Page 33 of The Duke of Scandal

Then his mouth engulfed hers once more as he guided her in a squeezing, massaging motion. Harriet felt her nipple becoming erect between her fingers. Then he encouraged her to squeeze them around it, pulling outward. A squeak such as had never emerged from her lips before came out of her and she couldn’t help but giggle. Her laughter was met by a relaxed and boyish smile from Edward.

In that moment, she loved that smile. She loved the easy nature that it represented and the promise of pleasure and sensuousness

I do not care that he is an expert in seduction. I do not care that he will never marry me or that he is a rake. I do not care about scandal or reputation. I simply want him.

The motion of his hands against hers was increasing in urgency. A feeling such as she had never experienced was growing from her most intimate area and it was her own touch, guided by him, that was doing it. That made it feel taboo, and that in turn made the pleasure even more intense. Edward’s lips kissed her chin, then her throat. His teeth fastened on the torn edge of her shift and with a single powerful wrench, pulled it away, exposing a naked breast.

Harriet cried out aloud, her voice echoing in the high ceilinged space. Her toes curled and an explosion of fire erupted within her. Suddenly, Edward was bearing her to the ground. She could feel the pressure of his passion against her, the evidence of his lust. His hands still guided her, now moving almost frenziedly against her own body, and producing pulsing waves of lava that made her call out his name.

A sudden sound reached them from the direction of the door. Something metallic moving on the ground, like an ornament being inadvertently kicked or disturbed by someone who did not know it was there. The same sound that had alerted Edward to Harriet’s presence. He looked up, and Harriet barely suppressed a moan of frustrated disappointment as she felt the glorious bulging pressure against her loins withdraw.

“Who’s there?” Edward called, getting to his feet.

Harriet sat up, pulling her nightdress back up over her breast and shoulder, feeling vulnerable and exposed.

By god, he had me completely under his spell. What on earth was I doing?

Edward growled under his breath, getting to his feet, and grabbing the sword, still wet on part of the blade with his own blade.

“By heaven, I will thrash whoever I catch to within an inch of their life!” he roared, striding for the door.

Harriet distinctly heard the sound of running footsteps retreating along the passageway. By the time Edward reached the door, whoever it had been, was gone.

CHAPTER 22

“Who the devil!” Edward exclaimed as he reached the door and stared down the dark passageway.

Behind him, Harriet was pulling her thick dressing gown back around herself and scrambling to her feet. Edward darted along the passageway, but upon reaching the end, there was no further sound or sight of the voyeur. When he returned to the Long Library, Harriet had covered herself and stood by the fire, looking worried.

“They are gone. If it was a servant, I will find out soon enough. I’ll rouse them all from their beds and question them one at a time.”

“No, Edward, don’t do that. What reason would you give?” Harriet appealed.

“Any damn reason I choose!” Edward raged, “this is outrageous!”

“What we were doing is the outrage. Had we been simply sitting and talking, there would have been no scandal. But, we were not.”

Edward walked back into the room, staring moodily into the fire, and then looking at Harriet. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes bright. He had never met such a beautiful woman, and the interruption had not dispelled his desire for her. Knowing that someone had been listening merely made it all the more exciting.

“Do you regret it?” he asked.

“No,” Harriet said without hesitation.

Then she looked away, running a hand through her hair. “Yes,” she said finally. “It is my responsibility to find a husband so that I may play my part in helping my family. A scandal could destroy any chance I have of that. It would not harm you but it would destroy me and my family.”

“Unless I were the husband,” Edward said softly.

In that moment, he meant it sincerely. Harriet was beautiful and strong, intelligent, and fierce. She was everything he looked for in a woman and seemed like she would be the perfect mother for his children. His passion was alight and as he spoke the words, he would have married her there and then, had she consented.

“Edward, I am from a penniless and anonymous family. It would not be much different from marrying a commoner. Would you do that?”

Edward looked away, her eyes were too penetrating. She saw through his passion, to the cold reality beneath.

She is right. A match with a Worthingham would not serve the Bolton family. And it would only encourage Rebecca in her foolishness. There may be little familial connection, but Harriet shares a name with Lucius. Better to have no connection.

He shook his head. “I cannot. But I wish I could,” he finally whispered.

Harriet stepped closer and Edward felt her fingers through his hair. He closed his eyes and let his head fall back, enjoying the sensuous delight of her caressing touch.

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