Just Perfect (3 page)

Constance’s throat tightened. “Mother, I could never be so forward.”

“Then be prepared to be left behind as Sarah and Diane and all your other friends find husbands. You’re far too sweet and beautiful to spend your life on the shelf.”

Her mother rose and left the breakfast room, no doubt leaving her daughter to consider her parting words. And Constance did so.

She went cold.
The shelf.
The spinster’s fate, the place a woman languishes as she watches the rest of society live life. She felt her spine stiffen as resolve cloaked her.

“I won’t end up on the shelf, Mother,” she said to herself. “Believe me.”

She wanted a real life with a real man. That real man was none other than William. Her body trembled as she thought of the tenderness she’d seen in his eyes. What did he feel for her, aside from his obvious desire? Did he want to take his pleasure and leave her with nothing? No. Even as she contemplated that awful prospect, she knew he wasn’t that kind of rake. He was noble and good, perfect in every way. If she indulged in everything she wished he would do to her, he would do the right thing. The expected thing. He would marry her.

The sad fact was that, as much as she would love to spend her days with such a wonderful man, she didn’t want those days colored with regret.

*    *    *

William stood on another bloody dance floor, at another bloody
ton
party, doing his best to keep his feet rooted on the floor. He’d seen her already, that girl he couldn’t get out of his mind. She was the reason he was at this party and, even though he couldn’t stand the sight of Waltham since he’d thrown over his best friend’s sister for another, he was now married to one of Constance’s good friends. Even a trip to his favorite pub, and a prospective romp with his favorite serving girl, couldn’t rouse either interest or desire. Instead he’d stayed home for the past few nights, missing Constance.

“Are you satisfied, Lord Chester?” he heard a woman say beside him.

He found Lady Brookdale sliding a hot look at him. “Excuse me?” he asked.

“Are you satisfied,” she said, “with the evening of course.”

“Oh, of course,” he repeated. “Yes, Lady Brookdale it is quite satisfactory.”

“Pity, that.” She sighed. “I was just thinking that perhaps you and I could find something to entertain ourselves at this crushingly dull party.”

“I daresay Lady Joan might take offense to your words,” he said, letting his disinterest chill his voice.

She pulled back, her brows arched. “As you do, evidently.”

He shrugged one shoulder. “Your opinion, voiced or otherwise, is of no interest to me.”

He watched as she grasped his meaning. She meant nothing to him and her words even less. She stiffened, lifted her chin, and strolled away from him.

“Good riddance,” he muttered.

“Talking to yourself, Lord Chester?” that familiar husky voice asked.

His body flushed with heat and he turned to see Constance. Yes, she’d been breathtaking from across the room, her curves wrapped in a pretty, pink dress. Now that she was close enough, he could almost feel her. It was all he could do not to grab her and run his hands all over her. He thought of Lady Brookdale’s question. Satisfied? He couldn’t be further from it at the moment.

“Eavesdropping, Constance?”

She gave him a cheeky smile, one that drew a very different reaction in him from Lady Brookdale’s cynical smirk. The tilt of her rosy lips drove the blood from his head straight down to his groin. He couldn’t restrain himself, and a soft growl escaped. The answering heat in her eyes made him want to howl instead.

“Take care, Constance,” he warned.

She looked about, and then leaned closer. He watched the swells of her breasts rise as she took a bracing breath. “Do you care, William?”

He pulled back. “What?”

“Do you care about my reputation?”

He blinked. She couldn’t mean what he presumed. Was she looking to get ruined?

“It seems one of us must,” he said.

To his amazement, her smile widened. “Oh, I care. Just how much at the moment, that’s a mystery even to me.”

Her gaze flicked over him, in open curiosity. Was she thinking about what they did in that alcove the other night? God knew he’d never forget, no matter how brief and frustrating the encounter had ultimately been.

“I love a good mystery,” he said, testing the waters.

A flush rose from her delightful bosom to her smooth cheeks as her lips parted. “Care to indulge me?” she asked, that soft, husky note pulling at him.

It was all he could to do to keep from grabbing her there in plain sight. “Constance …” he said with a warning tone in his voice.

