherished, or loved.
Before her body had time to recover, he rolled on top of her, placed his hard member at her entrance and slid all the way in with one slow thrust. He took her mouth in a punishing kiss. His tongue mimicked the actions below, and before Lilly could take her next breath, her body exploded once again. At the same time, Edmund arched his back, and his body tensed as his warm seed spilled inside her. They collapsed into each other’s arms. Lilly didn’t think she could move for at least an hour.
*
He’d had hisshare of women in his bed, but he’d never had a true emotional and physical connection to anyone until Lilly. He still couldn’t comprehend the volcanic eruption he’d experienced with her. It was so intense he’d thought he was going to lose consciousness for a moment there when he released his seed.
“Are you awake?”
“Hmm. Yes,” she answered with a sleepy voice, stirring his body again. What he had to say next would douse the flames quickly.
“Tell me about Henry and how your marriage came to be.”
It took a while for her to speak, and at first he thought she might be ignoring him. “I had just turned seventeen and Papa thought we would have time to secure a husband and future for me. But then we found out Papa was sick and had very little time left. Suddenly my future and securing a husband for me was upon us. Unbeknownst to me, he approached Henry and asked him to marry me. I was shocked when I found out and shocked that he agreed.”
She paused, her body shook. Edmund wrapped his arms tighter around her waist and kissed the back of her neck. “If this is too hard for you, you don’t have to tell me.”
“No, I’m all right. When Papa told me Henry had agreed to marry me, I was both relieved and frightened. I didn’t know what he would expect of me. Would he want heirs? I knew Henry was an honorable and good man, but what kind of husband would he be? We married within days with a special license; hours after Papa performed the ceremony, he died. The next day he was buried, and I found myself in a carriage with my new husband, crying over my papa’s death.”
