No, Margaret wouldn’t say anything. She wasn’t the sort to report Jenna’s actions to her brothers or the earl. She had never divulged their secrets before, though there had never been any of this magnitude. It wouldn’t prevent her from voicing her disapproval though. Well, Jenna could suffer through it. If all she had to worry about was a few stiff lectures and the disapproving glint in Margaret’s eyes, she could manage.
She mentally calculated the remaining time she had before her parents’ return. Less than two weeks. On one hand it seemed a lifetime, and yet it would never be enough now that she’d gotten a glimpse of life’s pleasures.
But she wouldn’t dwell on the end tonight. She would relish the time she had with Gray and not look beyond the present.
With a mischievous smile, she headed to her wardrobe to decide what to wear to her meeting with Gray. She had a wicked surprise in mind.
###
Gray sat in front of the fire ignoring the stifling heat of the room. Jenna’s jealousy had delighted him. Why, he wasn’t sure, but the possessive note in her voice had thrilled him to the core.
He didn’t owe her an explanation; after all, all she wanted was a brief liaison. But the idea of her believing the rumors bothered him immeasurably.
When had he started caring what thetonthought of him? And even worse, he was allowing an aristocrat’s daughter to rule his emotions.
But Jenna was special. Not at all like so many other women of society. A little naïve, yes, but fresh and unspoiled, and she set his pulse to racing like no other woman since...
No, he wouldn’t think of that now. It had been too long since he’d let a woman past the barriers of his soul. The last time had nearly killed him, and he wasn’t sure he was prepared to endure it again.
He got up from his seat and rang for Masterson. A few minutes later, the butler appeared in the doorway. “Masterson, have my trunk taken from the attic. The one I brought back from Egypt.”
“Very good, sir. Where shall I put it?”
“My bedchamber. Oh and Masterson.”
“Yes, sir?”
“Have someone go out to the garden and bring in a dozen each of red, pink and white roses.”
###
Jenna shrugged out of her cloak and handed it to Gray’s maid. Masterson appeared briefly to tell her that Mr. Douglas awaited her in the bedroom, but then disappeared from the foyer.
The bedroom? Somehow it held more promise than it did the first night she met him there. He’d said there would be no conversation tonight. The tingle of anticipation curled and spread rapidly through her limbs.
As she made her way up the stairs, her nipples strained against her dress and the unbearable twinge between her legs had her wanting to squeeze her knees together.
His bedroom door was open, and she stopped to peer in before entering. She gasped softly. The entire room was ablaze in soft candlelight. A trail of rose petals littered the floor from the doorway to the bed. And the bed. The bed was draped in the sheerest silk.
She walked in, following the path of rose petals. As she drew closer to the bed, her eyes were riveted to the sumptuous linens. From the top rails, silk poured to the floor. She put her hand out and parted the veil of silk. Rich, red satin covered the bed. Her fingers came out to touch it, luxuriating in the feel of the decadent material. Pink and white rose petals lay carelessly across the top of the satin, much like leaves drifting across the water.
“Do you like it?”
She whirled around and stopped dead when she saw Gray behind her, regarding her with penetrating eyes. He was bare-chested, adorned only in cream-colored breeches. His hair curled around his ears and neck, flipping out in an unruly fashion.
His muscled chest and shoulders she’d so admired earlier in the evening beckoned her touch, and she itched to satisfy the call.
His eyes devoured her, and already, she felt naked before him. Her gaze dropped to the bulge in his pants and smiled. Yes, she liked it.
“To what do you refer, sir?” she asked innocently.
He chuckled. “I am flattered, my lady.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but he closed the distance between them, laying a finger over her lips. “Shhhh. No words tonight. Let our bodies do the talking.” He lowered his head and claimed her lips hungrily.
His lips broke from hers and rained a trail of nips and kisses down the curve of her neck. She moaned and arched her neck to give him clearer access.
An impatient hand pushed down the sleeves of her dress, baring her shoulders. His mouth followed the downward path of her dress then he knelt before her.