She tilted her head then shrugged. “I suppose I can persuade another gentleman to assist me.”

A hot flash of jealousy struck him. “What are you saying?”

She turned again, giving him her exquisite profile as she appeared to consider the other men in attendance. “I want to explore more of what you showed me last week, William, but if you’re not the man to do that …”

He stepped closer, blocking her view of the partygoers and hopefully theirs of her. “I’m the man.”

She gazed up at him again. “Come, then. Let’s go find a place to … discuss matters.”

A warning bell trilled in the back of his mind, that this was exactly the situation that could get him leg-shackled. This was Constance, though. If such a circumstance arose, perhaps it wouldn’t be so terrible.

He leaned closer, breathing in her lily scent. “Where, love?”

Answering heat filled her eyes at the endearment. “Follow me,” she said.

She presented her usual look of cool detachment as she made her way through the crowd and headed toward a doorway on the far left of the ballroom. Where was the little minx going? When she turned in the doorway and cast him a look over one creamy shoulder, he suddenly didn’t care. He’d follow her anywhere.

She disappeared and he casually made his way in the same direction. Leaving the sounds of the party behind, he strolled down a hallway. After passing a few open doors, he believed he was getting closer. Her scent lingered in the hall, pulling him toward temptation.

“Here, William,” he heard her call softly.

His pulse tripped as he spied the hem of her pink dress several feet ahead of him. She ducked into a room he soon saw was a library. He quickly took in the furnishings, nice plump chairs, a settee by the fireplace. It was too open, though. Too conspicuous. He didn’t know what she had in mind, but he didn’t relish the idea of being found out.

“Constance?” he whispered.

“Back here.”

He found her standing before one of the tall bookcases lining the walls. He joined her, cocking an eyebrow. “Do you plan to recite sonnets to me?”

She laughed, a light sound that caused a shifting in his chest. “Oh, should I sing a song to your eyes?”

He smiled. “Hardly. Now what are you about?”

She winked and removed a slim volume tucked to one side. The wall shifted. “A secret door, William. To a secret chamber.”

The door swung open on silent hinges and she stepped inside. He followed her, finding a cozy room with a small desk and a plush chaise.

“Lady Joan’s late father’s study,” she said in explanation.

He looked around as she shut the door, sealing them in privacy. She crossed to the desk and lit a lamp there.

“How do you know about this place?” he asked.

She shrugged. “I’ve been friends with Joan since childhood. I know this house as well as my own.”

“Oh, I thought …” He smiled. “Never mind.”

“What did you think? That I’ve conducted other assignations with other gentlemen?”

He knew she hadn’t, and the teasing look in her eyes caused his body to tighten. “Is this an assignation, love?”

Those eyes darkened as she stepped closer. “You tell me.”

He didn’t know what she wanted, save for a taste of what they’d shared before. Damn him to hell, he’d give her that, and more.

“Come here,” he said, taking her hand in his. “I believe this is whatever you want it to be, Constance.”

She didn’t hesitate, just wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. She was so sweet, so hot, as she drove her tongue into his mouth. Damn, but she was a quick learner. She pushed his jacket off his shoulders and he let it fall to the carpet beneath their feet. Wrapping his arms around her, he grabbed her bottom and pulled her hard against him. She made the most arousing sounds, sighing and moaning, as her passions were awakened. As for him, his cock was at full attention and if he didn’t slow this down, he would take her and seal both their fates.

“Easy,” he said, pulling his mouth from hers. He licked his lips. “God, you’re so sweet … but we can’t do this.”

Her lips, still swollen from their wild kisses, turned down. “But I thought you wanted me.”

“That is an understatement,” he said with a smile. “We have to be care—ah, hell.”

He tossed her down on the chaise and kissed her again.

Constance just let herself feel as William’s hands roamed all over her. This was what she’d wanted after the frustration of the other night. He loosened a few hooks at her back and tugged down on her bodice. Her breasts, clad only in her chemise, were freed to his gaze. He pulled back and stared down at her, his eyes hot.

“I left off my stays,” she said.

