the back of his neck as he looked out into the night. “Damn it. I truly hope I don’t come to regret this,” he breathed, then hung his head. “But my name is Beau.”
“Beau?” She said it slowly and reverently. She never would have guessed it, but it seemed perfectly right. “It suits you.”
Turning to face her once again, he waved away her comment. “Very well, it’s your turn. What’s your real name?”
She twirled the rose between her fingers again. “I hope you won’t be too disappointed, but my real Christian name is Marianne.”
His face fell. “Seriously?”
“Seriously. I told you I’d tell you the truth, and I have. I swear it.”
He eyed her carefully. “But your surname isn’t Notley, is it?”
“No.” She shook her head. “It isn’t.”
“I don’t suppose you want to tell me your real surname then?” he prodded.
“I don’t suppose I do,” she replied, setting the rose on the small desk near the door.
The hint of a smile still played at the corner of his firm lips. “Clever of you to keep your real Christian name, I suppose. Makes for less confusion.”
“Have you been confused by being called ‘Nicholas’?” she asked.
He chuckled. “Perhaps. At times.”
He gave her a quick nod. “Well, I suppose I should go.” But he made no move toward the door behind her.
Marianne took a deep breath. “I suppose you should, but…” A tingle brushed up her spine.
“But what?” he breathed.
“I was just thinking that, last night, I told you I don’t entertain men whose names I don’t know.”
“Yes?” His heavy-lidded gaze made her heart thump faster.
“Well…now I know your name.”
She didn’t have to say another word. In two long strides, Beau had pulled her into his arms and his mouth descended to hers. His tongue didn’t hesitate, it pushed past her lips, claiming her mouth.
Marianne leaned up on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck, matching his tongue’s movement, thrust for thrust.
Beau leaned down and wrapped his forearms beneath her buttocks. Lifting her gently, he carried her the few small steps to the cot, laid her upon it and followed her down.
Again, he didn’t hesitate. His lips moved to her cheek, her neck, her décolletage, and he quickly pulled down her dressing gown and night rail to expose one pink nipple to his probing lips.
His mouth sucked her nipple into his wet warmth and Marianne cried out softly, arching her back against the onslaught of sensation his tongue had conjured.
In a flurry of movement, he helped her remove her dressing gown completely, tossing the garment onto the floor before moving back to pull down the other side of her night rail, then lavishing attention on her other breast.
His tongue was velvety smooth against her nipple and she bit her lip to keep from crying out too loudly. Her fingers slid through his hair on either side of his head and she held his mouth to her breast, wanting him never to stop.
Her hips undulated beneath his and she cried out softly again as momentarily he lifted himself away from her to pull his shirt over his head with both hands.
He was only wearing his breeches. She had her night rail pulled down to her waist. They sat there on the cot, panting and staring at each other in awe.
“Are you certain you want this?” he asked in a voice that was strained but still deep and seductive.
“Yes,” she breathed.
Apparently, that was all she needed to say, because he pushed himself atop her again and braced his arms on either side of her head on the mattress, grinding his hips against hers, making her head toss fitfully back and forth.
“Beau,” she called, loving the way his real name sounded on her lips. She reached down and traced the outline of his manhood beneath his breeches. She squeezed him.
His breath came in hard pants. “As good as that feels, Love, you’ll unman me if you continue.”
She stroked him once more for good measure before helping him to sit up and pull off his breeches. She pulled her night rail down over her hips at the same time and soon they were completely naked and staring at each other’s bodies as if in a trance.
“You’re gorgeous,” he breathed.
“I thought you looked like Adonis when you were clothed,” she replied, her eyes traveling over every inch of his bare skin. “Now I know you aren’t human.”
He laughed softly and shook his head before deftly pulling her atop him on the cot. “Feel free to touch me