A Taste for Scandal (26 page)

Jane rolled her eyes and pushed at his shoulder. “A handful of years in the navy doesn’t give one license to be rude.”

“And five years carrying the weight of the world on one’s shoulders doesn’t mean you can forget to live your life, Janey.” He crossed his arms over his broad chest and leaned against her worktable. “All I’m saying is that if there is a reason for the pretty hair and red cheeks, I’m happy for you.”

The pounding of boots on the stairs heralded her brother’s return, saving Jane from trying to form a response. She was mortified by his implications, but rather touched as well. She offered him a tiny, admit-to-nothing smile.

He winked just as subtly and turned to Weston. “Ready to cast off? We’d best be on our way before the rain makes rivers of the roads.”

After hugs and waves and well-wishes for a safe journey, the two were off, leaving the kitchen unnervingly quiet. She knew Richard wouldn’t come until after dark, so she had little to do but wait for the moment he knocked on the back door, and her world changed. It was so quiet, in fact, that the anticipation of hearing the knock at the door seemed to amplify every little sound, even her own breathing. Was it possible to hear one’s own heartbeat?

After two hours, Jane had changed, freshened up her hair, tidied the living quarters, and paced the length of the kitchen at least a hundred times. She was too nervous to read, too nervous to write. She had even steadfastly ignored her mother’s letters. Somehow, she didn’t think Mama had included a section about sharing the night with a man who was not her husband, or even a true suitor. He was merely the man to whom she had managed to lose her heart.

Tap, tap, tap.
Jane froze, her heart leaping into her throat. He was finally here. She quickly smoothed her skirts, pinched her cheeks, and rushed to the door, only to pause with her hand on the key. When she let him in, there would be no turning back. Could she really do it? Could she really give herself to this man, whom she wanted so badly but could never truly have?

She stood there, her chest heaving as she sucked in a few calming breaths. She was already four-and-twenty, for heaven’s sake. And her conversation with Weston this week had reminded her of how soon he would be gone, leaving her all alone. Emerson’s words of encouragement before he left buoyed her, and she blew out a huge gust of air. This was her chance, and she was going to take it.

Slowly, she twisted the key in the lock.

Chapter Twenty-one

Just when he was starting to doubt she would let him in, the unmistakable scrape of the bolt sliding free went straight through Richard’s heart, sending his blood racing. He held his breath until at last the back door opened, and for a moment they merely stared at each other.

She was so damned beautiful. Everything about her called to him, a physical force pulling him to her as if he were connected by an unseen thread. Her eyes were dark, like the glossy leaves of a rosebush at midnight. Her cheeks were flushed and the perfect ivory silk that was the skin of her collarbone begged for the touch of his fingers.

Heedless of the cold rain that poured down on him, he didn’t move. What happened next must be her decision. It was impossible to know if her desires had changed since that perfect morning in the park. He’d unlocked her passionate side with that dance—but she’d had days to lock it away once more. He had to know that he was still welcome.

He hoped to God that he still was.

She drew her bottom lip between her teeth, then took a deep breath and stepped back, holding her hand out to him. The cold flood of relief was nothing compared to the hot flare of desire that coursed through his veins.
Thank God
. She still wanted him. It was all the encouragement he needed.

Without a word he went to her, not slowing until his arms circled her willing body and his lips were pressed to hers. Nothing had ever felt more perfect, more utterly right. He kicked the door closed with the toe of his boot and backed her against the wood, covering her body with his own. The air was almost balmy compared to outside, and her mouth was deliciously warm against his own rain-chilled lips.

She relaxed at once, leaning into his unrelenting kiss, giving as much as she took. Knowing that she still wanted him as much as he did her was more satisfying than he could have imagined. He gentled the kiss, deepening it in a way that brought them even closer together. Their tongues danced just as they had that day in the park, perfectly in harmony with each other.

“I missed you,” he murmured against her lips, unwilling to break their contact. And he meant it. No woman had ever captured him so fully, filling his mind and his thoughts and his senses quite like his sweet Jane. She was everything he had never wanted, completely wrong for him in every way, yet he needed her as much as he needed his next breath.

