His focus dropped to her mouth. “I never did get the kiss you owed me.”
“That’s not a good idea. Your wound—”
“I’m fine.” He took the rag from her grasp and wound her arms around his neck. “Kiss me, Constance.”
The sound of her name on his lips was so dark and wonderful and seductive that she nearly gave in to the taunting request. However, she dug down deep and found her will. She removed her arms and stepped a considerable distance away. “Perhaps it would be best if you left and saw after your own injuries.”
“But what if I want you to take care of me?”
She walked away from him, saying over her shoulder. “I must decline.” She stood in front of the window on the other side of the room, both to put as much distance between them as possible, but also to keep watch of him in the reflection.
After a moment’s hesitation, he tucked himself away and buttoned up his trousers. “Someday, you will ask for that kiss, but for now, I’ll take my leave of you.”
Ignoring the rag she’d offered, he walked out of her room and softly shut the door behind him.
It wasn’t until he was gone that Constance’s legs began to give way. She stumbled to the bed where she collapsed onto the soft mattress. She thought she did good in acting as though she was unaffected, when her body had flamed anew. She wanted to chase him down the hall and beg him to take her, against the wall if there was nowhere else. Madame Corressa urged her to do just that, but again, she ignored that voice inside of her head.
Instead, she stood up long enough to turn down the covers, and while it wouldn’t be nearly as wonderful as the touch of Devin’s hand, she brought herself to completion a second time that night, imagining herself with him the entire time.
Chapter 9
Devin returned to his room in a sour mood. He removed his trousers and took himself in hand almost roughly, as if by doing so, it would remove the wondrous interlude with Constance. When he found his release, it was her mouth he felt on his cock, the tips of her breasts he saw stuck out in hard points as she’d soaked his fingers with her desire.
When it was over, he sat heavily on the bed and winced when his wound pulled uncomfortably in his side. With a curse, he got up and changed the dressing. While the injury still looked red and angry, jagged flesh around the area where it had been sewn together, at least it was free of infection. But then, he wondered if it wouldn’t be better if he was unconscious again, as while he was awake and aware of his surroundings, all he could think of was the woman who laid that glorious head down a few doors away.
Once his bandage had been changed and he’d gotten in bed, he threw one arm over his head and crooked one leg out of the sheets as he stared at the ceiling. With two orgasms, he thought his cock would be satisfied enough to allow him to rest, but it was his mind that refused to abate.
He wondered if Constance might take his suggestion for a metamorphosis ball seriously. It would give him the perfect excuse to spirit her away to some secret room where he could remove her trousers and pleasure her with his mouth.
He nearly groaned aloud at the vision, because tonight she’d almost brought him to his knees with her beauty. But while Constance was an angel to look at on the outside, it was her inner goddess that shined through the brightest. For some reason, she was holding herself back from the joy they could find together, as if she had some sort of penance that she had to atone for.
What she didn’t know, is that it couldn’t be further from the truth. She had saved him from a dark death, had chased the grim reaper away with her determination and kindness to a stranger, while he had done nothing but cause her to be wary of his intentions. He understood she was still hesitant to trust in him when it was obvious that she didn’t fully trust any man.
His brows drew together, because if he knew who it was that had hurt her, he might be inclined to pay the scoundrel a call. He sighed heavily. Unfortunately, such actions would only prove that he was a ne’er-do-well that hadn’t changed. And he had. He had made that choice when he’d been freed from that terrible island and made the vow when he’d spied a delicate female take charge as if she’d been born into the role of a gentleman.
Constance was a woman like no other of his acquaintance and he would be a fool to push her too far too quickly and lose her entirely. Luke might think that a lady of her ilk could never truly engage in the attentions of a man like him, but Devin intended to prove him wrong, as well as convince her otherwise.
If life had taught him nothing else, he’d learned patience. When days had been as bleak as he’d ever known them to be and he’d looked at the stars and prayed for the peace of death, waking in the morning to be disappointed when it hadn’t come, he realized now that it was because he had been spared for a higher purpose. All of his past transgressions had led to this one woman and he wasn’t about to squander this chance at happiness when he had endured so much pain to get here.
He closed his eyes with that single thought and found the blessed relief of sleep.
Constance found that she had trouble meeting Luke’s eyes across the breakfast table the next morning. It was absurd. Even if she had chosen to embark on a torrid affair with Devin, it wasn’t as though she was a child, nor was it anyone else’s business but their own.
However, perhaps the reason she couldn’t seem to look at him directly was because of the smirk that seemed to be permanently curved upon his lips. Unable to take any more of it, and with the absence of Devin, she set down her teacup a bit too hard. While it didn’t break, it did make a decidedly loud clatter in the otherwise, silent room. “Is there something on your mind, Mr. House?”
He casually leaned back in his chair. “Why would ye think tha’?” The smirk remained.
She glared at him. “Because of the way you’re smiling this morning. Has something amusing taken place that I’m unaware?”
He shrugged. “I couldn’t rightly say.” When Constance was sure her teeth couldn’t be more on edge, he rubbed his chin and added, “I guess it could be tha’ I might ’ave gotten up last night t’ check o’ Devin an’ ’eard ’im in yer room.”
“Yes, well.” She sat up straighter and said primly, “He was assisting me with my corset. There was a knot that I couldn’t get loose.”
“Is tha’ what it was?” The smug expression turned into a full-blown grin.
She frowned. “It’s certainly not what you think.”
He held up his hands. “There’s no need t’ get so defensive. I didn’t say a word.”
