Page 58 of Tempting the Earl

Her words dropped off as he cupped her breast and lifted it to receive the hot flick of his tongue across the budded peak. Her responding moan was like a drug. Burning through his veins, tightening every inch of muscle and sinew in his body.

The need to take her the rest of the way was like a compulsion. A sudden, acute obsession. He simply couldn’t let her go until he’d brought her to that final pinnacle of pleasure.

With a sound that was harsh and animalistic in the darkness embracing them, he shifted his stance to grasp her skirts in a tight fist. But just as he was about to lift the material so he could seek the heat between her thighs, he heard a rustle of sound.

He immediately stilled and listened.

A definite footfall on the grass. Then another. Getting closer.

Clenching his teeth so fiercely his jaw ached, he released her skirts and tugged her bodice back into its proper place.

“Nay,” she whimpered softly.

He quieted her with a kiss. This one languid and soft, meant to soothe rather than enflame. But the kiss somehow managed to be deep and erotic all the same. He could have stood there forever, making love to her mouth until she sighed her surrender and need.

A roughly cleared throat reminded him of the situation.

Ending the kiss, he brushed his thumb gently along the curve of her cheek, then stepped out from behind the tree.

Chapter Nineteen

“Wright.” Roderick’s low mutter filtered through the garden’s darkness with a note of impatience.

Suppressing a curse of irritation, Colin strode forward to meet his brother along the path back toward the house, hoping the other man wouldn’t realize Colin hadn’t been alone in the darkened garden. “What is it?” he asked curtly, still feeling the effects of such an intense passion being abruptly interrupted.

There was just enough light to see Roderick’s black brow arch as amusement curled his lips. “No need to bite my head off, Wright. There’s been an unexpected development in our project.”

Colin tensed even further. What could Roderick have discovered? Nightshade was supposed to be reporting directly and only to him. “What sort of development?”

“Come with me,” Roderick replied as he turned back toward the house. “You may as well come along, Miss Morgan.”

Damnit.

As Roderick strolled on ahead, Colin turned back to watch her emerge from the darkness.

The deep purple of her evening gown was perfectly suited to the night garden setting and for a moment, his heart stopped at the picture she made. Dark auburn hair was piled thick atop her head with casual tendrils framing her pert features. Her green eyes sparkled and her lovely mouth was soft from his kisses. Though she met his gaze without shyness, there was a very slight hint of uncertainty in how she tried to smooth the wrinkles from her gown as she approached him.

“What is this about?” she asked in a whisper.

“I’m not entirely sure. But you don’t have to join us if you’d rather not.”

There was only a slight pause before she shook her head. “No. If Mr. Bentley believes I should be there, I’ll come with you.”

Colin nodded. The acknowledgement that Bentley knew they were in the garden together hovered like a drift of smoke between them.

“This way,” his brother called quietly and Colin realized he was leading them to a side entrance so they wouldn’t have to go through the ballroom.

He held out his hand and there was only a moment of hesitation before she slid her fingers in his. He tucked her hand into the bend of his elbow and guided them along the path in the direction of Roderick’s voice.

He wanted to say something. Something to ease her subtle disquiet. Something to assure her that all would be well. Something...

Anything, really.

But no words formed. So, they entered the house in silence, stepping into a small, dark sitting room before following Roderick out into the main hall. The hall was blessedly empty for just a moment. Then Mr. Turner, the husband to Mrs. Bentley’s youngest sister, stepped from the drawing room to stride casually across the hall. He gave them a brief nod as he withdrew a cigar from his pocket and headed to the front door, apparently stepping out for fresh air and a smoke.

Roderick paused at a closed door at the back of the hall. Opening the door, he stepped aside and gestured for them to enter. “In here, please.”

Miss Morgan slipped her hand from his arm as she preceded him into the room. Colin glanced quickly at her profile before she stepped away. What was she thinking? Did she regret their stolen moments? Did she curse the interruption as intensely as he did?

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