She’d winced at that point and decided she would wait until it was modernized before she did so. The daughter of such an esteemed duke would be expected to have a lovely home to showcase to her fellow wives.
Now all she had to do was wait for the replies to start coming in, the proof that the Black Widow was not the incomparable that she made herself appear. She almost smiled at the image of the collapse of the Lyon’s Den and all the lies that went along with it.
At least plotting her vengeance kept her mind from the alluring man who slept just down the hall from her.
She allowed herself a moment to fantasize about him taking her into his arms and kissing her until her senses were positively scrambled. She’d wondered if he was any good at the act, but something told her he hadn’t become a coldhearted scoundrel on nothing but his looks. Actions spoke much louder and they were screaming at her topay a visit to his chambers.
Tonight.
Now.
Catherine purposefully walked to the bed and got under the covers so that it might stop her from doing something foolish—like sleeping with her husband.
Squeezing her eyes shut, she told herself that nothing good could come of going to him when she was feeling this way. She could easily reveal too much of herself. Already, she had admitted the reason she’d been with David, to gain some sort of reaction from her parents.
It made her sound dreadfully desperate, a child so eager for any crumb of attention that she’d resorted to coming perilously close to ruining her reputation to gain that notice.
She wouldnotbecome the same way toward Lord Fontaine.
Thus, as much as her body might be on fire for him, she would not give in to those demands. Not yet. Not until she felt she had full control over her senses and a coupling between them would mean nothing more than mutual pleasure.
Keeping her eyes shut, Catherine willed sleep to claim her, but it was still a long time before she finally drifted into slumber.
Down the hall,Benjamin awoke with a start. He had found it difficult to sleep when his body was aching for his wife, but he had never been the type to force himself on any woman, even when he’d been the most deprived. He would not start now because he had too much respect for Catherine to act in such a despicable manner toward her. She would come to him in time. He just had to be patient and wait.
He strained his ears to listen, to find out the reason for his sudden disturbance. But the house seemed perfectly quiet and still.
Nevertheless, he got up and threw on his small clothes. He generally slept naked, but he didn’t want to traipse about the house in such a fashion and scare the servants should one of them be about.
He opened his door and inspected the darkness once his eyes had adjusted, but there was nothing unusual or out of the ordinary. With a slight frown, he started to head for the stairs, intent on checking downstairs, when he stopped abruptly.
He wasn’t sure if his ears had picked up on the sound correctly, but then he heard it again. This time, there was no denying it.
A moan.
Coming from Catherine’s room.
Immediately, concern coursed through him and he opened the door to let himself into her chamber. A slight shaft of moonlight illuminated the bed where she slept. But then, he couldn’t tell if she was asleep or not. Her neck was arched, as if in the throes of passion and her legs were moving restlessly beneath the coverlet. They had moved down low enough where the upper part of her nightdress was revealed, including the sight of those adoring breasts with their dusky, taut nipples.
He licked his lips, eager to suckle the rosy tips, but he didn’t want to act on the impulse if she were in the midst of a nightmare.
Her eyes abruptly opened and she gasped upon seeing him there. She sat up in alarm, her blue eyes full of shock. “My lord…”
“Benjamin,” he managed to croak.
The hall clock downstairs chimed the hour and suddenly, the spell was broken. He moved toward her at the same moment she whispered his name. It was all the invitation that he required to gather her into his embrace and cover her mouth with his.
She tasted sweet, like sunshine and oranges. He wanted to devour her.
Forcing himself to take things slowly, he gently moved his lips over hers until she was shivering in anticipation of his next move. He lifted his hand and toyed with the tip of her breast, kneading and molding the flesh to his palm. They fit perfectly.
His mouth slid down her neck to the curve of her neck, where he nibbled and sucked the tender skin. She trembled and he slowly moved one of his hands down between her thighs. His cock stirred restlessly, pulsing with need as he discovered her wet and ready for him. “God, Catherine. I want you. Please don’t turn me away.”
She shook her head, her eyes almost fevered in their intensity. “I want you too.”
Sweeter words had never been spoken and he rewarded her by slipping two fingers into her hot channel. She immediately gave a slight whimper and strained to be closer to him. When he moved, she matched his every mock thrust with a lurch of her hips.
It was too much for Benjamin to take.
