as he pumped powerfully into her. He slid his arms under her back and cupped her to him as her body shuddered with quivering muscles.
He continued to move a moment or two longer before he stopped deep inside her and shakily whispered, “Oh, Millicent, you are too wonderful, too beautiful, too exciting.”
“And so are you,” she answered and snuggled her nose into the warmth of his neck.
He lay hot and heavy upon her. Her hands made a slow trail over his back, down to his buttocks and up to his shoulders again. She wanted to hold him forever in this moment.
Chandler raised his head and gave her that knowing grin she had come to love.
He said, “Wasn’t that better than before?”
“Oh, my, yes! I can’t explain it, but I felt such extraordinary feelings. What happened?”
“You just experienced what’s called the climax of lovemaking.”
“It’s really quite breathtaking, isn’t it?”
“It stole mine. I don’t think I’ve ever felt quite so satisfied.”
“Mmm. That’s a good way to describe it. I feel completely contented, too.”
He chuckled low in his chest. “So do I.”
Millicent sighed, wanting to enjoy a few minutes more in Chandler’s arms before she returned to thoughts of what must be done, but she knew the hour was late. She didn’t want to think about going home to her aunt’s or to Nottinghamshire. She didn’t want to think about never experiencing again this wonderful part of life with Chandler, but she must. Now that their lovemaking was over, the sooner she got on with her life, the sooner she would get over missing Chandler.
She stirred beneath him. “I don’t want this to end, but I have to get home. Lady Beatrice will have Phillips out looking for me.”
Chandler rose on his elbow and glanced at the window before looking down into her eyes. “Yes, dawn is on the rise.” He paused. “Millicent, we need to talk before you go.”
She stiffened. She didn’t want to hear it. She knew what he wanted to say, and suddenly it angered her that he wanted to rain what had been the most soul-shattering experience of her ruin. She shoved his chest, and he rolled away. As she rose from the rag, she pushed down her dress and reached for her underclothes.
“You need not say anything, Lord Dunraven. In fact, I think it would be better if we didn’t discuss at all what just happened between us.”
“Wait a minute,” he said with a queer expression on his face. “What do you mean? We have to talk about it.”
She looked down at him. “No, we don’t. I know what you’re thinking. You believe I orchestrated this so you would feel obliged to offer to marry me, don’t you? Well, sir, set your mind to rest. I did not. This was no ploy to ensnare you in a parson’s mousetrap.”
Chandler sat on the rag, his arms on his knees and looked up at her, clearly stunned. “That’s not what I was thinking.”
“Good. I wasn’t looking to be your wife before this happened and I’m not expecting it now. You need not worry that I will demand your hand in marriage when dawn turns to day.”
Frowning, he shook his head and said, “I didn’t expect you to demand anything.”
“I’m glad we’re clear on that.” She stepped into her drawers and pulled them up.
“No.” While still seated, Chandler grabbed his breeches and shoved his legs into them one leg at a time. “You are not clear on anything, Miss Blair.”
“I beg your pardon, sir?” she said in a huff of breath as she tied the waistband of her drawers.
“Damnation, Millicent, you make it sound like you came in here and took advantage of me, and I had no say in what happened between us.”
“Yes, that’s exactly right.”
He glared at her with an incredulous expression on his face. “No, that isn’t right.”
“What we just shared was all my doing, sir. I asked you to make love to me, remember?”
Chandler picked up one of his shoes and rose from the rug. “You can’t take credit for that. And don’t pretend you had to twist my arm to get me to agree. I’ve been wanting to make love to you since I first saw you. When I didn’t even know your name, I wanted you.”
“I don’t remember you ever mentioning anything of the sort to me.”
“A gentleman wouldn’t come right out and tell a lady he wanted to make love to her.”
She pulled the capped sleeves of her dress back onto her shoulders and