Page 33 of Tempting the Viscount
He didn’t think he’d ever smiled so widely in his life. But he couldn’t find it within him to care if he looked foolish.
He brought her hips closer so her core was flush against his cock. “Is there anything I can do to sway your decision?”
She shifted her hips against him, dragging her wet folds over his hardness with a soft murmur of approval. “I am always willing to consider a logical argument— Oh!” Her breath shattered on the last word as he lifted her and rammed her down onto him. “And I must say, you do seem to have a very persuasive way about you.”
He laughed, allowing hope to bubble through him. She was going to be his—he could feel it in his bones. Lucy was still holding on to her stubbornness, but he’d wait for her however long it took. Until then, he was going to do everything in his power to see that she became addicted to his touch.
“You’ve created a monster, Lucy. Now that I’ve given into temptation, you’re never going to get rid of me.”
Her arms tightened around his shoulders, and she leaned into him, taking over, her body rising and falling over his. She spoke softly against his mouth. “That might not be such a bad thing.”
There was no longer any need to hold back, and he gave himself over completely, without guilt, to his desire.
Lucy was thinking about accepting his proposal. She wanted to have a child with him, so there was no need to take precautions.
Now he just had to figure out how to spend more time with her because he doubted Clarington would allow him unfettered access to his sister’s body.
He’d need to count on the assistance of allies who were rooting for them, chief among them the duchess.
But for now he would think only of the beautiful, vivacious woman in his arms. Her body tightened around him all too soon, and he couldn’t hold back his own release.
She let out a soft moan and then a louder one while her orgasm went on and on. He held her in place as he followed, giving her every part of himself, body and soul.
Before too much longer, he vowed to make Lucy Mansfield the new Viscountess Holbrook.
Chapter 17
June 1819
It was official. Every single one of Lucy’s friends seemed intent on seeing a match made between her and Holbrook. Over the next few weeks, they were paired up at a surprising number of private dinner parties. And if Lucy visited Hatchard’s bookshop with Lady Hargrove, she discovered that Holbrook was already there with her friend’s husband.
The second time it happened, she realized it wasn’t a coincidence. For a moment she’d suspected Holbrook had engineered the meeting, but the exasperated huff he’d aimed at Lord Hargrove, followed by the earl’s grin, told her he’d been just as surprised.
During larger social events, Holbrook took care to remain close by. They weren’t betrothed, so it would cause a stir if he remained by her side the entire evening, but it was clear that was what he wanted.
And heaven help her, so did she.
If she had any lingering doubts about Holbrook’s character as the season progressed, they’d been thoroughly erased. And yet she still had one fear that was impossible to banish.
Every Wednesday, Holbrook called to take her to Hyde Park, but instead, he brought her to his town house. He’d shown her exactly why her friends were so happily married. Why they didn’t dread their husband’s touch as Lucy had dreaded Mansfield’s visits when he’d still bothered.
During their all-too-brief moments together, she’d come to a horrible realization. She loved Holbrook. He was in her heart more deeply than Mansfield had ever been.
Which was why that Wednesday, when he brought them to his town house, she didn’t immediately fly into his arms the moment the bedroom door was closed.
He lifted one brow. “Is something the matter?”
She’d thought this moment would be difficult. To her surprise, it was the opposite. But then everything with Holbrook felt natural and easy. And she knew, without a doubt, that he would do anything for her.
Which was why she needed to give him the chance to back away now if he had even the smallest doubt about their future.
“The season will be coming to an end soon.”
He stared at her for several seconds before finally speaking. “Is it just the season that is ending?”
His jaw was tense, his stare solemn, and she realized what he must be thinking. That she was seeking to put an end to their affair.
She closed the space between them and cradled his face in her hands. “No, that wasn’t what I was saying.”
