Page 10 of A Viscount’s Reluctant Passion

“Miss Wormsley, I do not apologise for what I am about to do. And, after due consideration, I retract my apology for what I did last night. You had the right of it, and, in truth, I do not regret it, in any way.”

With that, he lowered his lips to hers, which had parted in a small gasp of astonishment at his words. His tongue traced their shape, and they parted further, permitting him entrance. With a soft moan, she pressed her body harder against his, and most actively returned his kiss. His hands traced her shape, cupping her delightfully curved buttocks for a moment, to press her even harder against the solid evidence of his desire for her, then slipped up her sides to cup her breasts.

The silk of her gown was thin, and he could feel the hard tips of her breasts through it. All consideration of caution fled – he allowed his thumbs to stroke across those tips, through the delicate fabric, and she moaned in response, a sound full of wondering pleasure, and her body moved against his, an instinctive seeking of even closer contact.

Some tiny seed of rationality remained, but he fought it, sprinkling kisses over her cheeks, and down her neck.

She arched against him, her head dropping back to allow him better access. He trailed the kisses further, across the richly curved exposed tops of her breasts, and then, greatly daring, he eased the fabric down to bare one nipple, and took it into his mouth. She groaned with pleasure, and the sound brought him back to his senses, even as it drove him wild with desire.

He released the fabric, and lifted his head, breathing hard. She sagged a little against him, and he allowed his hands to stroke her back, to tangle in the artful curls that fell over her shoulder. Unable to prevent himself, he brought his lips to hers again, for a moment, a delicate feather-touch of a kiss, yet filled with all of the desire that burned through him.

When he drew back from that, she lifted her face to his, her lips plump, pink, and slightly kiss bruised, and her eyes hazy with a need that he understood – yet could not fulfil, in that place, at that time. His voice was deep and rough when he forced words out.

“We must stop. No matter how much I enjoyed that, how much I hope that you enjoyed that, I would not destroy your reputation by allowing desire to lead us too far, in such a public place.”

She studied him, her eyes slowly sharpening back to normal. For a moment, he feared that she would object. Then she took a deep breath, and moved back from him, just a little.

“You are right. And yes, I did, most definitely enjoy that. I am glad that you are not foolish enough to apologise for it! I… did not expect… to feel so… intensely affected.”

He could not resist – he brushed another soft kiss over her lips.

“I suspect that young ladies are intentionally kept unaware of just how intensely such things can affect one.”

“I suspect that you are right. For if this is behaving thoroughly inappropriately, I find myself rather motivated to be inappropriate again – perhaps even in a far less public place…”

He laughed softly, his heart spinning with delight. No matter how foolish this might be, no matter how much he was not the right man for her, he could not regret it, would not allow himself to regret it, now. If later reflection damned him, so be it, but for now, her breathless pleasure was all that he needed.