Stifling herscream, she gripped his hair with her hands. His fingers dug intoher hips as he thrust again and again. Pleasure ripped through her,her body bowing with the force of it, and she lost herself to thestorm.
Gasping, shecame back to herself, her body twitching with aftershocks. He roseand took her mouth fiercely, and she tasted herself and him, andshe’d never tasted anything sweeter.
Belatedly, sherealised he was rigid against her, throbbing against her thigh.“What about you?” she managed, her voice hoarse.
In answer, hekissed her again, but she wouldn’t be deterred. He had just givenher the most sublime pleasure and she wanted the same for him.“Stephen, what about—”
“It’s not a game, Sera, and it’s not necessary.”
But she wantedto give him what he had given her. “But—”
“This was for you.” He pulled back, smoothing her skirts overher legs, and she felt cold without his heat against her. He bracedhimself over her a moment, his breath harsh. Finally, he gave her acrooked smile. “We should return you to your friends. They will bewondering where you are.”
“They know I am with you.”
“Allthe more reason we should go. I will remain here a while after yougo. I am...not decent.” He handed her the lace mask. She hadn’teven realised he had it. She blushed as she remembered why she hadbeen so distracted. “You should go. There is still yourreputation.”
“Noone will dare comment,” she replied, fixing the mask in place. Shestilled. “Perhaps they should. There is, after all, yourwager.”
He shrugged.“Sutton spoke to me earlier. He is content. There is no need totempt gossip.”
A twinge of hurtslid through her. She shook herself.Don’t be ridiculous,Sera.Of course they should not tempt fate. He had no wish towed her, as she had no wish to wed him. This was for the wager onlyand she...well, eventually she would think of something that wouldirritate Lydia Torrence. They had an agreement. What had justhappened was a...a... pleasant bonus. A game. Nothing irrevocablehad occurred and she had experience great pleasure. There wasnothing more to be said.
Affixing a saucygrin, she trailed her finger over his arm. “I thank you for a mostpleasant diversion, sir.”
His lipstwitched. “A pleasure, my lady.”
“Perhaps, sometime soon, we could repeat the experience...orperhaps even expand upon it.”
Heat flared inhis dark eyes. “Perhaps.”
With anothergrin, she sauntered from the room, and she told herself that flashof hurt had been a momentary lapse of reason and nothingmore.
Chapter Fourteen
ANTICIPATION PRICKING HIS SKIN, Stephen handed his hatand gloves to Sera’s butler. The butler’s expression remainedimpassive, but disapproval fairly radiated from him.
Stephen tippedhis chin. So it was not normal hours a gentleman visited a lady,but he was impatient to see Sera and he wouldn’t allow a servant tomake him ashamed for his eagerness.
“Whomay I say is calling, sir?” the butler queried.
“Lord Stephen Farlisle. Brother to the Earl of Roxwaithe,” headded. He disliked invoking his brother’s name, but if it would getthe butler to announce him that much quicker, he would shout it tokingdom come.
“Very good, my lord. Follow me.”
The butler ledhim through the entrance hall and into a receiving room. “Pleasewait here, my lord. I will see if Lady Seraphina is at home tovisitors.”
Lacing his handsbehind his back, he paced the room, unable to stand still when thedesire to see Sera thrummed in his veins. The door flung open and,with a red face and disordered hair, Sera flew through. She almostskidded to a stop, her cheeks pinkening further. The butler trailedbehind her, his expression slightly disapproving.
“Good morning, Lord Stephen,” she greeted, her hand smoothingover her hair as if she had just realised it wasdisordered.
The shape of hisgrin felt loony. “Lady Seraphina.”
“Itis so lovely you have come to call. Would you like to taketea?”
Amused by theformality, he replied gravely, “I would.”
“Higgins, tea. And Mrs Travers’s gingernuts,please.”
