The Duke and the Dressmaker (The St. James Series) (12 page)

“Philip, can I touch you? I want you inside me
; I need you now.” She stared into his eyes, shocked at her wantonness.

His eyes smoldered as he gazed into hers. “Do whatever you like, love. I will let you know if I don’t like it.”

Ignoring her boldness, she reached down between her legs and grabbed him, running the tender end of him against her pleasure spot, rocking against him, building the pleasure inside her core. She brought the head of his penis inside her briefly to pick up her wetness, then, slick with her own juices, ran him around the outside of her entrance. Her other hand clenched his shoulder at the unexpected pleasure.

“Sara, you are killing me,” Philip ground out through his teeth.
“I don’t know how much more I can take.” His blue eyes reached hers, hazy with passion. She was lost when he gazed at her that way. His finger ran down her cheek.

“Take me in you,” he whispered. “Take me.”

Sara plunged him inside her womanly sheath, wrapping him in her wetness. They groaned simultaneously. She slowly retreated, then brought herself down on him again. She repeated it a few times, picking up her rhythm slowly. How could she have known a man’s penis would feel so wonderful inside her? She lost control of her thoughts, driven by sensation alone, her body screaming for release. Drawing him inside her again and again, faster and faster, she clenched her muscles tight on him.

He groaned and reached for her bottom. Pulling her in close, he caressed her
two globes softly as Sara arched her back, trying to get him in further. Reaching a frenzied pace, she brought herself up and down his length, moaning with each push. He changed his tactic and reached in front to touch her nub. Within seconds she screamed, exploding with an orgasm that rocked her. It was so intense her muscles contracted hard on Philip’s penis, sending him over the edge with her. He yelled as his seed shot into her.

He gathered her in close to him as their panting subsided, mingling their sweat, her breathing harsh against his chest. His hands ran softly up and down her back.

“Philip?” Sara spoke softly between pants.

“Yes?” His hand was still caressing her back.

“Is it always this good?” she whispered with her eyes closed, enjoying the scent of their lovemaking.

“No, sweetness, we are especially good together.”

A few minutes later, he put his hands on her waist and kissed her forehead, then set her on the floor.

He led her over to her bed and pulled the coverlet back.

“I think I have kept you up late enough.”

They climbed into bed together
, and Philip tucked her head onto his shoulder.

She
fell asleep instantly.

Chapter Seventeen

When Philip awoke at dawn, he gazed at the beautiful woman sound asleep in his arms. He could feel her soft breasts moving as she breathed, teasing his chest hairs. Her eyes still had dark circles under them. He was partly to blame. He had kept her up.

Waking her early probably wasn’t the right thing to do then, however, his member had
its own opinion about that. Philip stared up at the ceiling trying to calm the lust in his body. If he didn’t look at her, it had to get better, right?

It wasn’t working. He stared at the pup tent the sheet made over his engorged penis. How was he going to fix this without disturbing her?

A giggle of laughter erupted slowly next to him.

“Again, Philip?
Twice last night, and you want to do it again?” Mirth bubbled in her voice as she turned to peek at his face.

Philip growled and rolled her over onto her back.

“Yes, I want you again, beauty. But this time I will be on top.” He leaned down and pulled her nipple into his mouth. A responsive moan reached his ears. “That is the only answer I needed.” He smiled and proceeded to ravage her mouth.

***

Philip hopped out of bed and covered Sara with the blankets. “Stay in bed, princess. I will arrange a bath for you and see that breakfast will be ready shortly.”

Sara sighed as she pulled the covers up to her chin. Her thoughts ran back over the night. Astounded would be the best way to describe how she felt at the moment. How wonderful Philip had been with her. She truly had been missing quite a bit in her marriage to Duncan. How could she have known sex could be so exciting and gratifying? She ran her hand down her body as she reveled in all Philip had taught her.

Phoebe had been right. A relationship between a man and woman could definitely be better than her relationship with Duncan had been. Wouldn’t it be amazing to wake up in Philip’s arms every day? She daydreamed briefly about how different her life could be, especially if she was married to him. She reflected on how it would be to have a family again. She had always wanted to have brothers and sisters, even if by marriage. Could she and Philip possibly have children? She thought of Phoebe and Edward’s beautiful baby girl. Was that too much to hope for?

She even believed Philip would discuss things with her. Duncan had made a point of never being around enough to talk to Sara. Her intelligence didn’t appear to be sufficient for Duncan. He always gave the impression he was above everyone else. How ironic the
duke didn’t act like that at all, and he was stationed way above others.

The reminder of his title turned her smile into a frown.
A wedding between a duke and a dressmaker could never be. She knew what society would say, especially about a female shopkeeper. It just would never happen.

Climbing out of bed, she stuck her head into the room with the tub and saw the steaming water. Sara sighed like a little girl as she sunk down into the warmth again.

***

When Sara was dressed, she headed downstairs to find Philip. She found him in a small breakfast room sipping tea. He quickly stood.

“Good morning, sweetness. You are lovely this morning.” He leaned in to kiss her cheek. “May I
serve you breakfast?”

“Yes, please.” Sara blushed with a smile. “I admit I am a bit hungry this morning.”

Philip filled a plate from the sideboard of eggs, sausage, toast and fruit. He set it in front of her with a smile. “I suspect you do need to replenish your energy.”

