Cass let out her breath and nodded.
“Pengree, however, is a different story,” Julian said. “He may well tell all the rest of the servants and then you’ll be well and truly compromised. In fact, I’m counting upon it.”
“No!” She stopped again, slapping at his sleeve.
He laughed and pulled her into his arms. “I’m only joking.”
“Do you think my parents will come after me?” Cass breathed against his chest. “Father may call you out, you know?”
“Not if they have a brain in their heads. If they’re wise they will be planning our wedding right now.”
Cass shuddered. “The look on Mother’s face. She was so angry. She’s never going to forgive me.” She paused. “But you know what? I don’t care. I truly don’t. For the first time in my life, I’m doing what I want to do, not what Mother wants me to do. I finally feel… free.” She pulled herself out of his arms and twirled around in the foyer.
“I know the feeling entirely,” Julian answered. “Believe me.”
Julian glanced around. He’d dismissed Pengree before he left for the Monroes’ house and for the moment, at least, the butler was not present. There were no housemaids or footmen around, either. Perfect.
“Come with me,” he said, motioning toward the stairs.
Cass returned his wicked smile. They sneaked up the staircase and Julian led her to one of the bedchamber doors in the middle of the hall. “This is the room where I’m staying,” he said.
Cass nodded and gulped. Now that they were getting close to actually doing this, she had reservations. Not about the act itself, never that. But what if she weren’t skilled enough, weren’t good enough, didn’t please him?
Julian grasped the handle to the door and pushed it open. The large room was decorated in dark blues and golds. A huge bed dominated the center of the room. A fireplace sat at a right angle to the bed and two large leather chairs and a small table sat in front of it. Some paintings, candlesticks, and other odds and ends finished the room. Overall it was done with quite simple and refined skill. “Daphne’s doing,” he explained. “And Mother’s.”
“They have quite good taste, indeed.” She strode around and touched a silver candlestick, a book lying on the table, a figurine of a lone rider on a horse.
“Forgive me, but I don’t want to talk about the décor.” He moved toward her and pulled her into his arms for his kiss.
Cass shivered.
Julian rubbed her shoulders and looked into her eyes. “Are you all right?”
“I think so. I will be. I’m just… Oh, Julian… I’m frightened.”
He wrapped his arms around her. “Don’t be, Cassie. Any time you want to stop, just say the word. I promise, we’ll go slowly.”
He took her hand and led her over to the curtains. He drew them and the room was plunged mostly into darkness. Next, he led her to the bed and left her standing beside it while he went over to the mantelpiece and lit two candles there. The room blossomed into a warm glow.
He walked slowly back over to her and pulled her onto the bed with him. Cass kicked off her slippers. He shucked his boots. “I’ll go first,” he said with a sensual smile just before he began untying his cravat.
“No. Let me.” Cass smiled to herself. Where had that come from?Be bold, indeed.
He gave her a sensual smile, and she pushed herself up to her knees and turned to face him. Her hands went to the white fabric coiled around his throat and she slowly pulled the knot loose and unraveled it. When she was done, she tossed it to the foot of the bed.
Next, she helped him remove his claret-colored topcoat and unbutton his silver waistcoat. His shirttails were next and she helped him to pull the white fabric over his head. His chest was bared to her. She sucked in her breath. The expanse of skin was magnificent. Muscled and bronzed. He’d written her that he’d spent a lot of time out in the sun during his recuperation but she hadn’t expected him to be quite this fit. His shoulders were wide and muscled, six muscles stood out in sharp relief beneath his ribs. A trail of fine hair ran in a line in the center and disappeared beneath his trousers. Her throat went dry.
Then she saw the scar, right above his heart, a jagged dark circle. She ran her fingertips along it, her eyes filling with tears. “Does it hurt you, Julian?”
“No,” he breathed. “I’m mesmerized by your touch, Cassie. Please don’t cry.”
She let her fingers trail down to the muscles on his abdomen and heard the sharp change in his breathing. It was true. He was affected by her touch. She’d never known anything like it. She’d never felt such power before. Her tears stopped.
“Lie down,” she commanded, drunk with her new strength.
Julian did as she asked. He slid back along the coverlet and propped his head on a pillow.
She let her tapered fingernail trace the outline of his rigid erection beneath his trousers and he groaned. “Cassie, I—”
