Page 65 of Tempting the Earl

Watching him, she slowly slid her hand up to his smooth, silken tip. Then back down again to the thick base.

His groan of pleasure reverberated through her low belly, making her inner muscles squeeze around an aching hollowness. She stroked him again and marveled at the weight and heat of him. The power and silent demand in him. He’d completely submitted his body to her touch, yet she got the distinct sense he was the one undeniably in control.

And to her utter shock—she liked sensing that power in him. It invigorated her and thrilled her to know the pleasure she took in his body right now was because he was allowing it. Because he wanted her to have it. He wanted her to take it.

The thought had her tightening her fist around him and he grunted roughly as his eyes opened to find hers. Something in his burning gaze inspired her to do it again. This time, she added a short stroke with the tightened grip.

His lips parted to reveal tightly clenched teeth and his eyes narrowed to fierce slits, glittering and intense.

She brought her hand up—her fingers encircling the ridged head—and repeated the rough stroke. Sliding her thumb over the small slit at the tip, she did it again. And again. Until a guttural sound rolled in his throat and his head fell back.

She noticed then that his hands were fisted so tightly against the sofa cushions his knuckles were white.

She eased her grip, but only slightly, and was surprised to see a bead of moisture form at the slit. On instinct, she claimed the drop with her finger and brought it to her lips. She barely had a chance to enjoy the subtle salt of him when he grasped her roughly around the waist and lifted her up and over his lap to sit on his thighs as her knees straddled his hips and her core hovered deliciously close to his throbbing length.

Palming the back of her head, he brought her mouth roughly to his. His tongue thrust forward in furious demand as his other hand gripped hard to her bottom. The kiss melted her bones and spun her off-balance. She clung to him, flattening her breasts to his chest as she rolled her hips in a desperate attempt to feel him. There. Everywhere.

But he held her firmly in place on his thighs, not letting her get closer.

Eventually, she broke from the kiss with a sound of frustration. But when she would have pulled back, he refused to allow it, catching briefly at her bottom lip with his teeth. She opened her eyes and crashed into his gaze just as he shifted his hand and she felt the first sweep of his thumb over her clitoris.

Her moan was deep and short, cut off by a harshly drawn breath when he circled his thumb with perfect pressure. Over and over, until sensation spiraled outward, making her flesh swell as she pulsed inside and out.

When his thumb reached lower, sliding effortlessly between her folds to press against her aching core, her breath puffed out and her chest tightened in anticipation. But he didn’t press forward. He simply held her like that, one hand buried in her hair, the other between her thighs.

“We can still stop now. If you want.”

Chapter Twenty-two

His words were ragged and tense, as though he could barely find the breath to manage them. She completely understood as it took an inordinate amount of time to force a reply past her own lips.

“Why in hell would I want to stop now?”

She realized she sounded angry and slightly confused and that her fingernails curled into his shoulders, but she didn’t care.

He took a steadying breath. “Because we haven’t yet done anything irrevocable.”

She frowned. “Irrevocable?” The word didn’t quite make sense to her lust-addled mind. Especially considering that while they talked, his thumb executed slow, subtle circles at the intimate entrance to her body, softening and warming her flesh. She didn’t think he was even aware of the deep caress.

She was aware and had to intently force herself not to respond with a lush roll of her hips.

“Your innocence,” he answered.

Her frown deepened even as delicious sensations spread through her.

“My innocence,” she noted firmly, “or lack thereof, should be no one’s concern but my own.” She might not have much actual experience in such things, but she sure as hell wasn’t ignorant of them. And she was well into spinsterhood besides. If she wished to behave scandalously in the privacy of her—the earl’s—home, then she should have the liberty to do so.

His brow furrowed in that way she knew to mean he was worried. His desire was warring with his deep-seated sense of honor.

His tone was heavy as he replied. “I never want to put you into a situation that could cause harm. Not in any way.”

Ainsworth slid her hands from his shoulders up the tense column of his throat to brush her thumbs along the hard line of his jaw.

“My lord,” she began carefully, wanting to be sure he heard and understood every word she was about to say. “I’m nearly twenty-eight years of age. I went from being a young girl, fresh from the schoolroom, to a woman responsible for the well-being of an orphaned babe. I took my responsibility to her very seriously.” She smiled. “Perhaps even a wee bit stubbornly. The life I forged at Faeglen was only possible because I refused to follow anyone else’s rules. Rules that insisted I couldnae do exactly what I knew had to be done.”

She paused to smooth her hand down the sculpted planes of his chest. Though she wanted to take his gorgeous erection in hand, she didn’t. Not yet.

“When I want something, I dinnae allow anything to stand in my way.” She leaned forward, until her mouth brushed gently against his as she spoke. “And right now, I want you.”