Page 42 of Lady of Providence
"Of course not," she said, indignant that he would even suggest she wouldn't have thought of such a thing.
"Good," he said, a slight smile teasing his lips. "Then we have all the time in the world."
What he was going to do with that time, Elizabeth had no idea. When the two of them had previously come together, it was quick, hurried, with him finishing in the bushes beside them in order to "protect her." She knew he had been remorseful afterward, which had hurt more than the actual act in itself.
Now, he carried her through his home, and Elizabeth knew that if she had to find her way out alone, she would become lost through the dizzying array of corridors and rooms within. Gabriel possessed wealth of which most people could only dream, and his London home was more expansive than many country estates she had visited.
Her heart began to beat so quickly and loudly that she thought he surely must be able to hear it as they climbed the stairs to the upper level. He strode down the carpeted hallway as though she weighed nothing, stopping in front of a door at the end of the hall. He nudged it open with his shoulder, revealing his chambers within.
As he stepped out of the corridor and into the room, he finally set Elizabeth back on her feet, and she looked around her in awe.
There was no question of the masculinity of the room, and it bespoke Gabriel at every touch, from the dark stone surrounding the fireplace from where a dim glow fell over the room, to the dark gold drapes pulled over the windows on the wall beside. In front of them sat a writing desk, where she supposed he often worked in order to see out to the view beyond, though what was beyond the curtains, Elizabeth had no idea, so turned around she was.
The canopy over the bed matched the curtains, and Elizabeth gasped at how massive it was. The ornate wood carvings within the headboard were rather ghastly, though she certainly wasn’t about to remark upon them at this moment. The thought, however, did ease her beating heart somewhat, at least for a moment.
Until Elizabeth remembered just what they would be doing upon the bed, and then she became slightly nervous once more.
Gabriel must have sensed it, for he walked over to a sideboard next to the fireplace, and picked up a glass.
"Would you like a drink?"
"You keep brandy in your bedroom?"
He shrugged. "It helps me sleep."
Elizabeth took a step toward him, reaching for the glass after he had poured a bit into it.
"Very well," she said, thinking it couldn't hurt, and drank it down quickly, welcoming the burn in her belly.
He took the empty glass from her, deliberately allowing their fingertips to brush against one another, then placed the glasses back down before turning to her.
"Now, Elizabeth," he said, his voice sending tingles down her spine. "Let your education begin."
CHAPTER20
What was this woman doing to him?
It was all Gabriel could do to keep himself under control, to prevent himself from tossing Elizabeth on the bed, ripping the buttons of her dress as he divested her of it, and entering her with all of the passion he had been attempting to hold back.
But that was not what a woman such as Elizabeth deserved. Nor what she would welcome, as far as he could gather.
So, instead, he had allowed a brief respite between them before he came toward her, forcing himself to be slow and tender. He brought his hands to her slim shoulders, turning her around so that her back was to him. Gabriel removed one pin, and then another from her hair, allowing the wet tresses to trail down her back. He had never before seen her hair disheveled, and it enticed him. He had imagined this moment for some time, of what it would be like to have her before him, beneath him.
Once he had released her hair, he began on the buttons of her dress. They were dratted things, tiny and not made for large fingers like his own. But he managed well enough, and soon her gown gaped open at the waist. He fitted his hands inside the silk, around her chemise, drawing her back toward him between the V in his legs. When her bottom came against him, he nearly groaned aloud.
He helped her sleeves down her arms, trailing his fingers along her skin behind the silk. Remembering how much she had seemed to enjoy his mouth on her neck earlier this evening, he repeated the motion, satisfaction filling him when he heard her sigh in response.
Her gown soon fell down her slim body to the floor, and he took a moment to appreciate her form in only her stays and chemise. He quickly unlaced the stiff garment about her waist, allowing it to join the clothing beneath them. He picked up her clothing and laid it before the grate to dry. He turned back for her chemise but she stepped away from him, her eyes teasing as she waved a finger in front of him.
"Not yet," she said. "It's your turn now."
He grinned at her challenge as she stepped back toward him, undoing the remainder of his shirt buttons. Thankfully he currently wore far less clothing than she, and soon his shirt followed her own clothing to the floor while her hands came to the fall of his pants, freeing him in a few swift motions.
He stepped out of his breeches, coming toward her now, and she backed up until she was against the bed — exactly where he wanted her.
Gabriel now found the hem of her chemise, and in one motion it flew off of her.
Before Elizabeth had time to even feel any embarrassment due to her current state of undress, Gabriel picked her up and placed her gently on the bed. Instead of following her, he took a moment to step back and appreciate what lay in front of him. Elizabeth squirmed uncomfortably once she realized what he was doing, but he leaned over and stilled her with his arms around her.