He let out a strangled laugh and closed his hand over one breast. Her nipple puckered and a sharp stab of desire ran through her. “William!”

“I have to see you.”

He pulled at the neckline of her chemise, baring her breasts. The air was chilled in the study, and her breath caught as her nipples tightened.

“Just perfect.” He kissed the valley between her breasts. “I knew they would be.”

He closed his mouth over one nipple and she saw stars behind her lids. Arching, she reveled in what he was doing. He teased and nibbled and suckled her, first one breast then the other, as she felt herself longing for something more.

“Please.” She gasped, wriggling beneath him.

He reached under her skirts as he’d done that time before, but she didn’t want to stop him. He tickled the skin above her stockings and she let her legs fall open to his touch. He cupped her through her drawers and swore softly.

“You’re wet, Constance,” he murmured. “You’re hot for me.”

She could only nod. When he pushed her drawers aside and touched her, really touched her, she bit her lip to keep from screaming. He stroked her, found a secret spot she hadn’t known she had and pinched gently.

“What are you … ? Oh, my!”

He pushed a finger into her, stroking as he began to circle that explosive spot. He withdrew his hand and licked his middle finger. “Mmm, you taste so damn good.”

She watched him, his tongue lapping at his finger, and felt as though he licked her very center. Was that even possible?

He grinned, then reached beneath her skirts again. His fingers, two this time, moved in and out of her as his thumb took up its rhythm again.

“Can you feel that?” he asked, his voice harsh. “You’re going to come for me.” He bent his head and stroked the edge of his tongue over one nipple. “You’re going to come hard.”

She had no idea what he meant until she seemed to lift off the chaise. With one arm bracing him above her, the other hidden between her legs, his mouth covered hers in a frantic kiss. She bucked and shattered, arching again as pleasure crashed through her.

When she regained her wits, she opened her eyes to find William staring down at her. His face was flushed and his mouth set. She lifted one of her passion-weakened arms and brought her hand to his face. His expression eased as he leaned into her palm.

“William, that was amazing.”

“Quite.” His voice was strained, as if he was in pain.

He righted her dress and skirts and helped her sit. His movements were awkward and as he shifted, he winced.

“What is it?” she asked.

He pulled at the front of his fashionably tight trousers and sighed. “My desire for you, I’m afraid.”

She studied him in the dim light, just making out the rigid bulge at his groin. “Oh, is that your … ?”

He rolled his eyes, then nodded. “Yes,
my
… is in a bad way.”

She reached toward his lap and he grabbed her hand.

“Don’t,” he said, his voice clipped.

She pulled away from him. “I’m sorry.”

He managed a smile, which looked more like a grimace. “Go back to the ballroom, Constance.”

She blinked back tears at his curt dismissal. He’d given her so much pleasure, had held her as if she meant everything to him, then wanted her well and gone.

Coming to her feet, she turned her back to him. “Do my hooks, please.”

He did, and the touch of his magical fingers on her back sent new flutters of pleasure dancing through her. He dropped a kiss on the nape of her neck and she shivered.

“You’re incredibly sweet, you know,” he said.

She faced him again. “Yet you don’t want me.”

“Are you mad? My cock is hard enough to drive nails!”

She gasped at his language, but couldn’t help but be intrigued. “Your … it is?”

He grabbed her to him, cuddling her close. Proof of his desire pressed against her belly.

“I want you, Constance,” he said. “But now is not the time. We don’t know what we … God, you don’t know what you’re doing.”

She pulled away from him. “Oh, I don’t know what I’m doing? Who, pray, brought us to this little room of sin?”

He gaped at her. “I didn’t mean that! I meant, with whatever is between us …” He shrugged, evidently at a loss.

“Whatever is between us?” Why couldn’t he say he wanted to spend forever with her? She longed for him and, after the amazing bit of pleasure he’d given her, she knew she could spend her life in his arms. “Lord Chester, if I recall correctly, there was very little between us just moments ago.”

Before he could find some sort of perfect answer to her statement, she pulled open the hidden door. “Douse the light,” she said in parting.

Then she left him there.