Her chin rose at his teasing. “I am not the least interested in pleasure.”
“I expect I can change your mind.”
Lily locked her jaw mutinously. “Your arrogance is astounding, my lord.”
The amusement leaving his expression, Heath regarded her with all seriousness. “There is nothing arrogant about it, Lily. It is merely simple logic. I want you, but I cannot have you without the benefit of marriage. I am not interested in an affair that would only result in scandal. So I intend to court you honorably.”
“Without my consent?” she asked, her eyes flashing.
“I hope to gain your consent. And I mean to start by kissing you again.”
Looking alarmed, Lily pressed her palms against his chest. “I am not about to let you ravish me, Lord Claybourne!”
His gaze dropped from her face to her breasts. He would like nothing more than to draw Lily down to her chaste bed and ravish her to their hearts’ content, but he was bound by the rules of honor.
Heath smiled. “It is broad daylight and you are surrounded by a houseful of people. I believe you are safe from ravishment for the time being. But that doesn’t mean I won’t use all the powers of persuasion at my disposal.”
His hands covered her shoulders, lightly massaging them as he locked gazes with her. Then bending, he covered her mouth with his in a slow, devastating, spellbinding kiss that sent searing heat arcing between them again.
His sensual assault stunned Lily. She felt light-headed and dizzy; she couldn’t breathe.
He was right, she thought with a feeling akin to desperation. The attraction between them was not a passing fancy. Nor could she blame her intoxication on champagne this time. His kisses still overwhelmed her senses even when she wasn’t foxed.
Sweet shocks of reaction surged through her body, making her soften instinctively against him. As his lips moved over hers with exquisite pressure, she pushed harder against his chest, struggling for the will to resist, but he caught her lower lip between his teeth and tugged with soft nips.
When Lily responded with a little whimper, his tongue soothed the sensitive flesh before delving slowly, insistently, inside her mouth.
Filled with a strangled pleasure, she gave a helpless moan. She couldn’t fight this hammering of her senses, couldn’t fight his heat and hardness. Finding him impossible to resist, she gave a tiny, shuddering sigh of defeat and returned his kiss helplessly.
His mouth was magical…and so was his touch, Lily thought dazedly as his hand moved to caress her throat. While his kisses enchanted, his long fingers stroked the skin of her throat, gliding inexorably lower to the low, square neckline of her evening gown.
She whimpered once more as he feathered the peaks of her breasts with the backs of his fingers. Her nipples instantly hardened beneath the delicate silk fabric, while her breasts felt heavy and swollen.
And Claybourne was doing his best to increase her arousal, his knuckles slowly gliding over the crests, making Lily gasp at the sparks that shot through her. Then boldly, he brought both hands to her bodice, molding the contours of her breasts, making her knees go weak. Fire radiated from his hands and bloomed between her thighs, shocking her.
Lily closed her eyes against the undeniable pleasure. It was maddening the way he drew out each brazen caress, yet she didn’t want him to stop. His touch was so tender, so wicked…so right. The sensations left her shaking inside, kindling a heavy ache deep in her lower body…
It was some time before she realized that he had left off kissing her, although he was still cupping the ripe swells of her breasts.
“Don’t you see?” Heath asked, his voice husky and low. “Whatever this is between us, it deserves exploring.”
Dazed, Lily opened her eyes. Yes, she saw. She was aching with nameless longing…aching for
But the emotional turmoil inside her was even stronger. She didn’t
Giving a frustrated groan, Lily slid out from Lord Claybourne’s embrace and backed away from him. When he took a step toward her, she held up her hands defensively and retreated farther across the small bedchamber, putting as much space as possible between them.
Claybourne stopped then, regarding her intently.
With shaking fingers, Lily tucked a loose tendril of hair behind her ear and swallowed hard. Yet her voice was still a hoarse rasp when she finally spoke. “You are mistaken if you think I will meekly surrender just because you are a splendid kisser.”
“I think nothing of the kind,” he said, his tone wry. “You haven’t a meek bone in your lovely body, I’ll warrant.”
“No, and I will never accept your proposal of marriage, either,” Lily said firmly.
The smile he gave her was utterly beautiful and utterly maddening. “We shall see.”
Lily started to reply but gave a start when a sharp rap sounded on her bedchamber door. Then she froze as Fleur pushed open the door and swept into the room.
The courtesan took one look at Lily’s flushed face and passion-bruised lips and turned to regard the marquess with a baleful eye. “I trust you mean to explain yourself, my lord. Miss Loring is under our protection, and we will not stand for you seducing her!”
Chapter Four
– Lily to Fanny
Lily was vastly relieved for the interruption, but Lord Claybourne did not look chagrined in the least by Fleur’s irate accusation.
Instead, he gave the courtesan a graceful bow. “How delightful to see you again, Miss Delee. Pray accept my apologies for alarming you, but I did not come here to seduce Miss Loring.”
“No?” Fleur asked with marginally less rancor. “Then what does bring you here, my lord? Fanny would never forgive me if I allowed anything untoward to befall Miss Loring while she is dwelling under this roof.”
“I assure you my intentions toward her are entirely honorable. I wish to court her.”
Fleur blinked in surprise. “You want to court her? So you can
Claybourne glanced at Lily, his eyes assessing her with a tinge of knowing mirth. “Well…perhaps ‘wed’ is premature, since she professes to be so set against marriage, but I hope for the opportunity to determine if we might make a good match.”
“My heavens,” Fleur said with a mix of wonderment and delight. “That does change things, my lord.”
“I thought it might,” he murmured under his breath, so low that only Lily heard him. To Fleur, he said aloud, “I would like to solicit your assistance, if I may. Miss Loring insists on eluding my attempts even to speak to her, but if you would be so kind, you could convince her to at least entertain the idea of my suit.”
In disbelief, Lily stared at the marquess. The nerve of him, using her friends against her.
Fleur, on the other hand, gave him a fond smile. “Yes, indeed, Lord Claybourne. I would be pleased to help. Shall we repair to my sitting room to discuss the matter?”
“Fleur,” Lily said in exasperation as the elder woman turned to leave the bedchamber. “There is nothing to discuss.”
“Certainly there is, darling. I mean to satisfy my curiosity if nothing else.”
Lily’s continued protests fell on deaf ears. Thus, when the marquess accompanied Fleur from the room and down the corridor, Lily trailed after them, not trusting what he might say behind her back.
Fleur chatted graciously with him as she led him down a flight of stairs to the elegant second-floor sitting
