She pulled back from him slightly, her eyes still closed, but her lips curved into a soft, knowing smile. “Say yes, Kingston,” she said quietly. She opened her eyes to meet his gaze. To show him the desire that flowed through her. “Say you will be with me.”
“I shouldn’t…” he admitted, his voice low. “We both know it, and yet I am considering it.” This time he closed his eyes and seemed to consider their situation. She prayed he gave in and made her his. “I don’t know what to do anymore. I am such a fool.”
His eyes fluttered open and this time she cupped his cheek. “If you’re a fool, then so am I,” she said softly. “I want to be with you, despite everything. Even if it’s complicated, even if it’s messy. Stop fighting this. Stop trying to be noble. I don’t need that from you.”
He stared at her for a long moment, the words hanging between them like a fragile thread. She had wanted him for so long. She was tired of fighting the feelings she had for him. She was tired of fighting everything. She prayed he was ready to give in as well. In that moment, all the years of regret, of heartache, and scandal—it all faded away. He pulled her closer to him, his hands trembling as they moved to her waist, pulling her into the warmth of his chest. “All right, darling. You don’t wish for me to be noble, then by all means let me show you my wicked side.”
She grinned. This was what she wanted. She slid her hand down his chest and met his gaze boldly. “Do your worst, Your Grace,” she dared him and then winked. “I am more than ready to have everything with you.”
He placed his fingers against his lips, silencing her. “No more talking,” he replied huskily, his voice filled with quiet determination. “I have much more important things in mind for that lovely mouth of yours. Starting with this.” He kissed her then, slow and deep, a kiss that spoke of everything that couldn’t be put into words. As they kissed, the world outside the lodge seemed to disappear, leaving only the two of them in that moment, bound together by something stronger than fear or doubt.
Jaclyn was thrilled. For tonight, she had him. And for one brief, fleeting moment, it was enough. They had not spoken of love or a future together. Those were problems for another day. She was much more interested in the present and what he made her feel. The emotions rolling through her and the desire that threaded her soul. This man—he could undo her with just a look. But his touch… His touch melted her and made her nothing but a mess of need.
Sixteen
Kingston lifted his head and stared down at Jaclyn. Her mouth was pleasantly swollen from his kiss, and it made him want to pull her closer. That kiss… Hell, any kiss he shared with her left him reeling from the need that filled him. Nothing like this had ever happened to him before. Just being near her undid him in ways he couldn’t fathom. She wanted him to love her… How could he deny her anything? The truth was he couldn’t and did not even want to. He would give her the world if she requested it of him.
The fire crackled in the hearth, casting long, flickering shadows across the stone walls of the hunting lodge. That glow only made her even more beautiful. Jaclyn was everything he knew he should avoid. She was daring, free-spirited, and unapologetically bold. Her beauty, her intoxicating presence—everything about her called to him in ways that both thrilled and terrified him. But it was more than just her allure; it was her insistence that he give in. She wasn’t asking for his heart, but for something far more primal, something that would bind them together in a way he had never allowed anyone.
“You don’t have to be afraid of me, Kingston,” she whispered, her voice a soft, teasing lilt that stroked his senses like velvet. “I want this. I want you. And I know you want me.” She had told him often enough and he should believe her. The words, simple and clear, hung in the air between them. He wanted to deny it, to walk away from the temptation that shimmered so enticingly in her eyes, but the truth was undeniable. Her proximity, the heat of her breath, the sweet promise in her voice—it was too much to ignore.
“I shouldn’t,” he muttered, his voice rough with restraint. “You deserve more than this, Jaclyn. I don’t know if...”
“Don’t pretend,” she said, leaning into him and wrapping her arms around his neck. “You don’t need to make me any promises. Just... give in.” Her lips were a breath away from his ear now, her warm breath sending shivers down his spine. “You want me as much as I want you. All I ask is that you let yourself feel it.”
Kingston’s breath caught in his throat. He was teetering on the edge, a moment away from surrendering to the temptation that had been building ever since their eyes had first met. She was right. His body betrayed him. He had wanted her from the start, had known from the first moment their paths had crossed that he would never be able to resist her.
