Just a Kiss (11 page)
Authors: Ally Broadfield
She slid her fingers toward his neck, but his clothing prevented her progress. “I feel like I should be doing something.”
Sebastian laughed, his warm breath causing another wave of sensation across her wet nipple. “You’re just supposed to be enjoying yourself.”
“I am,” she assured him, “but I think I might feel more comfortable if I weren’t the only one here lacking clothing.”
He laughed again and kissed her on the nose. “Very well. Please feel free to undress me at your leisure.” He rolled onto his back.
Charlotte turned onto her side and placed her palm on his chest. She had no idea what to do, but she wanted to somehow give him as much pleasure as he gave her. She untied his cravat and tossed it onto the floor, then began to pull his shirt up with trembling fingers. She breathed in his scent, sandalwood with a hint of citrus, an aroma she now associated with finding her true home. Marveling at the dusting of hair she discovered on his stomach, she traced the line with her finger to where it disappeared into his breeches. His muscles twitched where she touched him, and he sucked in a ragged breath. She started to unbutton his breeches, but her nerve faltered when she encountered the evidence of his desire.
Sebastian seemed to understand her hesitation. He jumped off the bed and quickly divested himself of the remainder of his clothing.
“Umm…” Her voice wavered, and she couldn’t come up with a way to say what she was thinking.
“You are not allowed to worry. Your undertaking is to enjoy yourself at all times. I will handle the rest.” He settled himself next to her and kissed her. She started to relax again and ran her fingers over the sleek muscles of his chest and shoulders, enjoying the contrast of smooth skin and rough hair against her fingertips. When his hand slid between her thighs, she let out a startled gasp. Her legs clenched.
“Relax,” he whispered.
She tried to do as he asked and spread her legs slightly.
Then he moved up and touched her in a place she had never been touched before.
His finger slipped inside her. “So wet, so tight.”
Charlotte was just getting used to the sensation when he slid a second finger inside her and stroked the outside with his thumb. Pleasure pulsed through her as he continued to caress her. Slowly, he removed his fingers and positioned himself above her. He pushed at her opening, reigniting the flame he had kindled with his thumb. Distracted by the sensations flowing through her, she forgot to be nervous. She grasped his shoulders as the pressure continued to build. She lifted her hips against him, wanting the sensation to become something more.
He groaned and drove through the barrier preventing him from being inside her.
Charlotte stiffened. She couldn’t stop the grimace of pain from showing on her face.
Sebastian stopped moving. “Do you want to stop? I don’t want to hurt you.”
“No, keep going. If you start moving again, I think it will distract me.”
“That’s not quite the response I was hoping for.” He moved slowly, in and out. When he quickened the pace, the pressure started to build again. He ceased all movement for the space of a heartbeat. When he resumed his attentions, it sent her over the edge. Wave after wave of bliss rolled over her, and she tightened around Sebastian, drawing him closer. He spasmed within her.
Charlotte met his gaze. She’d enjoyed their interlude at the ball, but it was nothing compared to the feeling of having him inside her, sharing each sensation with her.
Once her breathing returned to normal and she was able to speak, Charlotte said, “Now I’m convinced.”
Sebastian laughed and kissed her forehead. “That was magnifliant if I do say so myself.”
She raised a brow. “Magnifliant?”
He slid onto his side and pulled her against him. “Yes, magnifliant. Magnificent, brilliant, splendid, superb. I could go on.”
She looked into his eyes. “I love you,” she said as she reached out to touch his face.
“I think I fell in love with you the first time I saw you. There’s no other way to explain why I chose to proposition you five minutes after we met.”
“I know the exact moment I fell in love with you. It was when we were walking in the park and you commented on my disheveledness. How could I not love a man who invents his own words and tries to pass them off as legitimate?”
“Yes, well, you definitely captured my heart that day with your very ladylike snort.” He tweaked her nose. “And sometimes, like now, there are no words to describe what I’m feeling, so I must resort to inventing my own.”
Charlotte rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes, content to enjoy the moment.
“Wake up, you lazy woman. You need to dress for the ball. I want to announce our engagement tonight.”
Charlotte sat up abruptly. “Tonight?”
“Changing your mind, are you? It’s too late. You’re already thoroughly compromised and will have to marry me whether you like it or not.”
“I like it. I definitely like it.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for another kiss.
A few minutes later, he dragged himself away from her. “We are going to miss our own ball if we don’t get moving.”
He fumbled around among the garments on the floor and pulled on his breeches. She followed his every movement, watching his muscles stretch and flex as he slid his arms into his shirt and retied his cravat. When he finished, he tossed her stockings and corset onto the bed.
