Her eyes widened, her fingers still clutching at the sodden gown held up under her arms.
“I have been able to concentrate on nothing else,” he continued, “since you stepped out of that drawing room shouting that you wished you’d never spoken to me about…about this.” Charles swallowed. He had never said this to anyone before, but if not now… “Priscilla, I love you.”
She gasped. “You love me?”
He nodded. “I cannot believe I did not know it before, or I would have told you far sooner – but Priscilla. I cannot go ahead with this marriage without telling you. I-I love you. More than my own flesh. More than anything. More than anyone.”
This time it was she who stepped forward, her cheeks flushed. “We – we should not speak this way. You are engaged to be married.”
Charles lifted a hand and caressed her cheek. Priscilla flinched away from his touch, but he did not remove his hand. After a heart-stopping moment, she tilted her head and allowed the caress.
“Engagements are made to be broken,” he whispered.
It happened so quickly that Charles did not know whether he had leaned forward or if Priscilla had, or if they had both moved.
Whichever it was, they were kissing, Priscilla abandoning all attempts at restraint. Her hands were in his hair, and Charles had both hands on her buttocks, cupping her toward him as he clung to her, the only real thing left in the world.
This was precisely where he was supposed to be, with the person who was supposed to be there alongside him.
It was Priscilla. It had always been Priscilla.
Eventually, she pulled away, and with blushing cheeks, said, “My gown is getting you all wet.”
Charles grinned. “Wet, I can handle. I would like nothing more than to take all your clothes off and make love to you.”
Chapter Ten
Her heart was beating so fast, for a moment, Priscilla was sure she had misheard Charles.
“I would like nothing more than to take all your clothes off and make love to you.”
Her fingers almost slipped on the gown she was still attempting to keep above her breasts, but she maintained her grip as her mind spiraled.
She swallowed, staring into his tumultuous eyes. It was everything she wanted – everything she had hoped for – when she had first suggested the rivalry with Miss Lloyd.
Was it possible that all her dreams were coming true? It felt more like a fairytale than real life.
She licked her lips, playing for time, hoping that her mind would catch up with her, and Charles gave a groan and tightened his grip on her, which did not help her concentrate any better.
He said he would break off his engagement. He said he wanted to make love to her – did this really happen to people?
Her body reacted quicker than her mind did. Desire to be touched, to be teased, to be caressed… Those passions overwhelmed her, putting her mind in a heady state not exactly conducive to making decisions.
But as she looked at him, all sense of decorum, of dignity, of what was expected of a lady of the ton disappeared from her mind.
She wanted him. She would never be able to say it aloud, so scandalous a thought it was, but she could know it in her soul, nonetheless.
They could be together now.
“I…” she started to say.
Her mind did not permit her to continue.
What if they did not marry? What if she fell with a child?
Could she ever regret taking this leap with Charles, a gentleman she trusted beyond any other?
She swallowed and saw Charles was still smiling.
As though he could read her mind and see the concerned thoughts mulling in her brain, he said gently, “Have I ever given you a reason not to trust me? I need you to trust me now. Priscilla, I would never do anything to hurt you.”
It was exactly what she needed to hear in that moment, and she leaned forward and kissed him hard on the mouth as she had done in the drawing room a week ago.
Now she knew. After weeks of wondering whether she would have to sit in church and watch the man she loved marry another, she would never have to worry about it again.
He was going to marry her.
As he tugged her close, safe in his arms, Priscilla knew she could trust him. Charles would never say anything unless he meant it. He was going to end his engagement with Miss Lloyd.
She pulled away to say the one word she knew he needed to hear. “Yes.”
Without any fuss, he gently pushed her back, so she was lying on the bed.
Charles joined her on the bed, immediately bringing her into his arms and kissing her passionately. She allowed herself to ignore all those voices telling her to stop, shouting that this was not what young ladies did.
She did not care. Young ladies did not have nearly enough fun.
She gasped as Charles placed his hand on her stomach. Even through the wet gown, she could feel the heat of his touch. It was like a brand, like she was marked by him and would never belong to another again.
“God, Priscilla,” Charles moaned as he kissed her neck.
Everywhere he touched tingled, every time his lips moved, she quivered. This was unlike anything she had known, but she was eager to learn more.
“More,” she panted, unable to put the entire thought into words. “I want more.”
Charles grinned. He leaned forward to kiss her on the mouth, his tongue ravishing, teasing, tempting, and as his lips drove her wild, she felt his hand move again.
It came down onto her breast, squeezing it gently, and a spark of intense pleasure jolted across her body.
Priscilla broke the kiss and stared at Charles in wide-eyed surprise. “Oh, that – that was…”
“I know,” said Charles softly. “Do you want it again?”
Priscilla nodded. She did not know what to ask for, but she wanted it so badly.
He lowered his head, and his hand teased and twisted her breast, Priscilla
