She wasn’t sure how it happened, but she ended up on the marquess’s lap. Their eyes met, the shock of the moment quickly giving way to a simmering desire they had both been denying for hours.
“I’m sorry, my lord,” she said, horrified, as she scrambled to get up.
Instead of letting go, his arms tightened around her, preventing her escape.
“Wait. Damn, this feels good.” His voice came out as a strangled growl.
“Oh...” She didn’t know what else to say while his unyielding body was under her, around her, surrounding her with his strength and warmth.
“I’ve been wanting to have you on my lap like this since the moment you barged into my house.”
The confession sounded gruff, torn from his mouth against his will.
She wriggled, trying to get comfortable, and he grunted as if in pain. His hands descended on her hips to immobilize her.
“Don’t. Move,” he hissed.
“I-I apologize. My weight is probably hurting you—”
Without a word, he pulled her closer, his lips crashing onto hers with ravening hunger. He didn’t ask permission; he didn’t cajole or seduce. He simply possessed, sure of his victory.
Thalia didn’t have time to think, as his kiss robbed her of her sanity. Her hands found their way to his broad shoulders, clutching the fabric of his shirt as if to anchor herself amid the storm created by their shared passion. The kiss was desperate and wild, a raw expression of the longing they had both kept at bay.
The world outside the train ceased to exist; there was only the heat of their bodies, the mingling of their breaths, and the undeniable pull between them. Liam’s kiss deepened, his tongue teasing her lips apart, exploring with a fervor that sent shivers down her spine.
Thalia melted against him, her own hunger matching his. Her fingers tangled in the long silvery locks of his hair, pulling him closer still. Even inexperienced as she was in the ways of passion, she understood the unspoken desires. The pull of a connection that defied reason and propriety.
As the train moved again, the spell broke, but only slightly. They pulled apart just enough to catch their breath, their foreheads resting against each other, hearts pounding in unison.The undeniable truth hung heavy between them: there was no going back from this moment, and neither of them wanted to.
CHAPTER 8
DAMN, THAT HAD BEENreckless. But when her sweet, plump bottom had landed on his lap, he had gotten instantly hard. He had been watching her all day. Fighting desire, suppressing his baser instincts. Imagining how it would feel to have her in his arms. And when it finally happened... It was even better than his imagination. It had felt so right. As if she filled a void he didn’t even know he had. Kissing her had not been a premeditated action, rather a necessity.
And now? Where did they go from here? He didn’t know. Couldn’t think with his cock still swollen and achy, pillowed by the mounds of her arse.
“Where are you sleeping tonight?” He heard the raspiness of his voice and cleared his throat. If only he could also clear his brain from the fog of desire.
“I’m not certain. I was planning to proceed to Elvington by coach tonight. And then, after I talked to my sister, find accommodations at the local inn—”
“Do you even know if there’s an inn in Elvington?”
“All towns have an inn.”
“What if they are full?”
She rolled her eyes. “That’s being a bit pessimistic, don’t you think?”
“And you are being reckless by pressing on to an unknown town, at night, without even having secured a place to stay.”
She humphed, standing up from his lap before he could stop her. He almost wished for another sudden stop that wouldtumble her onto his lap again, but the train was entering the station now, going so slowly that even when it halted, it was unlikely it would make her lose her balance. She faced him with her hands on her waist.
“And what are your plans?”
“Stay in York tonight, then continue on to Elvington first thing tomorrow.”
“But tomorrow it might already be too late! They could have married by then.”
“If they wanted to marry today, they would have done it as soon as they got to Elvington, and there’s naught to gain by rushing there.”
