“Your wager is one-sided,” she said. “What do I get if I win?”
He smirked, relief flooding through him. “Why would you want to win and deny yourself the pleasure I can give you?”
She laughed. “How are all men so confident?”
By way of reply, he held out a hand. The offer had been made, and now she would accept. But silence stretched to what felt like an eternity, and he could see the war she now waged within herself. She wanted to accept his wager, but uncertainty had her hesitating.
“Pleasure, Lucy. But just for you.”
Her mouth formed a small o of surprise. “What? How is that…?” She shook her head. “Never mind—it’s clear I have much to learn.”
To his relief, she placed her hand in his.
“We shall start with kisses.”
She tilted her head to one side as though giving his words grave consideration. “I suppose I can suffer through that.”
Her smile was teasing as she came into his arms and lifted her face to him, and triumph surged within him. The widowed Baroness Mansfield didn’t know it yet, but she would soon be his.
He wanted to start with slow, teasing kisses as he’d done before, but Lucy was having none of that. She took the lead, and he was happy to allow it since it meant she would take what she wanted from him.
The soft mewl of pleasure she made as their tongues warred within his mouth had his already painful erection hardening further.
She gripped the back of his head, her fingers curling against his scalp and holding him in place. When she pressed herself more firmly against him, he groaned. Slowly, he traced a path of kisses along her jaw until he finally reached the small shell of her ear.
“May I touch you, Lucy?”
She shivered as he nuzzled the soft skin where her jaw ended. “You’re touching me now.”
He was indeed, but it wasn’t nearly enough. He needed more, especially if he was going to give her the release he’d promised.
Taking her words as assent, he lowered one of his hands to cup her backside and pressed her more firmly into his erection. It took an extraordinary amount of willpower not to rock into her softness, but he’d promised her this was going to be about her. If he started rutting against her now, he risked scaring her away.
Her breath hitched but she didn’t protest, and so he cupped a breast with his other hand.
She stiffened immediately, so he kept his touch light.
“I’m afraid,” she said.
He wanted to curse but instead lifted his head to meet her gaze. “The moment you ask me to stop, I will.”
She stared at him intently, as though trying to decide if she believed him.
“Do you trust me?” That was the crux of the matter after all. If she didn’t trust him, if she couldn’t relax with him, he wouldn’t force the matter. He’d just have to take more time to coax her.
“I probably shouldn’t, but… I do.”
He closed his eyes briefly, relief sweeping through him. He couldn’t deny that he was awed by her bravery. She clearly thought she was being a fool, but he vowed to prove himself worthy of her trust.
“I need to touch you to bring you pleasure. Intimately. Do you wish me to continue?”
She pressed her face into his shoulder, and he waited. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, she nodded. “Yes.” Her voice was muffled against the fabric of his tailcoat.
Breathing out a sigh of relief, he stroked the breast he still held, his thumb lightly brushing against the underside. He half expected her to stiffen against him again, but instead, she let out a soft sigh and pressed her mouth against his jaw above the edge of his cravat.
Desire rocked through him when her tongue darted out to sweep against the skin there. By way of reply, he brushed his thumb against her nipple, circling it with the lightest of touches.
Her breath hitched, and that was all the encouragement he needed to continue.
