Behind the Rake's Wicked Wager - By Sarah Mallory Page 0,95
lowered her eyes, saying provocatively, ‘I suppose I must marry you now, even without a formal proposal.’
Her teasing provoked just the reaction she had hoped for. She was swept up into another passionate embrace and within minutes Jasper had once more carried her to such ecstatic heights that afterwards she could only lay docile and compliant in his arms, agreeing with all his plans for the future.
‘We must buy you a ring,’ he decided. ‘We will do that tomorrow. And while we are in Milsom Street we will retrieve the emeralds you sold.’
‘If they still have them. The manager said it was a very fine set.’
His grin was pure wickedness.
‘It is and they do still have it. I purchased it and asked them to put it aside for me. I had meant to give it to Lady Gisburne to return to you, once I had left Bath.’
She shook her head, distressed.
‘Oh, how can you be so good, when I have treated you so abominably?’
He gave a soft laugh and kissed her again.
‘You have made up for all that now.’
‘No, this has pleased me, too.’ She cast another shy look at him. ‘I did not realise being in love could be—’
His arms tightened.
‘Is that true?’ he demanded. ‘You love me?’
‘To distraction,’ she said, smiling. ‘I would have told you sooner if I had realised how wonderful it would be to have you make love to me.’ She cast a glance at her stays and chemise. ‘And we have not yet removed all our clothes.’
‘Your morning room is not the place for that.’ He dropped a kiss on her forehead. ‘But believe me, my darling, when I finally undress you, I shall make love to you even more thoroughly.’
* * *
Three months later Jasper was as good as his word, when he carried his new bride to the marriage bed at Markham. The costly linen nightgowns were soon thrown off and they lay together, exploring and enjoying each other until their mutual passions could no longer be denied and they gave themselves up to the consummation that carried them to new and exhilarating heights.
* * *
Later, in the first flush of dawn, Jasper knelt beside Susannah, gazing at her perfect, creamy body. She lay on the silken sheets, her hair spread across the pillow like a golden cloud.
‘My viscountess,’ he murmured. ‘When will I ever grow tired of looking at you?’
‘Never, I hope.’ She opened her sleepy eyes and reached for him. ‘My darling husband, seduce me again.’
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt of Some Like It Wicked by Carole Mortimer!
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Chapter One
May 1817—Highbury House, London
‘Do smile, Pandora; I am sure that neither Devil nor Lucifer intends to gobble you up! At least...it is to be hoped, not in any way you might find unpleasant.’
Pandora, widowed Duchess of Wyndwood, did not join in her friend’s huskily suggestive laughter as they approached the two gentlemen Genevieve referred to so playfully. Instead she felt her heart begin to pound even more rapidly in her chest, her breasts quickly rising and falling as she took rapid, shallow breaths in an effort to calm her feelings of alarm, and the palms of her hands dampened inside the lace of her gloves.
She did not know either gentleman personally, of course. Both men were in their early thirties whereas she was but four and twenty, and she had never been a part of the risqué crowd which surrounded them whenever they deigned to show themselves in society. Nevertheless, she had recognised them on sight as being Lord Rupert Stirling, previously Marquis of Devlin and now Duke of Stratton, and his good friend, Lord Benedict Lucas, two gentlemen who had, this past dozen years or so, become known more familiarly amongst the ton as Devil and Lucifer. So named for their outrageous exploits, both in and out of ladies’ bedchambers.
The same two gentlemen Genevieve had moments ago suggested might be considered as likely candidates as lovers now that their year of mourning for their husbands was over...