But the knowledge of what he was about to do, the consequences of giving in, still lingered in the back of his mind. He had always maintained control—had always been the one who chose when and how he gave himself to someone. But with Jaclyn, that control seemed a distant memory. Her hands, warm and eager, traced the lines of his coat, and with each touch, the resolve that had held him firm for so long weakened.
“You’re right,” he finally whispered, his voice dark with desire. “I do want you. More than I should.” He was done fighting the pull between them. He did not know what would happen after this night, but he would have her. As to promises… Well, she might not require any, but he would make her some, nonetheless. Even if they were not spoken aloud.
A satisfied smile curled on Jaclyn’s lips, and in that moment, Kingston knew there was no turning back. She had him. He had always known, deep down, that he would fall for her, but now, the moment had arrived. Before he could stop himself, before he could think any further about the consequences, he leaned in, capturing her lips once more in a kiss that was as fierce as it was desperate. She responded with equal passion, her hands threading through his hair, pulling him closer, as if she, too, could not wait any longer.
As he slanted his lips over hers everything else ceased to exist. The past, the future, the world beyond these walls—all faded away until there was only the two of them, lost in the heat of the moment. But even as he pulled her closer, even as they gave in to the inevitable, a small part of him wondered if she would come to regret this interlude and prayed she wouldn’t.
He lifted her into his arms and carried her over to a nearby settee and set her down next to it, then turned her around to work on the buttons of her gown. Kingston leaned down and trailed kisses down her neck as he undid every single button. She sighed with each press of his lips against her soft skin. “You’re so lovely,” he told her. “So breathtakingly beautiful…”
“Kingston…” His name falling from her lips was a pleasure he hadn’t realized he desired. “Please…”
“Yes, love,” he said. “Yes.” He slid the last button free and then pushed her gown down until it pooled at her feet. She stood before him in nothing but her shift. It was nearly translucent in the firelight, and he could make out every single one of her lush curves. He slid his hand down her arm and then cupped her breast through the thin linen. A soft moan escaped her lips as he caressed her taut nipple. He needed to strip her completely bare and taste every inch of her skin. He slid her shift off and left her in nothing but her stockings. He skimmed her waist with his fingertips. “So lovely…”
“It’s hardly fair that you haven’t lost any of your clothing,” she told him a little breathlessly. “I want to see you too.”
“Soon, love,” he said. “Let me pleasure you first.” He lifted her and set her down on the settee. He caressed her stomach and then leaned down to brush a kiss over her belly. She gasped as he moved down and pressed his lips to her inner thigh. He brushed his fingers over her smooth skin and then trailed them down to the apex of her thighs. “I want to kiss you here,” he told her.
“I…” She swallowed hard. “I don’t know…”
“Please, love,” he said. “You wanted me to love you scandalously.” He tilted his lips upward into a wicked smile. “Let me show you how scandalous it can be.”
Slowly she nodded her head. “Yes,” she told him. “I want that.”
With her permission he spread her thighs and then started to trail kisses up her thighs until he reached her glistening sex. She was so wet for him, and he could not wait to sink into her completely. First, he would give her pleasure though. He slid his tongue over her sensitive flesh, and she gasped. Kingston sucked at that wet heat and kissed her until she began to writhe fretfully. “Kingston,” she begged. “I need…”
“Ssh, love,” he told her. “Just feel.” He slid one finger inside of her as he continued to press his mouth over that sensitive flesh. He curled his finger inside of her and stroked her as he licked and sucked. It did not take her long to climax. That was not enough for him though. He wanted to make her scream his name. So, he started all over until she was shaking with need.
This time, when she shattered, she did scream his name. He smiled and stood to gaze down at her. She was sated and flushed all over, and all she wore were those silk stockings. He didn’t know why but he found it erotic, and it only made him harder. He slid his shirt off and let it drop to the floor. He wanted to feel his flesh against hers as he took her. As he made her his in every way.
Jaclyn stared at him with a half-lidded gaze as he methodically removed his clothing. She nibbled on her bottom lip, and it made him groan. He wanted to kiss her again and he would soon. Once he had removed all of his clothes, he joined her on the settee again and did just that. He pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips to hers. He could not get enough of her, and he feared he never would.