Sara was thankful they were alone. She would be extremely embarrassed if he spoke as such in front of the servants.

“Thank you, Your Grace.” She loved looking at him, especially when his blue eyes sparkled the way they did now.

Philip reached for her fingers and brushed his lips across them briefly. “Philip, please. I enjoy hearing my name on your lips.”

They ate in silence for a bit. Philip appeared lost in thought. Finally, after she filled a second plate of food, he spoke softly. “Can we talk, Sara?”

“
Of course.”

“I would like to talk about your situation and about what happened last night.”

“I told you all I know about last night. I don’t know why someone interrupted Stinky, but I am thankful he did. I did not know the man in question.”

“I suspect it was a man I hired to watch your place. I have someone there every night to protect you and to find out who is blackmailing you.” Philip stirred his tea as he stared at Sara.

“What? You hired someone to watch me?” Sara’s eyes darted to his quickly. Her head shook briefly. What was he talking about?

Philip set his tea down as he sighed. “Watch over you, not watch you. I worry about your safety. I tried to find out who is bothering you, but I have been unsuccessful.
This appeared the next best way to see to your safety, especially when I discovered you don’t really go to the boardinghouse and you sleep at your shop. It is not safe for a woman to be alone in the middle of London.”

“Philip, I appreciate your concern, but I cannot expect you to continue this.” How long could he possibly hire someone to protect her? It could be months.

“I do not want to continue this. I have a suggestion for you that I would like you to seriously consider.” His feet shuffled as he straightened his napkin.

Piercing blue eyes stared into hers. He took hold of her hand and ran his thumb across the back.
“Sara, I would like you to stay here. No one else comes to this house. It would be just the two of us. You risk danger every time you step into that shop now. Someone wants you or your money. You could be risking your life.”

“And so,
you want me to move here?” Her gut clenched at the possibility of what he suggested. Her eyes narrowed as she glared at him across the table.

“Yes, I believe it would be a satisfactory solution for both of us.
After last night, we clearly have mutual affections.” He cleared his throat and dropped his eyes after he spoke. “You risk too much working and sleeping in the heart of London all alone.”

“And what about my business?
What about the gowns your mother and sister have ordered from me?” She set her fork down and pushed her chair back from the table.

The
duke’s eyebrows furrowed as he shook his head. “My mother and sister have plenty of gowns. They would not want them if they knew they were placing you in danger. You cannot be in that shop alone anymore. I forbid it.” His chin went up, his look stern.

“You forbid it? Since when do you issue me orders? I am not part of your family.”
Her head shook before she placed her hands over her face. But then she removed them to glare at him. “And what would you have me do all day, Your Grace? Stare out the window waiting for you?”

“I don’t know
. Do whatever women do. What do other women do? What did my mother do?” Philip was clearly irritated with the direction of the conversation.

Sara stood. “Your mother took care of her many children. Phoebe takes care of her daughter. But I suspect children are not part of this. Oh, but they could be. Because I am thinking that you want me sexually available to you at all times as part of the deal.”
Her hands went instinctively to her hips.

“There are ways of preventing children. Once you move your things here, I will have you consult discreetly with a woman that is an expert at preventing children. It is done all the time, Sara.”

Sara raged inside. “Forgive me, but please allow me to clarify this. You want me to move in here and give up my business, so that I can be your mistress. Oh, and consult with a courtesan so everything will be as you wish.”

Philip adjusted his cravat. “Certainly you were not expecting me to propose marriage. You know I cannot do that. I am a
duke. My wife needs to be of noble bloodlines. My children need to have nobility in their blood. I doubt if I will ever marry again after the fiasco of my first marriage.”

“And what would I say when I
came upon your mother in the street? What would I say when she asked me why I was closing my shop? What should I tell your sister? Oh, I am sorry, Emma, but I am living sinfully in your brother’s townhouse. Of course, perhaps you would keep me here and never allow me out. That would prevent that from happening, would it not?”

S
he threw her napkin down on the table and stalked over to the doorway, turning as she reached it. “Excuse me, Your Grace. I have work to do. I shall be leaving now. And thank you for your offer, but I have no interest in being your whore.”

Sara could not believe
the audacity of the man. He wanted her to move in here, be his trollop, her only concern in life to be here whenever he wanted her.

Philip followed her
. “What is your hesitancy? I do not understand. You are a widow. This is done frequently in the
ton
. No one will think any less of you.” He reached for her hand.

She pulled her hand out of his reach. “I will
. I will think less of me. And it is not done frequently to me. I will not whore for you. And the biggest insult is thinking that I have so little character I would be satisfied sitting here waiting for you all day. Do you think me so ignorant as to do nothing all day? I do have a mind, Your Grace. And I prefer to use it.”

Sara turned to leave, but hesitated. “This is partially my fault. I take responsibility for my actions. I did whore for you last night. I wanted to know how it feels to be held in another man’s
arms. I needed to know what relations are like with a different man. Well, now I know. So I thank you for that. In a way, I used you.”

“
Clearly, it was not like this with your husband. So, after the intimate relations we shared—which you cannot deny were extremely satisfying—how can you walk away?” Philip stared into her eyes, gloating over their sexual encounter.

“Because now I know what I don’t want.
You.”

Sara stormed out of the
townhouse.