Unforgivable(31)

He strode to the door that connected his sitting room and bedchamber.

“Turn the handle, would you?” he said. Eve dutifully turned the doorknob, and Gil pushed the door open with his foot and carried her inside. It was well lit, since the footman had started the fire in the grate and lit some candles too.

Gil set Eve gently down on the floor, then stripped off his coat, throwing it aside with the sleeves inside out.

Eve looked around uncertainly. “It’s very bright in here,” she said.

“Do you mind?” he asked. “I can snuff the candles if you prefer, but speaking for myself, I very much want to look at you as we do this.”

He could practically see her girding her loins. “All right,” she whispered bravely.

“Good girl. Now, do you suppose you might help me off with this waistcoat?”

She stepped forward, lifting her trembling fingers to undo the buttons. He took the opportunity to stare at her creamy cleavage while she worked. When she’d undone all the buttons, she pushed her hands underneath the fabric of the waistcoat and slid it over his shoulders. Her small hands felt warm through the fine cambric of his shirt. He longed to feel them against his bare skin.

She turned around then, presenting him with a long row of buttons of her own to undo. He stepped forward, bringing his body up against her and pushed her hair over her shoulder. Having bared her neck, he set his teeth there, biting her nape gently, relishing her breathy moan and helpless shiver, before softening his mouth to a kiss while his hands worked down and down, his nimble fingers dispatching button after button.

Well, if there was one thing he did well, it was undressing a woman.

Within a minute, he was pushing her gown off her shoulders. It slithered to her feet with a whisper. He had her stays undone and her chemise off moments later. Now she was left with nothing on but stockings and garters, both of which he was more than happy for her to keep for now.

She was even lovelier with her clothes off, lush and feminine, the palette of her body so very pleasing—creamy white and rosy pink and glossy brown. Her garters were embroidered with little pink and green flowers and were tied just above her knees. He groaned at the sight of them.

“Lie on the bed,” he whispered, and she moved obediently onto the mattress, lying down faceup. Her cheeks were very pink now.

With considerable effort, he managed to maintain a small distance between his clothed body and her almost naked one when he lay down beside her. He propped himself up on his elbow and allowed himself the luxury of staring at her. With one hand, he undid the knot in his neckcloth and tossed it aside. He watched the way her eyes immediately strayed to the exposed flesh of his throat.

“You really are a gorgeous creature,” he murmured, his gaze travelling over her. And she was. A diminutive goddess with full breasts, rounded hips and slender legs. Delicate ankles. Small, delicious feet.

She said nothing in response to the compliment, and her eyes looked sad for a moment. He wanted to ask her why she looked like that, but he didn’t. Instead, he let his hand drift over her body, his fingertips just barely caressing her, her collarbone, the swell of her breasts, her belly. When he grazed her nipples, he smiled to see they were already rigid with arousal. He glanced back at her face then and saw she had closed her eyes again. Her lips were parted, her breathing uneven. Gil’s aching cock brushed painfully against the fabric of his breeches.

He let his hand drift down farther to slip between her legs, which were slightly open. The tops of her thighs were already gratifyingly damp. He was about to explore her more intimately when an unwelcome thought occurred to him.

He rested his hand on her thigh, halting his progress.

“Is there any chance you could fall pregnant?” he murmured.

“Don’t worry,” she whispered. “There is no chance of my conceiving an illegitimate child.” And then she reached for him, pulling him down to her. He went to her with a groan.

As he kissed her, he parted the slippery folds of her quim with his long fingers. When he slid one of his fingers inside her, her wide grey eyes flew open; when he moved his thumb to her clitoris and began to slowly circle it, they closed again, and she murmured “Good Lord,” in a faintly surprised tone that made him smile.

Leaning over her, he took her right nipple in his mouth, rolling his tongue around the stiff, puckered flesh. Her breasts were larger than he had expected. A lovely surprise, that—he liked generous breasts. She gasped and arched against him as he worked, a gratifying response that made him even harder and more eager for her. He did the same to her other breast, fascinated by her reaction. She responded as though this was all new to her, her eyes widening with surprise when he began to move his fingers inside her. He wondered if her husband was one of those men who simply did the deed, without any play beforehand. It certainly appeared so.