His stomach tightened in surprise, even as his shaft stiffened with approval. Walking close, he stopped and gazed down at her.
How lovely she was, her fair skin flushed from sleep, her fiery hair tousled around her head. She slept deeply on her side, her lips relaxed and slightly open, as though she was waiting to be kissed.
And perhaps she is, he mused.
With his throat already bare from having removed his cravat earlier, he reached for his shirt and pulled it off over his head. Slipping out of his shoes and trousers, he left them where they fell, then crawled between the sheets.
Sliding near, he wrapped his arms around Grace so that he was settled behind her, his knees tucked in close to hers. Letting his hand rest where it seemed most natural, he cupped one full, luscious breast in his palm. His eyes closed in acute pleasure.
He sucked in a harsh breath as she shifted against him in her slumber, her bottom rubbing briefly against his throbbing shaft. Good thing he'd left on his drawers, or else he wouldn't have been able to stop himself from opening her thighs and thrusting into her right then and there.
Instead he kept a tight leash on his needs, willing himself to do nothing more than hold her for the present. He would let her decide what came next. If she awakened, he would make love to her. If she didn't, he would let her sleep.
For now.
Grace came slowly awake, cradled in a blissful cocoon of warmth and relaxation. Sighing contentedly, she snuggled closer to the wondrous source of heat, pressing her face more fully into the pillow beneath her cheek. Strangely enough, though, the goose feathers didn't dip but remained smooth and firm in a way that wasn't pillowlike at all.
///
Her nose twitched as something soft tickled it. Reaching up, she rubbed the itch, then settled back. As she did, she became aware of two things at once-that the solid warmth beneath her thigh was shaped a great deal like a leg, and that her pillow was breathing.
Her sleepiness fell away, her eyes opening to find a shadowy, dawn light just beginning to filter into the room. She leaned upright-or at least she tried to lean upright-but found herself unable to move more than a single inch due to the long, muscular, male arm draped across her shoulders.
Tipping back her head, she encountered Jack's heavy-lidded, blue-eyed gaze.
Shock radiated through her in an electrical tingle as she realized that he was awake and watching her. Even worse was the fact that the two of them were literally entwined, her breasts and stomach pressed against his side, while one of her legs rode his thigh, her calf trapped beneath his own hair-roughened one. As for her nightgown, the material had ridden up so that the hem barely covered her naked bottom.
Somehow, without her awareness, she'd obviously sought him out during the night, curling around him like a vine while she'd slumbered. Mortified, she tried to pull away. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't realize … that is, I didn't mean to … to … "
"Sleep on me?" he drawled, his words slow and husky.
Opening her mouth, she tried to speak, but nothing came out. She nodded instead.
"Don't worry." He smiled. "You make a very nice blanket."
Shifting again, she waited for him to release her.
Instead, he kept his arm looped over her shoulders. "Go back to sleep. It's barely dawn."
Sleep? There was no possible way she could sleep now, even if it was too early to begin the day. "I … I'm not tired."
"Are you not?" His palm settled on the back of her bare thigh and stroked in an easy circle. "I'm not either."
Her pulse pounded in a heavy rhythm. "You should let me go."
"Should I?" His hand moved higher, fingers gliding just under the edge of her nightgown. "Are you sure?"
For a long moment she couldn't answer, a lassitude stealing through her that made it hard to remember exactly why it was wrong for her to lie here with him like this. "Y-yes."
"You don't sound terribly sure. Maybe you need to reconsider."
Spearing the fingers of his other hand into her hair, he held her steady as he used gentle pressure to lower her head and claim her mouth. With a finesse that made her shiver, he parted her lips and eased his tongue inside. Hot, wet, and silky, he led her into a realm of dark temptation, as he ravished her mouth with a lazy thoroughness that sent her thoughts spinning out of control. Enthralled, she could do nothing but hold on, helpless against the stunning bliss of his touch. Then his palm slid higher to caress her naked bottom.
On a breathless gasp, she tore herself away. "Stop."
"Stop what?" His words were slurred with passion.
"This. Now l-let me go."
"Why?"
She stared at him for a long moment. "You know why."
"Actually, I don't," he said in a reflective tone. "Since I know you used to enjoy"-he gave her buttocks a very light squeeze and smiled-"this."
"That was before," she admonished, pressing her palms against his chest in an effort to break away.
Stronger by far, he kept her easily anchored in place. "Ah, yes. Before. Then again, given the fact that we are married now, it seems to me we're free to do anything we like in this bed."
"Anything you like, you mean," she retorted. "I told you not to touch me, and I haven't changed my mind. You got what you wanted the day we wed. I refuse to be your plaything again simply because you've decided you're randy and I'm convenient."
"Convenient! Is that what you are?" He let out a hollow laugh. "It seems to me you've been deuced inconvenient, madam. I'd have gotten as much satisfaction from squeezing a stone as I've had from you this past week."
Her mouth thinned. "I don't know why you're complaining. It's not as if you really want me. Any female would do."
He arched a brow. "Is that right? Then I guess I've been denying myself for nothing. By your measure, I should have ridden into the village and availed myself of one of the local girls by now. I'm sure there must be one or two willing to service me. Maybe I ought to go now and see if I can find a milkmaid who wouldn't mind providing an extra bit of cream with her morning chores."
///
She restrained a gasp at his deliberate crudeness, her chest aching at the idea of him with another woman. "Yes, perhaps you should." Refusing to lower her gaze, she waited for him to set her aside and leave.
Instead, he kept her locked in his arms. "Unfortunately, I don't want a milkmaid, or any other woman. I want you."
"No, you don't," she said with patent skepticism.
"Do I not?" He drew his palm over the curve of her bottom, then along the top half of her thigh.
She trembled but held herself resolute against him. "Attraction isn't the reason you pursued me. If not for the debt you owed my father, you would never have sought me out. You would never have given me so much as an extra glance."
His gaze turned rueful, but he didn't look away. "It's true that I might not have sought you out, but I would definitely have given you more than one look. From our very first meeting that day at Hatchard's, I knew I had to have you. I desired you, Grace, and my interest was never feigned. I tried to tell you as much before, but you wouldn't listen."
No, she hadn't been much for listening then, not after she'd learned the truth about everything. Nor had she been inclined to believe a great deal of what he'd had to say since then. And yet, against her better judgment, she did think he was being sincere now. Even so, could she afford to trust him? Or was this just another one of his devious games?
"We'll be living together for the next few months while we act like contented newlyweds," he continued. "Given that, things are likely to get awfully wearisome if we're constantly at daggers drawn. Why not make the best of the situation and call a truce?"
She lifted an eyebrow. "You want a truce, do you?"
"Yes. Most particularly in the bedroom." His fingers inched toward the small of her back, pausing to draw clever little circles over a spot where she was extremely sensitive.
Damn him for knowing about that spot, she thought as she arched involuntarily beneath his touch. Her heart hammered, telltale moisture gathering between her thighs.
"It's not as if we'd be breaking any rules," he pointed out with husky persuasion. "Quite the contrary, in fact, since our union is sanctioned by the laws of both God and man. So why deny ourselves? Why not enjoy what pleasure we can find?"