Her gaze flickered, her lips tightened and her breathing deepened. “I just don’t know, Francois.”
She’d called him by his name. That hit a chord in him, telling him she was slowly responding to him.
“You truly can’t be that mad at me,” he murmured, leaning closer, his lips feathering hers, then plunging down her neckline to her chest while his hands sneaked behind her back, taking the open flaps back into his hands and gently bringing them forward. “She’s my sister, after all, not another woman who’d take me from you.”
She moaned as the bodice fell from her body, exposing herself a little more, down to her corset and chemise. He’d won! But apparently, that was only for a moment.
“I can’t do this.” She cleared her throat, though he saw how she left her bodice off. “My affections go to another man.”
“Dr. Leonard?”
“Oh, heavens, no! No!” She smiled, a blush to her cheeks as she turned, pacing. “Another doctor, though. One in the field.”
“A husband?” Shocked she didn’t say something before.
“Oh, no, well, not yet.”
He paced, feeling slightly thwarted. But her tone suggested she wasn’t happy about this, so perhaps this man had jilted her in a way. Taking the initiative, he took her hand and squeezed it tight.
“He may not be here and may never be. The war could take him, or he may not be true to you. The warfront changes a man.” He paused. “I know I’ve changed. He could too. So be with me, here and now. We may not have tomorrow.”
And on that note, he pulled her to him and kissed her hard.
All the thoughts in her head jumbled when he kissed her. It was his touch that unnerved her so. She wanted him and despised him, all in the same breath. He was the enemy, fought for a life of sin, destroying people. He was a southerner, true in every way to their rebel ways, but when he touched her, when he murmured sweet nothings into her ear, she melted. She wanted his kiss, wanted to dance with him and curl up in his arms. Oh, how she had turned so wicked!
On that thought, she gave in. When he wrapped his arms around her, she snaked hers around his neck, molding her body against his. Despite the metal stays of the corset, she adhered to him, relishing in the warmth of his body, the hardness of his chest, the rock-feeling of his torso and knew the bulge that pushed against her skirts was his desire for her. The excitement made her mewl in his mouth, despite their tongues dancing madly.
He growled, low and hungry sounding. Before she knew it, he had untied the corset strings and the skirt hooks. It took a tight squeeze around her waist to pop the busk on the corset, opening it all the way as the skirt and petticoats shimmied to the floor in a puddle around her feet. A cool breeze at being so exposed, despite the chemise, pantalets and stockings, her body was peeled of the shell she’d been covered in. Immediately, it fed her desires and she hunted for the buttons on his waistcoat and shirt beneath, after she’d pushed the frock coat off him, trying to never take her lips off his.
The frantic race to undress him matched him unclothing her. Thankfully, her bed wasn’t far from the dressing table and before she knew it, he’d pulled her down to the mattress, yanking the last of her undergarments off her. She thrilled as he shed the rest of his but he was suddenly stopped when she wrapped her hand around his hardened member. With a smile, she slowly stroked his manhood, watching his eyes turn dark blue to black with the need for her. And she knew the moment he touched her, she was soaking, her core begging for him.
No more words were said. They slowed down as he pushed her back to the mattress and placed himself between her thighs. He gave her a lopsided grin as he bent over and slid right into her. She swallowed hard, tipping her hips up to take him fully inside her, rocking to his every thrust.
All thoughts of anyone else fled her mind when her world shattered.
Chapter 29
“Negro property is the most unmanageable property and has been our ruin.”
—A Southerner master whose slaves ran to Union lines for freedom.
Next morning
Will Leonard arrived at Sweet Briar in time for breakfast. He was energized, still working on how to accomplish what he needed to do, before this entire event backfired. It’d taken every tactic he had to arrange this furlough, but it might not be long enough to complete everything.
He walked into the house and found the houseguests were in the dining room, He headed there, needing to check in with Ada but wasn’t exactly sure what he’d gotten into when he breezed through the open doors.
“Good morning!” He greeted only to come to a complete stop. At the table before him, he found Ada and the Confederate across the table from each other, eyes glued on each other instead of the breakfast before them. She was dressed in her usual style dress, a simple calico day dress with prim collar and cuffs, her hair pulled back to a braided bun and simple earbobs. Fontaine was dressed, though only in shirtsleeves and waistcoat and trousers, with his dark hair smoothed back and a half cock grin on his lips. They looked like a married couple. Will shook his head, not sure what he’d interrupted, but this appeared way more personal than a doctor
