Page 3 of The Ward
Was he about to tell me my future? I promised myself that whatever my guardian’s choice, I would be grateful for everything he’d done for my mother and myself.
“Cecelia,” he began suddenly. “Are you a virgin?”
My wide gaze slammed into his. “I—what?”
“A virgin,” he repeated calmly. “Have you allowed a man liberties with your person? Have you carnal knowledge of male genitalia? Have you, in short, known the touch of a man’s cock?”
I gaped.
It was bad manners, but there really wasn’t any other word for how I was looking at Lord Simon. How could he ask me such a thing?
As I delayed answering, his dark brows lowered. I saw his expression go from merely curious to downright stormy, and a shiver went down my spine. I reminded myself I never wanted to disappoint him, and I blurted, “No!”
He didn’t look as if he believed me, so I hurried to explain.
“No, my lord. I—I have never…”
When I broke off, swallowing the awkward words, he frowned again.
“Neverwhat?” he barked. “Say the words, Cecilia.”
I dropped my gaze to his chin, because it was easier, and lowered my voice to a whisper. “I have never allowed a man to take liberties with my person. I-I have never known the touch of a—a man’s…” I swallowed. “Cock.”
He hummed in what I hoped was approval and pushed away from the desk. “Would you like to?”
I stopped breathing, my eyes dropping unbidden to the book on the desk. I felt more than saw Lord Simon move around the piece of furniture once more and stop behind me. He was so much taller than I, so much broader and stronger. His presence at my back made me shiver, made me want to lean trustingly against him.
Would you like to know the touch of a man’s cock?
Oh God forgive me, yes! Yes I would! But not any man…
“Cecelia,” came his deep rumble behind me. “I have watched your growth with much interest. Your mother’s regular letters have been insightful, of course, but the school reports tell me you are a properly trained young lady, prepared to take your place at the side of a wealthy lord.”
My chin snapped up, until I was staring at the shelves across the room, although my attention was entirely onhim, standing at my back. “A-a wealthy lord, Lord Simon?”Oh, how I wish he meant himself!“I have no dowry to tempt one.”
“No, you do not,” he murmured. Before my heart could sink, I felt his hand at the base of my neck, his fingertips stroking the skin beneath the simple blonde bun my maid had fashioned. “But you have something else quite tempting.”
What is it? I wanted to yell. Instead, I asked, “Yes, sir?”
A slight chuckle, then he stepped forward. Stepped forward until he waspressed againstme. I could feel all of him—his chest at my shoulders, the still-hard planes of his stomach, and belowthat…my breaths came entirely too quickly as I identified the hard length throbbing against the small of my back.
Hiscock. That’s what he’d called it. That’s what I could feel now!
Lord Simon…was aroused? Aroused byme?With a little whimper, I dropped my fingertips to the desk to keep myself upright, but then realized I was leaning away from him. Not wanting him to think Idid not want this, I surged backward, pressing myself against him and trying to capture the sensations the author ofA Harlot’s Guidewrote about.
His little huff of a chuckle told me he approved.
“Such a good girl,” he murmured, his hands going to my upper arms. “A good girl like you, Cecelia, doesn’t need a dowry. She has so much more to tempt a man.”
My throat was too dry to answer, but I leaned back again with another little whimper.
“Like…your biddability.” His hands dragged down my arms. “Youarebiddable, are you not, Cecelia? You’d do anything I told you right now, wouldn’t you?”
“Yes, sir,” I rasped, near mad with need.
His hands moved from my forearms to my stomach, until his arms were wrapped around me. “Youlikeme touching you like this, don’t you?”
“Y—” I began, but then his rising hands cupped my breasts, and the word cut off with a moan.
