Page 33 of Enticed By an Earl
“And what are my eyes like?” Dev asked, holding Kit’s face with both hands and tilting it up to him.
Kit felt shivery and hot. His cock lifted under the layers of cotton and silk that he wore, pressing against that weight as though it were ready to break free. “Your eyes are dark and filled with fire,” he murmured. “They shine as if you would set the world ablaze to get what you want.”
“I might at that,” Dev said, inching even closer.
He stared at Kit’s lips for a moment before bending just enough to slant his mouth over Kit’s. The kiss was gentle yet possessive, and the way Dev held Kit’s head gave him no choice but to accept the ardor Dev offered.
Kit wanted to accept it. He wanted it, wanted Dev. His body and heart throbbed with desire for the man who had done so much for him, who had saved his life in so many ways. He could not fight his need to give everything to Dev, but neither could he fight the fear that twined with his need.
“Relax,” Dev whispered across Kit’s lips. “All is well. I will not do anything that you do not wish to do.”
He started to back away, but Kit tensed, making a short noise of protest, and grabbed the front of Dev’s jacket. “I do want you,” he said, almost pleading. “It is just that—” He didn’t know how to finish his sentence.
Dev smiled and leaned in to kiss him again. That kiss was as ardent as the first, but somehow gentler, more understanding. He caressed Kit’s lips, parting them softly, then gently tasted everything Kit had to offer.
Kit was mesmerized by the completeness of the kiss and the way it made him feel. He felt as though he were completely under Dev’s spell and happy for it. He did not think he knew much about kissing, but as Dev explored his mouth with his lips and tongue, Kit responded in kind.
“I know,” Dev said as they paused for breath. “And you’ve no need to worry, none at all.”
Kit was not entirely certain that was true. Throughout the entire evening and for the last few days, Dev had passed his time with Kitty. He seemed as convinced as anyone else that Lord Castleton was gone and that only Kitty remained. But the truth would be revealed as soon as he removed his gown and revealed the body beneath.
“I think perhaps I should bathe before we proceed any further,” Kit whispered when they paused to breathe again.
“You are perfect just as you are,” Dev said, stroking a hand around his face.
Kit paused, glancing up at him and wondering if he meant cleanliness or the fact of what his body looked like. “Still,” he said, voice trembling. “A great deal of effort and fuss has gone into getting myself into this gown, and removing it all will be just as complicated.”
“Then allow me to assist,” Dev said.
He took Kit’s hand and led him the rest of the way across the front room and into the bedroom. Once they were there, he moved behind Kit to undo the fastenings of his gown that Mrs. Torrance had been called up to help him with earlier.
Kit had not realized how constricted he felt in the tight silk of the gown and the cotton and boning of his corset until both were loosened and he could breathe more freely. He did as much as he could on his own, but once the process began, Dev seemed intent on unwrapping Kit as though he were a gift.
“Miss Jones has executed her craft magnificently,” Dev said as he helped Kit step out of his skirts and petticoats. “The fit she has achieved is remarkable.”
Kit anxiously wondered if the comment was meant to point out how decidedly masculine his body truly was underneath the layers Miss Jones had made for him. His hips were not as shapely as the garment made them out to be, andhe had no bust at all without the alterations Miss Jones had made to his corset.
In fact, as Dev took the bulk of the gown and underthings aside, leaving Kit standing near the foot of his bed in nothing but a chemise, drawers, and stockings, he felt about as undesirable as could be. He caught sight of himself in a mirror to one side of the room and winced. He could pretend and dress in any manner he pleased, but the reality was so different from what he felt in his heart.
He stopped looking at his reflection and turned to Dev when he sensed Dev returning to him. Warily, he met Dev’s eyes, dreading what his hero might think of him.
There was nothing but desire in Dev’s eyes and a hint of a mischievous smile as he stepped slowly closer. There may even have been a bulge in Dev’s trousers as well.
“I—” Kit began, hugging himself and rubbing his arm awkwardly. His instinct was to hide the things about himself that he did not like and that did not seem to fit.
“You are beautiful,” Dev said, coming closer still. “You have no idea how desirable you look to me at this moment. You are everything I have ever wanted and more.”
Kit tilted his head up, hardly able to breathe, when Dev moved nearly flush against him. Dev caressed his face again and tilted it up so he could indulge in another kiss.
This one was more powerful and ardent than the others. Not only did he capture Kit’s mouth with his own, he slipped an arm around his waist and pulled their bodies together.
Dev was most definitely aroused. The bulge in his trousers pressed insistently against Kit’s hip. Kit had gone soft in the process of undressing, but the sheer force of Dev’s desire had him growing hard again.
Which brought its own sort of awkwardness with it.
Dev must have sensed the conflict that made him gotense. “Tell me, love,” he said, brushing the side of Kit’s face and stroking his side. “Tell me what fear has you in its grip.”
Kit swallowed, anxiety closing up his throat. There were no words to express how ashamed of his body and his feelings about it he felt. The best he could do was to say, “I am not the shape that I should be.”
