witnessed.
How could it be that such a proper young woman was so responsive to his merest touch? Even now, she lay sprawled shamelessly on the bed, her thighs wide, her breasts heaving with her panting, her damp hair wild on the pillow.
She was an erotic picture to be sure and he couldn't deny some pride in making her thus. His own ignored arousal beat at the walls of his will like a caged beast, his erection twitching mightily beneath his dressing gown.
It would take the merest parting of the heavy silk to expose him. She was as ready as he could wish, plumped and slippery and waiting for—
For someone normal.
Slamming the iron bars on temptation, he rose from her bed. The maid had left out her gown on the foot. He lifted it, stroking the filmy stuff between his fingers.
"Put this on, Olivia," he said softly. "You need to cover yourself—"
so I won't ravage you senseless
. "For warmth."
She stretched, finally closing those tempting thighs. Blinking wearily, she gave him a soft smile.
"Did I do that right?"
The infinite Tightness of her could not be denied. He placed the gown into her hands and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I shall see you tomorrow, my lady. Sleep well."
It was a damned sure thing he would not.
"Dane."
He stopped automatically at the tone of command in her voice, obeying her much the way the other men had earlier tonight. Then he shook off that reaction and turned to face her. "Olivia, I would prefer that you use that only in emergency situations."
"Use what, pray tell?" She blinked innocently at him, her face still flushed from his lovemaking. She began to push back the covers. "I only wished to remind you that I intend to stay with you tonight."
"No." He held up a hand when she began to rise. If he spent one more moment with her thus, with the firelight flickering on her skin, his control would shatter. "You must rest as well. I shall have Proffit check in on me." He shook his head against her protest. "My lady, Proffit makes an obscene salary to look after me. Let him earn it. I beg of you, let me be tonight."
She nodded, obviously curious in a sleepy way, until he turned and left her chamber, blowing out the candle on the way.
9
« ^ »
When Olivia awoke the next morning, she rolled over with a smile on her face before she even opened her eyes. Things would be different today. She was sure that she and Dane had crossed a boundary the night before. He'd saved her life. She'd taken care of him.
He'd done that
thing
.
She bit her lip, her smile turning naughty, wondering if she could convince him to do that thing again.
At any rate, he would be properly glad to see her this morning. Perhaps he might even steal a quick kiss when the servants weren't looking.
She rose and dressed, too cheerful for even Petty's sour presence to oppress. She danced downstairs, feeling as though she could bear any number of Petty with Dane's presence to bolster her.
But Dane was nowhere to be found.
Instead, his study contained only Lord Dryden sitting behind Dane's massive oak desk. He looked very much at home in the deep green, masculine room. He smiled at her when she entered, although she noticed he slid the pages he was viewing beneath the blotter before he stood to greet her with a bow.
"Good morning, Lady Greenleigh. Did you rest well? No ill effects from last night's incident, I hope."
Last night
. The only ill effect Olivia felt was a slight weakness in the knees, but she didn't think that was what he meant.
She bobbed an absentminded curtsy. "I-am-very-well-thank-you. Have you seen his lordship?"
He smiled slightly. "Himself is out, I'm afraid. I believe he said he'd be back before lunch."
Olivia sat in the chair opposite the desk, her enthusiasm deflated. "Oh."
Lord Dryden sat as well, a grin creeping across his face. "I take it that there's nothing I can help you with in his stead?"
Olivia jerked her head up at his teasing tone. Yes, he did mean what she thought he'd meant. She
How could it be that such a proper young woman was so responsive to his merest touch? Even now, she lay sprawled shamelessly on the bed, her thighs wide, her breasts heaving with her panting, her damp hair wild on the pillow.
She was an erotic picture to be sure and he couldn't deny some pride in making her thus. His own ignored arousal beat at the walls of his will like a caged beast, his erection twitching mightily beneath his dressing gown.
It would take the merest parting of the heavy silk to expose him. She was as ready as he could wish, plumped and slippery and waiting for—
For someone normal.
Slamming the iron bars on temptation, he rose from her bed. The maid had left out her gown on the foot. He lifted it, stroking the filmy stuff between his fingers.
"Put this on, Olivia," he said softly. "You need to cover yourself—"
so I won't ravage you senseless
. "For warmth."
She stretched, finally closing those tempting thighs. Blinking wearily, she gave him a soft smile.
"Did I do that right?"
The infinite Tightness of her could not be denied. He placed the gown into her hands and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I shall see you tomorrow, my lady. Sleep well."
It was a damned sure thing he would not.
"Dane."
He stopped automatically at the tone of command in her voice, obeying her much the way the other men had earlier tonight. Then he shook off that reaction and turned to face her. "Olivia, I would prefer that you use that only in emergency situations."
"Use what, pray tell?" She blinked innocently at him, her face still flushed from his lovemaking. She began to push back the covers. "I only wished to remind you that I intend to stay with you tonight."
"No." He held up a hand when she began to rise. If he spent one more moment with her thus, with the firelight flickering on her skin, his control would shatter. "You must rest as well. I shall have Proffit check in on me." He shook his head against her protest. "My lady, Proffit makes an obscene salary to look after me. Let him earn it. I beg of you, let me be tonight."
She nodded, obviously curious in a sleepy way, until he turned and left her chamber, blowing out the candle on the way.
9
« ^ »
When Olivia awoke the next morning, she rolled over with a smile on her face before she even opened her eyes. Things would be different today. She was sure that she and Dane had crossed a boundary the night before. He'd saved her life. She'd taken care of him.
He'd done that
thing
.
She bit her lip, her smile turning naughty, wondering if she could convince him to do that thing again.
At any rate, he would be properly glad to see her this morning. Perhaps he might even steal a quick kiss when the servants weren't looking.
She rose and dressed, too cheerful for even Petty's sour presence to oppress. She danced downstairs, feeling as though she could bear any number of Petty with Dane's presence to bolster her.
But Dane was nowhere to be found.
Instead, his study contained only Lord Dryden sitting behind Dane's massive oak desk. He looked very much at home in the deep green, masculine room. He smiled at her when she entered, although she noticed he slid the pages he was viewing beneath the blotter before he stood to greet her with a bow.
"Good morning, Lady Greenleigh. Did you rest well? No ill effects from last night's incident, I hope."
Last night
. The only ill effect Olivia felt was a slight weakness in the knees, but she didn't think that was what he meant.
She bobbed an absentminded curtsy. "I-am-very-well-thank-you. Have you seen his lordship?"
He smiled slightly. "Himself is out, I'm afraid. I believe he said he'd be back before lunch."
Olivia sat in the chair opposite the desk, her enthusiasm deflated. "Oh."
Lord Dryden sat as well, a grin creeping across his face. "I take it that there's nothing I can help you with in his stead?"
Olivia jerked her head up at his teasing tone. Yes, he did mean what she thought he'd meant. She
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