“Lucien, someone will realize what we’re doing,” she protested, her voice and her breathing unsteady.
He grinned, the heat and lust in his eyes making her glad she was sitting down. “Then we’ll have to make it quick,” he said in his low drawl.
“But—Oh, my,” she breathed, as his hands slipped up her ankles, knees, and then past her thighs, lifting her gown with them. “All right, but hurry.”
Lucien chuckled. “As you wish.”
Swiftly he freed himself, shoving his breeches down to his thighs, and pulled her closer to kiss her again. At the same time he entered her. Alexandra threw her arms around his shoulders for balance, reveling in the feel of him moving deep inside her. She was still a bit sore, but nothing remained of the initial sharp pain of last night. She smiled at him.
“You like this, don’t you?” he asked huskily, watching her face with his usual intensity.
“Yes,” she panted. “I hadn’t…realized we could…be together this way. Upright, I mean.”
“Your second lesson,” he returned. “With several more to follow.”
“More?” she asked, and then could do nothing but throw her head back and gasp as she tightened and then exploded inside.
Lucien clutched her to him and groaned from deep inside his chest. “Definitely more.”
Lucien paused outside the open drawing room door. Inside Rose banged happily away on his antique pianoforte. The instrument would never recover, but at least his cousin wasn’t weeping over something or other. In fact, he hadn’t heard a sniffle in three days, since he’d given in about the party. The concession had been a fair trade for the relative quiet. With a half smile at his own pun, Lucien started downstairs for his office.
“Lex, who do you think will offer for me first?”
Lucien paused, straining to make out the conversation over the mangled Beethoven.
“Who do you hope offers for you?”
Alexandra had managed to keep away from him for three days, or at least to have a chaperone present. While her success solidified her position as the most skilled etiquette governess of all time, it had become damned frustrating. He knew she wanted him again; he could see it in her eyes. And he certainly enjoyed giving her lessons.
“Oh, I don’t know. Lord Belton is very nice, but I don’t think Mama’s set on him.”
“Rose, I know you have an obligation to your family, but don’t you think your own choice is at least as important as your mother’s?”
The music stopped, and Lucien leaned against the near wall. He had the distinct feeling that this was a conversation he didn’t want to miss.
“I think Mama’s too busy complaining about cousin Lucien even to notice if I’ve made a choice.”
“Still, at least you’ve noticed someone in all of this London chaos. And Lord Beltonisnice. That is an important first point. You wouldn’t want to marry anyone who was mean.”
Lucien frowned. It was damned insulting that a woman of Alexandra’s intelligence and learning had to resort to using words of no more than two syllables to make a point. Aside from that, he had more than a suspicion that he qualified as one of the “mean” gentlemen she was discussing.
“Cousin Lucien’s been nicer, the past few days,” Rose said thoughtfully. “Mama’s even remarked on it.”
Lucien silently applauded her surprising insight. Perhaps his cousin wasn’t quite as empty-headed as he’d thought.
“Yes, he has been. Has he mentioned whether Lord Belton has rescheduled your picnic?”
Damn. He’d forgotten about it completely. Desperate as he was to be rid of Rose and Fiona, though, as long as they were at Balfour House, Alexandra would remain there, as well. That fact had occupied him for the past three days, and had seriously lessened his appreciation for irony.
“Ah, Lucien, there you are. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
Aunt Fiona reached the top of the stairs behind him, and he cursed his inattention. “I was inspecting the ballroom,” he improvised.
“Good. I’m glad you’re taking such an interest in Rose’s party.”
“Yes, well—”
“But I fear your staff doesn’t share your enthusiasm. Wimbole has just informed me that he will not send anyone to a printer’s shop for invitation samples, whether the festivities are only a week away or not.”
