His other hand had dropped below her waist and his finger had found her sweet spot, found it and then moved even lower to slip inside.
He closed his eyes. “You’re so wet. So wet and so hot.”
“I want you,” she breathed against his cheek. “Please.”
“I can’t.” He gently kissed her temple. “Believe me when I say I want to, but Ican’t.”
His finger movedinside her then and Meredith forgot the question, forgot all words, as stars exploded behind her eyelids. Her hips moved with his hand, helpless against anything other than trying to find that sweet relief. His fingers were in charge now. Not thought. Not logic. Not anything but the maddening feeling of bliss building between her legs. She wanted her release, and she wanted him to give it to her.
He began kissing down her body, lingering at her breasts, pulling her nipples into his hot mouth, first one and then the next. She sobbed in the back of her throat as he gently tugged the swollen points with this teeth. Then his head moved lower, down, down between her legs. His soft hair brushed against her thighs, and then the smooth slide of his mask near her most intimate spot. And when his tongue flicked out to lick her tight nub, she cried out and filtered her fingers through his hair.
Oh, God. What is he doing? And please don’t ever let him stop.
She struggled against his hand that still kept both hers captured above her head. She wanted to reach for him, totouch him between the legs, but he wouldn’t let go of her wrists.
“Please, let me feel you,” she begged.
He shook his head between her legs, saying no, tantalizing her more as his tongue kept up its gentle assault in the spot where she most needed it. He lapped at her, while her knees closed tightly against his shoulders and her body trembled. And when the last licks sent her hurtling over the edge to oblivion, she called out.
A name.
One man’s name flew from her lips as waves of pleasure cascaded over her body.
Meredith laid there silently for several seconds as the pleasure receded from her body. When her limbs finally stopped shaking, she realized what she’d done…and whose name had been on her lips when she found her pleasure. And she realized that it could ruin everything. She had to fix it. Quickly.
“Oh, my God. I didn’t. I mean?—”
He didn’t say anything, just stood and quickly pulled on his shirt. He didn’t even bother to shrug on his waistcoat. Instead, he grabbed the rest of his clothing and lunged for the door.
He remained silent as the door swung closed behind him.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The Next Day, Hyde Park
Griffin stirred his mount alongside Meredith’s as they galloped along the dusty path near the water’s edge. Her cheeks were rosy, and she was laughing. God, she was beautiful when she laughed.
Today she was wearing a light-blue riding habit and a matching bonnet with black boots and white kid gloves. She was buttoned up to the neck and covered down to the ankle. But Griffin couldn’t keep from remembering the last time he’d seen her. Her gorgeous body laid bare beneath him, taking her pleasure.
Saying his name.
When he’d arrived at her town house this morning, it had taken nearly everything in him not to fall to one knee and declare himself. To put an end to their pointless guessing game by admitting his feelings for her. But after what had happened at the club last night, how could he? Instead of admitting his identity last night as he’d intended, he’d touched her… More, he’d given her pleasure with his mouth. Sointimate. Which made himnottelling her worse.Much worse.
But there was something else. He’d got the distinct impression last night that she’dknownit was him. Something about the way she kept insisting he not tell her who he was. Something in the way she looked at him, touched him. Their gazes had locked and, somehow, he’d just felt that she knew him. Only he’d been too uncertain to ask. And she’d obviously wanted it that way as well.
There could be only one reason she didn’t want to admit it. Because she didn’t want it to be true. She didn’t want it to behimtouching her. She wanted it to be a stranger. A man she had no connection with. If she returned his feelings, she would have admitted she knew him. And that thought devastated him.
But saying his name had to mean something. Didn’t it? That she wantedhim, that she was thinking ofhimwhen she’d found her release. But if that was the case, why hadn’t she allowed him to tell her the truth? Why hadn’t she admitted that she knew him? It made no sense.
Damn it. He should have revealed his identity immediately. She might have said she didn’t want to hear it, but surely it would have been the right thing to rip off the mask and show his faceaftershe’d saidhis bloody name. Only he’d madeanothermistake. He’d grabbed his things and run away like a fool. Blast. Blast. Blast. When had everything become so complicated?
Right about the time you decided to put on a mask and follow Meredith to a pleasure club.
He glanced over at her, laughing in the sunlight. In addition to asking her to go riding in the park today, he’d brought her flowers this morning. And not just any flowers. Lilies, her favorites. Didn’t she realize he was attempting to courther? If so, she gave no indication, acting the same as shealways did when they were together. But she had to know. Which was more proof that she didn’t want to admit it. Didn’t want it to be true. Didn’t want him. Not as a husband.
She only had three more guesses. Would she guess correctly, or would he finally be forced to tell her? At this point, Griffinwantedher to guess herself. It would be nothing but a relief. Damn it. Perhaps Ash was right. Perhaps Griffin should just say it, tell her, forget the plan and consequences be damned.
“When was the last time we went riding in the park?” Meredith asked, shaking Griffin from his torturous thoughts.
