Fleur’s mouth twisted as she contemplated Lily. “I happen to think you are a fool to resist his suit, my darling, but you are the one who must live with the consequences.”
“I agree, Lily,” Chantel announced as she also rose. “If I were twenty years younger, I might try to steal him from you.”
“You may have him with my blessing,” she muttered under her breath.
When the two women had left the sitting room and shut the door behind them, Lily regarded the marquess nervously. “Just what do you think you are doing?”
“I intend to kiss you again. That brief taste wasn’t nearly enough. For me or for you either, I suspect.”
“It was more than enough for me.”
He smiled. “Then look at it as gaining more knowledge upon which to base your decision.”
She didn’t want any more knowledge of him! Certainly not the sensual kind of education he had in mind. Lily edged away from Lord Claybourne, determined to put some distance between them, but he reached out to lightly grasp her wrist.
“You are hardly playing fair,” she said, futilely trying to free her hand.
“Perhaps so, but you know the saying…all’s fair in love.”
“This has nothing whatever to do with
He shook his head. “I want a
Her exasperation turned to frustration. “You cannot just claim me as if I were the spoils of war.”
“
“Well, I wish you would cease plaguing me this vexing way.”
Claybourne released her hand but held her gaze. “One kiss, and then I will go.”
That made her pause. “Just one?”
“Yes. And you can end it whenever you choose.”
It was incredibly dangerous to kiss him again, Lily knew. His kisses set her senses aflame and made her head spin so that she couldn’t even think straight. And yet she knew there was no other way to be rid of him.
She dragged in a deep breath. “Very well,” she said mutinously. “Since you leave me no choice.”
Ignoring her reluctance, he gently caught hold of her shoulders, bringing her close to him.
He didn’t kiss her at once, however. Instead he reached up with one hand to caress her. His fingers lightly rubbed the erratic pulse in her throat, then explored the warm hollows of her ear.
Lily wanted to flee, to run, but his golden gaze held her prisoner. Something hot and molten unfurled inside her at that look in his eyes. She couldn’t speak, couldn’t move. She could only feel.
His other hand slipped behind her and skimmed up her spine, then stroked her nape before cupping the back of her head. A heartbeat later, he finally bent and sealed his mouth to hers.
He kissed her thoroughly this time, his hot, clever, tongue slowly penetrating and exploring the deepest recesses of her mouth. Her breath gone, Lily felt herself melting in his embrace. Urgency flared at the searing warmth he roused inside her, and that was before his hand cupped her breast with shocking possessiveness.
His brazen caress suffused her body with heat and a liquid heaviness, and she found it impossible to control the small moan of pleasure that rose to her lips.
Her moan deepened when he caught her more firmly about the waist, drawing her even closer. She should have been shocked by the hard length of his arousal pressed against her abdomen, yet somehow the knowledge only excited her.
Then his knee moved against her skirts, nudging her own knees apart. Lily was unprepared for the sharp, erotic rush of feeling from his thigh against her woman’s mound.
Her moan turned to a helpless whimper as the pulse quickened between her legs. Encouraging her further, he moved his palm downward to mold her derriere and went on kissing her.
Yet now she didn’t want him to stop, couldn’t bear the thought of his sublime mouth leaving hers. Clutching at his broad shoulders, she gave in willingly to the glorious madness.
The madness eventually ended, however. His hard thigh still was nestled between hers when his devastating kiss at last broke off and his lips moved to nuzzle her ear.
“I want you, Lily,” he murmured, his voice a husky rasp. “I want you in my bed. I want your lovely hair on my pillow, your soft breath on my skin, your luscious body writhing beneath mine.”
She should not be thrilled by his admission, but it made her tremble and ache with longing. When he drew back to gaze down at her, she stood there staring back, wide-eyed and dazed.
“Just think how hot and sweet it would be between us, bright-eyes.”
Her heartbeat hammering in her throat, Lily swallowed hard. She doubted she would be able to think of anything else.
His eyes tender, he reached up to caress her cheek. “That should give you something to ponder until we meet again. Shall we ride tomorrow morning?”
A shaky laugh escaped her; she couldn’t help herself. How could he remain so calm and unaffected when she was in such turmoil?
“I cannot ride tomorrow morning,” she said. “I am scheduled to teach an early class to our boarders. There is less than a week before the soiree, so they must make use of every moment to practice their social graces.”
“Perhaps tomorrow afternoon then?”
“You may come for tea.” That way she would have company to protect her from being alone with him.
“As you wish.”
With one more tender smile, Claybourne lifted her fingers to his lips for a farewell kiss, then bowed himself out, leaving Lily standing there dazed, her body still thrumming, her knees weak.
Sinking into a chair, she brought her fingers to her throbbing lips. She had wanted Claybourne’s enthralling embrace to go on and on. Yet the emotional aftershock was even more powerful than the physical. Not only could she finally envision what passion with a man could be like, for the first time she actually found herself craving it.
At the realization, Lily half laughed, half moaned, and lowered her forehead to her hands. She certainly wouldn’t tell Fleur and Chantel how his lordship’s kiss had affected her. They were likely to award him even more points for his prowess.
And while his easy success made her again question the wisdom of playing the game, she renewed her resolve to finish it. Her pupils needed Lord Claybourne’s help in attracting potential patrons to the soiree next Monday.
She would just have to be stronger, Lily decided, shaking her head at her own weakness. Already she was struggling against the urgent desire to throw herself into his arms and let him teach her the exquisite pleasures she was missing. But she was not about to let that irresistible man drive her to reckless behavior. He would
Even so, the sooner she convinced him she wasn’t the right bride for him, the sooner she could be free of his alluring temptation.
Chapter Seven
– Lily to Fanny
Smiling, Lily watched as her three favorite pupils practiced the fine art of subtle flirtation with Fanny. Lily had come to know several of the boarders fairly well, and these three in particular-Ada Shaw, Peg Wallace, and Sally Nead-had applied themselves so diligently to their lessons that they deserved extra guidance.
Ada was an actress with a propensity for bawdiness, which Fanny was endeavoring to tone down. Peg, on the other hand, was a ballet dancer who was painfully shy and had to be coaxed into attempting even the mildest banter with a gentleman. And Sally, also an actress, was a delightful minx-a little plain in appearance but lively and clever enough to attract notice.