“I missed you, too,” she breathed, slipping her arms around his back without the least bit of hesitation. The simple gesture spoke volumes about her comfort level with him. It was almost impossible to believe how much things had changed. She rose to her toes, pressing her lips fully upon his. Groaning, he plundered her mouth, twining their tongues as his hands pushed into her silky black curls.

After a month of imagining what she would look like without her hair scraped back, he didn’t want to wait a minute longer to find out. He plucked the pins from her chignon one by one, his hands gentle as he worked. When at last her locks were free, he broke their kiss and pulled back to see. He drew in a deep breath. This was exactly what he had been waiting so long for. It cascaded like a shimmering waterfall, tumbling around her shoulders and down her back. Beautiful. It framed her face in a whole new way, calling attention to her wide, almond-shaped eyes and graceful cheekbones. It was a crime against humanity that she should hide away such beautiful hair each day.

He pressed a kiss to each of her hands, savoring the smell of sugar and sweetness. “You are absolutely exquisite.”

The shy smile that touched her reddened lips was almost his undoing. “Thank you.”

Richard shrugged off his drenched coat, letting it drop to the floor in a heap before wrapping an arm around her slender waist and slowly tugging her toward him. He hugged her fully against him, and without the cumbersome coat, he could feel her every curve through the fabric of their damp clothes.

Her fingers scraped along his back, and he shivered at the mere thought of her nails on his bare skin. He groaned; if his skin was bared, then hers would be as well. She would be perfect naked; he knew she would be. Desire flooded his body, almost unbearable in its intensity. He had been with many sophisticated and seductive women, and had never experienced anything close to this before. He broke the kiss, panting, and leaned his forehead against hers.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, her voice breathy.

“I need you,” he said again, infusing all of his desire into the words. “I’ve waited for you for so long. But if this is to be the night I have envisioned for us, I have to pace myself.” Otherwise, he would take her right there on the counter. She was an innocent; he needed to be gentle with her. She deserved a careful lover who would make this moment—this whole
night
—perfect for her.

Jane bit her lip, her eyes half closed in the most unknowingly seductive expression he had ever seen. She lifted on her toes and pressed a soft, featherlight kiss to his lips. “I trust you, Richard. You waited a month for me, but I have waited a lifetime for you.”

She squeezed her eyes closed and trailed her hands up from his back to the skin on his neck just above his cravat. She dragged in a breath before opening her eyes, looking up at him through her dark lashes. “I need you, too,” she whispered, her voice raw with desire.

“You’re certain?”

She nodded quickly, and if it had been anyone else but Jane, it would have been enough. But she had come to mean something . . .
more
to him. Something better. He wanted to be absolutely sure that she understood what his status as future marquis meant for them. He cupped her elbows gently and looked her in the eye. “No matter what my wishes are on the matter, I can’t offer you forever, sweet Jane. Only the present. Lord knows I want you, but it’s not too late to send me away.”

She paused, watching him through heavy lidded eyes. He gritted his teeth and held still, giving her as much time as she needed. The wait was utter torture, but she was worth it. At last she nodded. “I’m sure.”

He blew out a breath and smiled. “Then I’m all yours.” He paused to lock the door before turning to her once more. “Now, if you don’t mind,” he said, sweeping her off her feet and into his arms in one smooth motion, “I have the sudden desire to see your home.”

She squeaked with surprise and clung to his neck. “Well, then,” she said, a challenging smile growing on her lips once she got her bearings, “I suppose you should take me upstairs.”

She didn’t have to tell him twice.

Not wasting a single second he sprinted up the stairs, powered by anticipation and the need to feel her against his skin—finally. At the top of the second flight, Richard nudged the door open, stepping into a small but cozy parlor and kicking the door shut behind him. He headed straight for the closed doors in the short hallway past the sitting room, barely even registering the smattering of furniture along the way. “Which one?”

She pointed to the left. The room was dark and cooler than the main living area had been. He walked straight to the tall bed and laid her down, forcing himself to be gentle. Placing his hands on either side of her, he leaned down and captured her mouth in another searing kiss.

