Page 34 of Twelve Drummers Drumming

“Hugh,” Jemima moaned in the short break between kisses, “I want you to know—I need you to that…I have never…this is all new to me, and I haven’t—before…”

“I know,” he said simply, “and I cannot believe that you are trusting me with you.”

Jemima arched her back as his finger and thumb pinched around her nipple and twisted a shock of pleasure through her core.

“Oh, God, Jemima,” Hugh whispered, and his lips burned into hers once again.

Her hands moved to the buttons on his jacket, and although she wondered how on earth she was going to be able to concentrate long enough to remove them, her subconscious knew what she wanted and seemingly was happy to oblige. Before a moment had passed, the buttons were undone, and the jacket was dropped to their feet.

Jemima moved her hands to his chest, exploring the feeling of the strength and power that was under the linen shirt. Hugh quivered with every touch, whimpering slightly as he kissed her, as his hardness flexed, pushing itself toward her.

“Jemima,” he murmured, his fingers stroking her to a rhythm now as she arched against his touch, desperate for more.

And then, suddenly, she was blind, pleasure rocketing through her. Jemima could barely see as Hugh’s fingers brought her to such a crest of pleasure, she cried out his name, a cry stifled by his lips as he brought her gently back down to earth.

Hugh lifted his head from hers. “Jemima, I—”

“Jemima? Jemima where are you?”

Protected by the darkness of the night, Hugh acted quickly. A quick removal of his hand from her secret place joined with his second hand to lift Jemima back onto the ground.

Jemima could hardly think, hardly keep herself balanced. What had just occurred? Her legs quivered, pleasure still rippling out from her body.

What had Hugh done? What had they just shared, beyond the most utter pleasure a person could know?

“Jemima?”

“Ready to face the world?” Hugh whispered as Jemima tried to establish whether her hair was respectable enough to be seen. Would anyone guess? Would they know, merely by looking at her, that she had shared something so precious yet so scandalous, she was now a wanton woman?

Jemima shook her head slightly. “I would rather have carried on with you.”

Hugh groaned with passion in his voice. “If we are not very careful, we shall end up doing something that we regret.”

Jemima’s eyes widened, but she did not pretend to misunderstand his meaning. “I would not have regretted a thing,” she said simply.

She swallowed as she looked up at him. “It’s all I can manage to prevent myself from asking you to sweep me back into your arms and lay me on the balcony.”

Hugh groaned as he picked up his crimson jacket. “You are killing me, Jemima.”

“Jemima?” Arabella’s voice was worried now.

Jemima sighed. “I am here, Arabella.”

She knelt down and lifted Hugh’s crutch, handing it to him without a word before walking back into the ballroom.

Chapter Nine

“And he’s reallygone?” Selina’s eyes were wide and disbelieving. “Truly?”

Arthur gave a heavy sigh. “Yes.”

Jemima had been expecting the news to be confirmed, but it was still a shock to hear at the breakfast table.

She sat beside her father at the head of the table, with Caroline beside her and the baby of the family, Sophia, on the other side. There were yawns from all quarters.

The family had overslept that morning, so their usual breakfast at nine o’clock had been postponed until eleven o’clock. Exhaustion and nerves filled the room, but Jemima was quiet for different reasons.

Last night. She could still hardly believe it.

---