her hand to still her movements. “Someday soon I’ll show you how to please me. Tonight is just for you.”
Before she could debate the matter, he laid her down and stretched out beside her. He returned his attention to her breasts. His hand skated along her inner thigh, stopping every few inches to knead her flesh. She stirred restlessly, anticipating his touch between her legs. Part of her was horrified by her desire to have his fingers down there. But another, more lustful part had been awakened and demanded satisfaction.
The first pass of his fingers brought her hips off the ground. The sensation was intense and unfamiliar. By the third and fourth sweep, she began to melt beneath his touch.
His tongue flicked across her nipple before his lips closed over it. Each gentle tug on her breast and caress of her flesh filled her with affection until she thought she might burst from the warmth of it expanding in her chest.
She cupped his face and stroked his dark hair, wishing she had the words to express what stirred within her heart. Luke lifted his gaze to hers, his tongue still lovingly circling her bud.
“Kiss me,” she murmured.
He shifted his body to cover her mouth with his. His full lips were exquisite, soft and moist. They pulled even more from her, feelings she didn’t know how to handle, so she hugged them tightly inside.
A sensual fog surrounded her, making it hard to think.
To breathe.
To do anything except revel in the sensations created within her. A pressure built in her lower abdomen with every stroke of Luke’s fingers, growing until she was filled with nothing but the thought of him.
His scent. His heat. His taste.
She moaned softly, her back arching.
“Yes,” he whispered, his breath grazing her ear. “Surrender to it.”
The pleasure had no more room to expand, and it burst from her in a gasping cry again and again. She was carried on the moment, weightless and at Luke’s mercy, but he held her tenderly. Grounded her to the earth still. And even as she slowly came back, he held her and stroked the hair from her eyes. He kissed her cheeks and brushed his lips across hers.
“Has your curiosity been satisfied, my love?”
She sighed contentedly and stretched. “Partly.”
He laughed and nuzzled her neck. “That will have to be enough for now.”
“For tonight,” she agreed.
He rose to his elbow. “Until we have received the marriage contract. A man can only practice so much restraint.”
She smirked. “Good to know.”
“Behave yourself, Vivian.” He tried to look stern, but the corners of his lips kept curving up.
“I am behaving.” At least for the rest of the night. She wouldn’t promise anything for the future, because if she had another opportunity to be this close with him, she wasn’t going to let it pass her by.
Nineteen
Luke’s brother gently jostled his wife awake when the carriage passed through the gates of Irvine Castle. “We’ve arrived, Lana.”
The oppressive, graying walls cast the carriage in shadow. Luke didn’t look forward to a confrontation with his brother, but it was overdue.
Vivian clasped his hand and smiled reassuringly, righting his world once again. He squeezed her hand before climbing from the carriage then turned to assist her down the steps rather than entrusting a footman with the task.
Drew and Lana walked arm in arm to their carriage to retrieve the children. Servants were lining up outside, waiting to greet them. It wasn’t his entire staff, since many were still needed to tend to his mother’s guests.
He slanted a glance at Vivian on his arm. She was nibbling her bottom lip. “There are so many,” she whispered.
Compared to the small staff at Brighthurst, he supposed the prospect of becoming mistress of the castle could be daunting. Perhaps he could postpone his business with Richard for a few days until she had grown accustomed to life at the castle.
This would be her first encounter with the ton, also, which could intimidate even the bravest of hearts. Yet he couldn’t spend every moment with her. He could just picture his mother’s scandalized look when he followed the ladies into the parlor after dinner rather than staying behind to entertain the gentlemen.
Luke went through the motions of allowing his staff to be presented, introduced Vivian to the butler and head housekeeper, then escorted her inside where Drew and Lana stood in the foyer.
His younger sister, Liz, came barreling down the stairway with her twin, Katie, on her heels. “The babies are here!”
“I want one, too,”