And it wasn’t very pretty.
“Feeling better?”
Fleur spun at the sound of the soft, masculine voice. When she saw Drake she wanted to rush into his arms, but they didn’t have that sort of understanding. Emotions could not get involved. It would make things entirely too complicated and make a ruin of her heart until it was no longer recognizable—until it resembled his.
“I appreciate the chance to experience the magic of Vauxhall, but I would like to retire now, if you don’t mind.”
He stepped closer to her. “I know you want nothing more than to run and hide, to recover your defeat in private, but that isn’t what you need.”
“How do you know what I need?” she countered.
He held out his hand. “Come with me.”
With an unsteady extension, Fleur gave him her palm.
His grasp was sure and steady, warm, as he led her toward the Dark Walks that branched away from the majority of the assembled. There were lanterns flickering among the paths, but cast very little light. The sliver of moon overhead offered slightly more in a cloudless sky, twinkling with brilliant stars.
It would have been a perfectly romantic night, except that her chest was aching with grief.
Through several twists and turns, Drake led her through the labyrinth, until he finally stopped near the water’s edge. There, bobbing all alone, was a dinghy with two oars on the sand—just large enough for two.
“It would be a shame to miss the fireworks display. I thought you deserved a front row seat for your first viewing. It is best from the water.”
Fleur’s chest tightened, but this time, it was for a different reason. She reached out and threaded her hand through his. It was probably more intimate than sharing his bed. That was just a sexual act, but this showed how much she appreciated his thoughtfulness. “Thank you.”
He clenched his jaw as if he was uncomfortable with the praise and assisted her into the small boat. Once he’d shoved the hull into the river, he climbed in opposite her and took up the wooden paddles. She was impressed by the strength in his torso as he easily sailed them through the smooth water. It was a still night with light wind, so when he finally paused a short distance from a few other boats floating nearby, they bobbed gently on the lapping waves.
After a time, the easy sway of the boat lulled her into a sense of security. Out here, so far removed from the shore and the troubles that had dogged her heels there suddenly seemed very far away.
“How long do we have to wait for them to begin?” she asked. The purple hue of dusk had long given way to the darkness. There were a few candles flickering from some of the other boats, but their dinghy remained mysterious and subdued.
“They should be starting anytime.” Allowing the oars to drift, he held out a hand to her. “Would you care to lean against me? It might be more comfortable.”
Fleur decided she would like that very much. Carefully moving so that she didn’t tip the boat, she relaxed against his strong warm chest, her head lying in the crook of his shoulder. It quickly swept away all of her earlier cares.
“You looked enchanting this evening.” His breath teased the fine hairs near her temple and sent shivers down her spine and gooseflesh along her arms.
Suddenly, she didn’t care about anything but being with Drake.
As if reading her thoughts, his right hand slipped beneath her bodice to cup her naked breast. She gasped as he toyed with her taut nipple, rolling it between his fingers and palming her flesh until her core was pulsing.
At the same time, the first sparks erupted overhead. She gasped again and the pressure increased. She bit her lip and arched into his touch.
“You’re so responsive,” he growled deeply. “You drive me mad with desire for you.”
Fleur could say the same, but the combination of the light flashes overhead and the passion flowing through her body, she was quite at a loss for words.
“Bend your legs and spread them for me. I want to feel you come.”
Obediently, she did as he asked, eager for his ministrations. Now she understood why they had remained further away from the rest of the spectators. She wondered if he’d also planned this seduction all along.
The moment he inserted a finger into her wet passage, Fleur’s eyes rolled back in her head. She could still hear the loud booms and the applause in the distance, but all of her senses were focused on Drake and the pleasure he was causing with her.
She clutched at his arms and moaned lightly.
“That’s it. Give yourself to me.”
Fleur could tell she was close to her peak. And as the display turned fervent overhead, the sensations inside of her exploded when he flicked his finger along her sensitive bud.
