“Inside.”
“Yes.”
“But you don’t trust me with your safety?” Jasper felt her stiffen. “Next time I tell you to stay put, what are you going to do?” He kept his voice low, coaxing almost.
This wasn’t fair. But somewhere between here and Hanover Square, she’d come to be his responsibility. And God help him, he cared what happened to her!
“What does one have to do with the other?” She barely got the question out, and her eyes fluttered open. Jasper watched as she battled with herself. She wanted to argue, but she also wanted… more.
“Everything.” He curled one finger and thrust deeper with the other. “I’m not like your father or either of those idiots you nearly married. I’m not like any man you’ve ever known. If that was the case, you wouldn’t allow this.” He stroked her inner flesh.
“No.” Her agreement was little more than a whisper.
“Or this.” He rubbed her with his palm.
Jasper’s cock twitched, but it wasn’t the time.
“Tell me to stop, and I will,” he growled. “But if I tell you to stay put, I damn well expect you to be there when I return.”
His motions had been slow before, but as he spoke, his pace increased. She threw her head back, all her tension centered in her core, and pushed her hips up, grinding against his hand.
“Do you understand?” he asked, masking his own desire. He’d have her someday, not now. Not until this was settled once and for all.
“Yes!” she cried out.
“What’s that?” He kept working his hand even as an almost violent shudder ran through her.
“Yes!” Her muscles contracted and she cried out, shuddering through wave upon wave of her completion.
Jasper exhaled. She’d scared him. He needed to know she wouldn’t do that again. But that was no longer his greatest concern.
Her breaths turned even, and Jasper removed his hand, smoothing the skirt of her pelisse back over her legs.
He’d shocked her, but to be honest, he’d also shocked himself. Because the feelings this woman brought out in him revealed something he’d not expected. They were damn near terrifying.
“Nia?”
“Yes?”
But he wasn’t sure what he’d meant to say, and just then, the coach turned and an inn came into view.
He shifted and forced her to sit up. “We’ve arrived. It won’t be dry, but you’d best put this back on.”
And still struck by the chaos of his thoughts, he tossed her the dress he’d unfastened earlier, and hastily fumbled with his shirt and boots.
Nia unfolded her napkin and carefully placed it on her lap. Jasper had not only arranged for her to have a lovely chamber in the inn they’d stopped at, but for a private dining room for the two of them.
It was an unnecessary luxury, but in being honest with herself, Nia appreciated it. The setting, the excellent food, all of it returned her to an odd sense of normalcy. She had bathed, tied her hair into a proper chignon, and was wearing the second of the two gowns Jasper had provided for her the day before—a lavender cotton day dress with delicate vines embroidered around the hem.
Candles burned in the center of the table, but also in sconces placed around the room. This was one of the finer inns along the way, and Nia recognized the quality of the dishes and that the tablecloth was a pristine white.
But for the man seated across from her, she would have almost felt like her usual self. Jasper had changed into different clothing as well, and she marveled that he was equally handsome in fashionable finery as he was in nothing but a muddied pair of breeches.
Or less…
She didn’t stare at him long, however, because she felt as though he’d become a part of her. His presence filled the room, wrapping around her, mingling with her soul.
It, along with that which had occurred in the carriage earlier, was overwhelming.
