Constance blinked. “What does that have to do with my attire?”
He shrugged. “Merely that, if you chose to do so, you could enjoy the same sort of freedom by convincing your benefactor, Lady Blessington, to host such an event, so that you can eschew such torture devices for at least one evening.”
She couldn’t help but laugh, the idea was so absurd. “You seem to forget two, very important keys to your suggestion. First of all, Catherine the Great lived more than fifty years ago and second, England society is hardly comparable to that of Russia. I can’t imagine such a ball would draw much interest, let alone approval.”
His lips twitched, and although he didn’t move from his position by the door, she was affected just as much as if he’d reached out and brushed his hand along her cheek. “I bet if you suggest it, your count would be rather impressed.” His eyes darkened. “And wouldn’t it be a thrill to be able to slide your hand up my skirts?”
Constance hadn’t blushed in as long as she could remember, but she could feel her face flaming now. “What gives you the impression that I would even consider that?”
“Because you want to have all the power and I’m the man willing to give it to you.”
She swallowed heavily, although she tried to keep her tone light. “And you would dare to don a powdered wig and a corset just for me?”
“If I thought it would gain that kiss from you, then yes, I most certainly would.”
Devin knew he was playing with fire, threatening to push Constance too far and eventually away from him, but he loved it when her green eyes shone with that inner passion. He yearned to explore it, because something told him that while she might have had her share of lovers in the past, she had never truly reached the full pinnacle of pleasure.
And honestly, the idea of their roles being reversed, where he pretended to be the coquette while she took control, was nothing short of intriguing.
“You’re mad.”
“For you,” he added. His gaze swept her form again, pleased when her face flooded with color once again. Damn, but she was beautiful.
The moment she’d answered the door, his cock had responded instantly to her charm. With those strawberry-blond locks reaching her lower back and curling enticingly near her buttocks, he had imagined that hair covering him in all its glory as he thrust wildly inside of her until they were both completely sated.
“Don’t be nonsensical,” she scolded, but he didn’t hear much conviction in her tone. She turned her back on him and moved her hair out of the way. “Fine,” she added stiffly. “If you insist on staying until you’ve acted as my ladies’ maid, then be my guest. I would be more comfortable with it removed.”
Devin moved toward her, until the scent of her skin began to tantalize his nostrils. He smiled when a light wave of lilac wafted to his brain. It was as if the sweet flower clung to her.
“You’ll need to remove your robe.”
“Oh. Yes.”
He watched as her hands shook slightly as she removed the item from her shoulders and tossed it aside. He hoped that it wasn’t because she was afraid of him. If that were the case, he couldn’t abide it. But if it were due to something else…
He resisted the urge to bury his nose against her neck and run his fingers along her bare arms, memorizing every inch of her with his hands, until she was permanently imprinted on his brain. He barely refrained from doing so and concentrated on working to free the knot in her corset ties.
As the seconds ticked past and he struggled with the laces, he could hear her breathing start to turn more shallow than before. The idea that she was as affected by him as much as he was by her was tempting his resolve. It would be so easy to turn her around in his arms and hold her against his chest—heartbeat to heartbeat.
“Are you nearly finished?” she asked in a decidedly ragged voice.
“Almost,” Devin returned just as rough.
When the last knot had been freed and the laces were loose enough so she could easily remove the garment, he found that he was reluctant to go. Instead, he dared to reach out a finger and lightly run it along the nape of her neck.
She jerked. “What are you doing?”
“Relax,” he murmured, as he dared to take the same finger and run it up the graceful column of her neck, and then adding the rest of his fingers, he gently trailed them along the side of her jaw. Her breathing hitched and a gasp escaped her and he knew then that she wasn’t wanting him to hurry because she couldn’t stand his touch, but because she wanted it.
His cock pulsed with that knowledge and it caused him to grow bolder. With the back of his knuckles trailing down the side of her neck, he then made a path along her exposed collarbone and down the side of her arm, just barely brushing the side of her breast.
She moaned, and her body became lax as she leaned more heavily on him, the corset completely forgotten. He wound his arm around her midsection and brought her backward until she was flush against his front. Without a single word between them, he used his other hand to trail down the other side of her body until it reached the top of her thigh. There he paused, in an unspoken request. In return, her legs moved restlessly, so he took that as a sign to continue.
He slowly took the cotton material of her chemise and lifted it up until the center of her femininity was revealed. The sight of those red-gold curls at the apex nearly sent him to his knees. It was either touch her or expire right then.
He held her close as he watched his fingers creep steadily closer until his index finger swiped up the center of her crease. His cock was hard as granite when he found she was hot and wet, more than eager for his attentions. If that wasn’t proof enough, she inhaled sharply and thrust her hips, trying to get closer to him.
He rewarded her by finding the bud within her folds and pressing his finger against it. Her legs trembled as he began a swift rhythm, but when she neared her peak, he would pause. Over and over again he teased and tormented her until she uttered a single word, “Devin.”
