“Yes, my love?” His hand found her ankle and began sliding upward. “Is this what you’re after?”
“Not quite.”
“How about this?” he asked while stroking her knee.
“No.” Frustrated, she curled her hand behind his head and drew him in for a deep and unyielding kiss before desperately whispering against his lips, “Please put me out of my misery.”
Holding her gaze, he granted her wish, sweeping her into a maelstrom of new and powerful sensations. She moaned in response to the exquisite pleasure and clutched at his shoulders with increased force as the fire he’d stoked became an inferno.
A gasp was her first response. But as wave after wave of bliss swept through her, she cried out his name and gripped him harder. His mouth found hers once more and he kissed her deeply while settling his body between her thighs.
Then, distracting her with additional pleasure, he joined his body with hers.
What followed was without doubt the most glorious experience of Ada’s life. If she’d thought the ecstasy Anthony had bestowed a few seconds before was incredible, it was nothing compared to the feeling of being one with the man she loved.
Each move they made told a story of unity, friendship, love, and devotion. It was so achingly beautiful – intimate in a way nothing else could be – and made her feel closer to him than she’d ever felt to anyone else in her life. It cut down the last remaining barriers between them and bound them together so tightly she felt their souls meld.
“Promise we’ll do this as often as possible,” she said a while later while snuggling against his side. Heavens, she’d never felt so languid before.
“Nothing would please me more,” he told her, the arm he’d wound around her tightening slightly. “If you like, we can continue right now.”
“It’s not too soon?”
“Only if you’re sore.”
She considered that for a second. “I think I’m all right.”
“In that case…” Before she could blink, he’d rolled her onto his outstretched body. “I’m more than happy to further your education, Your Grace.”
He waggled his eyebrows and Ada grinned. “Really?”
“Allow me to demonstrate,” he told her in a seductive tone.
And so he did, until she was breathless once more.
21
As had become the norm, Harriet Michaels got up at three. With work commencing at four, she’d barely managed to squeeze in her usual five hours of sleep before the knocker-upper tapped his rod against her window. She scrambled from the bed, sent him a quick wave of thanks, and went to heat a pot of water on the small range that stood in the corner of the room.
Her younger sister, Lucy, who was twelve years of age, wouldn’t be up for a while yet. But when she woke, Harriet wanted her to find a pot of tea waiting along with a bread roll, even if neither would be very fresh by that time.
Returning to her own side of the small, one-room accommodation she’d managed to acquire, Harriet collected the clothes she’d left on a nearby chair last night and began putting them on. She had only a few sets to choose between, and laundry was something she couldn’t afford too often. So she did her best to keep her attire in decent order, even though it was often a challenge to keep ink stains off.
Having finished with her bindings, she put on her shirt and trousers, then tied her cravat. Next, she slipped on her waistcoat, which she quickly buttoned before pushing her arms through the sleeves of her brown tweed jacket. Hose and shoes followed.
To finish off the ensemble, she pressed a cap onto her head.
Turning toward the small tarnished mirror that hung on the wall, she took a moment to study her appearance – to make sure she looked the part she’d decided to play.
A scrawny boy stared back, offering no hint of feminine features or curves whatsoever.
Perfect.
Satisfied she would avoid detection once more, Harriet went to prepare the tea. She made a cup for herself first, then let it cool for the five minutes it took her to run downstairs and purchase a couple of bread rolls from the baker up the street.
She ate half of hers on the way back to her lodgings and left the other on a plate for Lucy to find later. The tea was a bit thin as usual, but it was hot and hit the spot nicely, washing down her simple breakfast. Ready to leave, Harriet crossed to her sister’s bed, knelt down, and pressed a tender kiss to her brow.
“I’ll see you later, dearest,” she whispered.
