Page 87 of Never a Bride
“Alex—”
“Stop questioning everything I ask and just do it.” He knew he sounded grumpy and rude, but wasn’t about to soften, not when he knew the torture he was about to face.
And itwastorture. He lifted the cloak, then reluctantly curled his body about hers, tucking his thighs behind hers, sliding his arm about her waist. Almost immediately her shivering lessened, and she gave a relieved sigh.
Alex closed his eyes and tried to pretend he wasn’t feeling what he was feeling. Then in puzzlement he moved his hand at her waist and felt the hardness of her boned corset.
“Emmeline? How can you possibly be comfortable in this?”
“I see no other choice,” she said stiffly.
“At least loosen it.”
There was a pause, and he barely heard her soft voice. “I can’t do it by myself.”
More and more he was regretting his noble behavior. She would have had all of her garments off by now. Mumbling angrily beneath his breath, he reached between them and began to unbutton her gown.
Though she stiffened, she said nothing, even when he loosened the laces of her corset. When the garment didn’t immediately sag open, he gritted his teeth and worked the laces apart, touching the smooth skin of her back with each tug.
When he could feel at least two inches of flesh between the laces, he heard her inhale deeply and release a satisfied sigh.
“Thank you, Alex. Good night.”
He almost gave her a real reason to be satisfied, but instead he pulled her rather hard against him and did his best to sleep.
It didn’t go well. He felt every movement, heard every sound she made. He knew when she slipped into sleep by her deep breathing, and the way she relaxed and cuddled back into him. And all through it, his erection throbbed between them.
Night dragged on endlessly, and finally in the early morning, Alex slept a few hours. When he awoke well before dawn, Emmeline was facing him, her head pressed to his chest, her arms twined about him against the cold. For some strange reason, he imagined waking up in her arms every morning.
He told himself it would be boring, that her charms would fade for him. But he found himself kissing the top of her head just before gently shaking her awake.
She moaned and burrowed even tighter against him, nestling her warm face against his neck. He steeled himself against her softness and pushed her away. When she opened her eyes she seemed puzzled, until reality flooded back.
“Alex, come back here; it’s not even light yet.”
He’d heard that from more than one mistress, and he chuckled.
“What is it?” she asked suspiciously.
“Nothing. But we need to start back the way we came. Wouldn’t you like to break your fast at a comfortable inn? And wouldn’t you like to get there without my enemies finding us?”
Without another grumble, she stood up and the cloak dropped to the ground. She clutched at her gown as it sagged off her shoulders. Alex felt his mouth go dry even as she presented her back.
“Could you lace me up, please?”
Where was his prim Emmeline, guardian of her sister’s virtue? Just last night, she had wanted to give hers away.
And he had refused. God, he was a fool.
~oOo~
After two hours of walking, which tore holes in Emmeline’s town slippers, they reached a small but clean inn north of London. Alex made a lame excuse to the proprietor about their coach breaking down, while Emmeline tried not to look guilty.
After all, what did she have to feel guilty about? She’d been captured and had barely managed to escape.
And she’d wantonly offered herself to Alex Thornton.She was acting just like every other woman he knew.
But she hadn’t been able to stop herself.
