Rescued By A Viscount(54)

Lying beside her, Simon slid his arm beneath her shoulders and turned her onto her side so she faced him. He then cupped her head and drew her closer for a kiss.



Claire curled her fingers into his chest and kissed him back. She’d wanted this since the last time their lips had touched. Every time she looked at him, she felt his strength pressed against her and remembered the softness of his lips against her own.

“We can’t do this, Claire–not all of it.” His words were hoarse and Claire heard the need in them, the need that matched her own.

“Make me feel what you did at your cottage, Simon, please.”

Lowering his head, he kissed the skin above the neckline of her nightdress as one of his hands slid beneath the hem. His hand moved up her leg. His fingers stroked and caressed every inch of her skin. “Undo your buttons, Claire.”

Her fingers fumbled, but she finally managed what he had asked, and then he was kissing the top of her breasts. Her body was a furnace; need pooled inside her. Pressure built and she ached to have it released. He licked around her nipple as his hand reached the top of her thigh, hot strokes of his tongue driving her passions higher.

“Open your legs for me, sweetheart.”

She did as he asked, and then his hand was there, stroking the curls and easing into the damp folds below. Claire had never guessed she could feel like this. No one had told her what could happen between a man and a woman. She moaned, her body arching beneath his hands and his mouth, which now closed over her nipple as he touched the small, hard bud between her thighs.

“Soon, Claire–not long now.”

She had no idea what he spoke of, knew only that if he stopped, she would surely die. And then he pushed his fingers inside her as his teeth continued to torment her nipple, and she felt it, the beautiful burst of pleasure that left her shuddering and weak seconds later in his arms.

“Dear god.”

His laugh held little humor; in fact, to Claire, it sounded almost painful. Opening her eyes, she looked up at him. His face was taut and his teeth, clenched. His body was strung tight.

“You need pleasure, too, Simon. Let me give it to you.”

“No, Claire. You are a lady–”

“Therefore I cannot give a man pleasure?” Claire’s heart still raced, yet her body felt languid. It was a wonderful sensation and one she knew she would never reach with any man but this one again.

“It is not right.”

Claire placed a hand on his chest and pushed him onto his back as she rose. “I may be innocent, yet I know you need relief, Simon, just as you gave it to me. So tell me what to do.”

“No.” He got out of bed and glared down at her. She moved quickly, kneeling at the edge of the bed. Pressing one hand against his erection, she took the bold move of stroking him through his breeches. He twitched and then moaned as she did it again. “Claire, don’t-”

Undoing the buttons, she opened his breeches and took him into her hands, touching and stroking the heated skin. Simon stood rigid, hands fisted at his sides, eyes closed as he shuddered with every touch of her hand on his flesh. It was like heated steel, Claire thought as she closed her fingers around him and ran them up and down the length. The tip was damp, so she used the moisture to smooth her way.

“Faster–dear Christ, do it faster, Claire,” he rasped.

Claire adjusted her position and did as he asked. Leaning forwards, she placed a hot kiss on his chest, and he moaned again. Lord, the power of touching him like this was intoxicating. Had he felt the same touching her? She wanted his release almost as much as she’d wanted her own. One of his hands fisted in her hair. Pulling her head back, his mouth crushed hers, and she felt him shudder, his body stiffening beneath her hands.

“God, Claire, I’m sorry.” He pulled away from her when he was spent and went behind the screen. Returning with a damp cloth, he then washed her hands.

“I’m not sorry, Simon. It was wonderful.”

He threw the cloth aside, then did up the buttons of her nightdress. “I should not have done that…or let you–”

Claire placed her hand over his mouth and then shook her head. “Say nothing more, Simon. What we just did was beautiful, and I won’t have you ruin it with apologies. Do you understand?”

He nodded, so she released him and lay back on the bed. Turning on her side, she smiled in the darkness. She felt tired now, as if someone had drained all the blood from her body, it was a wonderful feeling. Simon soon joined her, and she felt him press his front to her back, one arm pulling her tight into his body. They did not speak again and in minutes, both were asleep.



At dawn, they were again on the road. This time the journey would end at Liverpool. Simon was relieved to see no discomfort or regret on Claire’s face as she looked at him across the coach. He manfully attempted to push all visions of her pleasuring him and him pleasuring her out of his head. Now was not the time to discuss what they had done; there would be plenty of time for that later. They had to concentrate on the child.