Christ, she tasted like heaven. Her beautiful, full lips were so damn perfect, he couldn’t help but nip her bottom lip lightly. He needed to see her, to feel her—all of her. He pulled away, nearly coming undone when she made a little sound of protest and slipped her hands around his neck to hold him in place. At this rate, he wouldn’t last two minutes.

He reached behind his neck and unclasped her hands, bringing them to his mouth and kissing the palms of each. After waiting for her for so long, he wanted to take his time. “I want to see you, my sweet. I swear I will be right back.”

With a will he hadn’t known he possessed, her pulled away from her willing body and strode quickly back to the parlor to light a candle by the fire.

Soon the wait would be over.

Breathing heavily, Jane watched as Richard slipped back into the room. The candlelight flickered off his still damp hair, turning it to burnished gold even as his eyes seemed to darken to the color of twilight. He was almost painfully handsome, yet without any of the pretense or arrogance she once attributed to him. All she saw now was the man she had totally and completely fallen for.

As she watched, he raised his hands to the buttons of his jacket, his eyes never leaving hers. With eager fingers, he made quick work of the fastenings and shed the garment. He removed his waistcoat and tossed it out of the way, then yanked at his cravat.

Her heartbeat thundering in her ears, she sat up on the bed. “Let me.”

His hands froze and she saw his nostrils flare. Without a word, he came toward her, and she moved so that she could stand on her knees on the edge of the bed.

He smelled so intoxicating, she could hardly think straight. It was so foreign—and exciting—to breathe his scent in her own bedroom. Slowly, she raised her slightly shaking hands to his cravat, and she gently began tugging at the knot. She hazarded a look at his face. His eyes were focused on her mouth. Without thinking, she wet her bottom lip and watched in fascination when his jaw tensed and he sucked in a breath.

She loved that she affected him in the same way that he did her. It was exciting, and empowering, and altogether exhilarating. With the cravat undone, she slowly slid it from his neck, savoring the whisper of the fabric as it glided against his skin. She paused, taking in the exposed column of his throat. It felt . . . sinful, deliciously so, to be privy to such an intimate part of him. She leaned forward and placed a delicate kiss on the base of his throat, where his pulse revealed his pounding heart.

When she pulled back, Richard lifted his hand and trailed a finger along her jawline. “Is it my turn yet?”

She shook her head, loving the feeling of control. “Now, if you don’t mind, I believe I was about to relieve you of your shirt, my lord.” She smiled up at him and tugged one of the buttons free. “If it pleases you, of course.” She popped another free from its buttonhole.

“It pleases me very much. The question is, does it please you?”

Another button free, another few inches of his chest revealed. Jane nodded slowly in answer to his question, not taking her eyes from the enticing V of skin she had exposed. She slid one more button from its slot. She could almost see his navel, and for some reason, she very much wanted to see it. With no more buttons to tease her, she lifted the shirt over his head and tossed it aside. She stepped back and took in the muscled expanse of his chest and his perfectly contoured stomach.

She drew a huge breath, her own stomach fluttering wildly as if a whole flock of geese had just taken flight within her. He was beautiful. She traced a finger down the taut line running from the base of his neck all the way to his navel. His skin was firm, yet surprisingly soft. She watched in fascination as his chest rose and fell with increasing speed.

Was Richard really as attracted to her as she was to him? Did he really think of her as much as he said he did? Did he love her as she did him? Her hands stilled.

Love?

Jane’s mind was reeling. Was love what made him so utterly irresistible to her, filling her mind and her thoughts and her heart, even when he wasn’t near? When Richard realized she wasn’t moving, he blinked and looked up to her eyes. She could clearly see the desire in his gaze, but was there something more?

“Jane, what is it?” Concern softened his voice as he looked to her. “What’s the matter?”

Was that what she felt for him? Was she truly in love with the man who had brought chaos to her life? As unbelievable as the notion seemed, it also felt . . . right. She drew a slow, deep breath, looking into his gorgeous blue eyes. She loved him. And this was her chance to be with him. If only it didn’t feel so—so
soon
.