“Your turn.” He slowly rolled the stockings up her legs, stopping a few times to place a kiss on the back of her knee and on the inside of her thigh. She sighed and sat up. He helped her into her corset at a speed that belied experience she would rather not think overmuch about, then helped her don her gown and return it to its half-fastened state.
“I’ll send Maisy in to help you finish dressing and repair your hair. Meet me outside my grandmother’s chamber as soon as you are ready.” He dropped a kiss on the top of her head and rushed out the door.
Charlotte penned a quick letter to Amelia while she waited for Maisy. She wanted to be the one to tell her the happy news, and she didn’t trust Elizabeth to tell the truth. Her hand trembled as she wrote the direction. She was uneasy about how Lady Marley would react to the announcement of their betrothal. They got along very well, but marrying her grandson was a much different prospect than helping her with her dog. She had given her word that she would check on Oscar before the ball, so there was no point in delaying the inevitable.
…
Sebastian pushed away from the wall and stood when Charlotte came into view. His heart was so full he forgot for a moment that he needed to breathe. Her lavender dress was the same one she had worn on the night they met, her thick hair piled on her head with flowers and diamonds that sparkled almost as brightly as her eyes. He resisted the impulse to drag her back to her bedchamber and settled for a swift kiss instead.
He took Charlotte’s trembling hand in his.
She shifted her gaze to Gran’s door. “Do you think she’ll be terribly disappointed that you’re marrying me instead of Princess Tarasova?”
He kissed the inside of her wrist. “The girl who stood up to her guardians and a wretched man who tried to compromise her is afraid of a frail, old grandmother?”
Charlotte nodded.
“Smart girl.” He kissed her again and gave the door a knock before opening it. He hoped Gran would come to approve of the match, but he would marry Charlotte whether she gave her approval or not.
He tugged Charlotte into the chamber and toward the bed where Gran and Oscar were resting. “Hello, you rotten little dog.” He gave Oscar a pat, and the dog growled. “Gran, we have something important to tell you.”
She drummed her fingers against the coverlet. “You finally proposed to Charlotte?”
For the first time in his life, Sebastian was speechless.
Gran rolled her eyes at him. “I could tell the moment you walked in. I’ve been waiting for weeks for you to get up the nerve to do it.”
Charlotte walked over to Gran and kissed her cheek.
“I knew she was the one for you the moment I met her.”
Sebastian cleared his throat. “May I ask how?”
“Aside from the fact that she was obviously in love with you, you’re perfectly matched. She’s not afraid to speak her mind, and she won’t let you get away with anything.”
Charlotte nodded. “This is true.”
Sebastian touched Gran’s shoulder. “I take it you approve, then?”
Gran squeezed his arm. “Of course. I told you Oscar is an excellent judge of character.”
Charlotte leaned over the bed and ran her fingers through Oscar’s fur. “How is he doing? His skin is no longer red.”
Gran smiled. “He hasn’t been scratching at all. I believe your soap is working.”
Sebastian gave Oscar another pat. “Are you planning to attend the ball?” he asked Gran. “I intend to announce our betrothal, and I’d like you to be there.”
“I was about to start dressing when you arrived. Get out, and I will join you downstairs shortly.” She waved at him in dismissal.
Charlotte laughed. He grabbed her and pulled her across the threshold. Once the door was safely shut, he pushed her against the wall and kissed her thoroughly.
When he reluctantly pulled away, he said, “There is much to be done.”
“Yes, I must go share our happy news with Anna before you make the announcement.”
“I believe Ashdown deserves advance warning as well.” There was one more thing he needed to do before he could announce their betrothal. “I must speak with your brother. Though I’m doing things a bit out of order, it is a necessary formality for me to secure his permission to marry you.”
Charlotte snorted and smacked her palm against his chest. “I hardly think he’s going to refuse your request. In fact, I imagine he would be willing to pay you to be rid of me at this point.”
“Perhaps I’ll suggest that to him.” He kissed her again.
He had never been more certain about anything than his decision to spend the rest of his life with her. He knew that each day, each hour, each minute would only get better.
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Acknowledgments
To my editor, Kerri-Leigh Grady, for being the first one to take a chance on my writing, and for her relentless determination to make this story the best it could be.
To my family—my foundation for everything.
To all of my friends, family, critique partners, beta readers, and everyone else who helped me along my path to publication, even the judges with the snarky contest feedback because you made me work harder just so I could prove you wrong.
And if you are reading this, thank you.
About the Author
Ally lives in Texas and is convinced her house is shrinking, possibly because she shares it with three kids, five dogs, a cat, a rabbit, and several reptiles. Oh, and her husband. She likes to curse in Russian and spends most of her time letting dogs in and out of the house and shuttling kids around. She writes historical romance set in Regency England and Imperial Russia.
She loves to hear from readers and you can find her on her
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