A Deal with Lord Devlin (6 page)

“Andrew knew that. It’s why he is marrying another woman.”

They stood inches away from one another in the tiny room, her harsh breath mingling with his.

“Do you love Andrew?”

That certainly wasn’t the reply she was expecting. What did love have to do with any of this? She’d found Andrew suitable enough for her purposes. She needed a handsome, charming, and well-connected husband to get her back into society, and Sir Andrew Greenshaw certainly fit. His charm and connections could fill Regency Park, and for his looks, well, ladies were always fawning over him. Of course, Charlotte preferred her gentlemen a bit taller, with dark hair and blue-black eyes.

He lifted her chin until they were eye to eye. “Tell me the truth, Charlotte. Do you love him?”

She couldn’t lie. “No. I never did.”

“And your former husband?”

“Never,” she whispered, with a hard shake of her head.

James nodded. “Then your past has no place in this room.”

His ultimatum was clear. Whatever happened in the future, Charlotte knew she could never go back to pretending with James. There was something strong between them. A feeling she was terrified to put a name to, but one she had denied to herself for far too long. Slowly, but with no doubts left in her mind, she nodded.

James scooped her up into his arms, carrying her farther into the little pantry.

“Where are we going?” she breathed, wondering how much larger this space could get.

“There’s a small hidden room behind the pantry,” James replied. “My father hid his very best wines back here.”

“Why did he keep it so secret?” She was fascinated. “Surely he wasn’t afraid his own servants would steal from him.”

“He was hiding it from us.” Unlocking a stone panel that turned out to be a door, James pulled open the latch to reveal the former Earl’s secret room. “My mother can be intrusive at times.”

Charlotte made a very unladylike noise in her throat. “I’ve noticed.”

The late Earl had certainly spared no expense. Charlotte’s amazement grew as James circled the room, lighting candles. It was small but exquisitely decorated with gold-leaf wallpaper shining against dozens of candelabras. There were only two pieces of furniture in the room: a dark mahogany wine case filled with bottles, and the largest settee she had ever seen. Upon closer inspection, Charlotte realized the sofa was large enough to sleep on.

“Is this supposed to be a bed?” she asked, wondering why anyone would ever fashion such a strange piece of furniture. “I can’t imagine why your father would wish to sleep in this tiny room.”

James cleared his throat several times before answering. “I don’t think it was used much for sleeping.” He yanked on his collar as if suddenly hot. “But yes, it is most certainly a bed.”

The real reason for the late Earl’s secret room hit Charlotte like a slap of her fan. “Oh,” she breathed, both scandalized and impressed.

“He wasn’t very discreet about it.” James looked so embarrassed that Charlotte didn’t dare smile.

“You can imagine how my relatives felt.”

The sacred Devlin family reputation. Charlotte wondered if she would ever escape from it. And what about James? Was he as obsessed with the Devlin name as the rest of them? Considering he was consorting with a divorced woman, it certainly didn’t look that way. A small glimmer of hope fluttered in Charlotte’s heart, but she immediately stamped it out.

No more foolish thoughts! Her past and his duties would never allow them to be together. But they were alone now, and Charlotte was going to make the most of it.

With a defiant toss of her curls she stepped into the late Earl’s boudoir, eager to explore.

“I think your father had every right to do what he pleased,” she said, running a hand along the gold silk cover on the bed. “This was his home, after all.” She looked up to meet James’s eyes. “Now it’s yours.”

James swept her into his arms before she could blink. Crushing her lips against his, he held her against him in a possessive show of passion.

Still kissing her, James was slowly lowering her onto the bed when Charlotte placed a small, gloved hand on his chest.

He immediately drew back, steadying her on her feet. “Is something wrong?”

She slowly shook her head, feeling infinitely brave. “Don’t move.”

He obeyed. As he stood completely still in front of the gold-covered bed, Charlotte slowly circled the Earl. She didn’t touch him, but she felt the heat radiating from his skin, scorching her like a flame.

It was delicious torture. The minutes slid by, arousing them both with each turn Charlotte made around his trembling form. She knew she was achieving her goal when James whispered a few dark threats as she passed in front of him again. After making him suffer just a bit longer, she finally struck. Standing directly in front of him, Charlotte got a firm grip on the perfectly starched edge of his neckcloth and yanked it with all her strength.

“I dislike the Mathematical,” she said, letting the now ruined tie drop from her fingers.

He looked completely stunned. “It took my valet two hours to properly tie that,” he sputtered.

“A waste of time!” she cried. “And this hairstyle is totally unsuitable for you. Why, it has been curled more than mine.” Stretching to reach the top of his head, she ruffled her hands through the poufed locks.

Enjoying her newfound power, Charlotte’s hands slid around his ears and down his neck, continuing their sensuous exploration.

“I have never in my life seen such an ugly waistcoat.” She yanked open the front, popping one of the buttons in the process. “I’m surprised you can breathe well enough to speak! And this shirt is absolutely absurd. Even my Grandmama doesn’t wear so much lace.” She held up the cuff of his sleeve.

James looked down at the frilly fabric with a helpless shrug. “My valet said it was all the rage.”

With a single pull, she ripped the lace cuff off his shirt and tossed it over her shoulder.

“In fact, if you ask me, this entire outfit should be torn to pieces.”

Charlotte reached up to the collar of his thin-as-air shirt and yanked as hard as she could. The rich fabric tore instantly beneath her hands, leaving her with a healthy view of James’s tanned and quite muscular chest.

“A shame,” she said, not a trace of apology in her voice. “I believe I have ruined your shirt.” Her fingers brushed ever so gently against the hard line of his shoulder like a greedy thief.

“Yes you did.” His tone reverberated, low and husky in the small space. Reaching down, he grasped her hand, placing it back on his bare skin. “Don’t stop now. You were making some very excellent points.”

“I was?” She wound her arms around his neck, the tops of her cheeks burning with raw desire. James kissed them.

“Indeed. My valet will be firmly reprimanded for his lack of modern fashion sense.” He leaned in to nip at her neck. “Anything else you dislike about my attire?”

Charlotte bit her lower lip, building up her courage. Other than her failed marriage, she had little experience with men. But James brought out a different side of her. She yearned to be bold with him, to give him as much pleasure as he’d brought her in the Oriental drawing room. When the warm skin of his bare chest brushed against her, she made a decision.

All shyness and caution tossed aside, Charlotte didn’t waste another moment. James tried to pull her in for a kiss, but she shook her head, instead leaning down to grab the discarded neckcloth at her feet. Slipping off her gloves, she lifted the rumpled linen. “May I?”

Heat flashed in his eyes. “I don’t know what you’re planning, but you have all the permission in the world.”

With a small, seductive smile, Charlotte shoved James as hard as she could in the chest. He fell backwards, the surprise knocking him off balance, and landed exactly where Charlotte wanted him.

On the bed.

“Lift your arms up,” she whispered, wrapping the white cloth around her hands as she straddled him.

For a split second he looked like he might protest, but then he suddenly relaxed. “You’ve turned very demanding,” he said lifting his hands up. “And I’ve never seen a woman look more desirable in my life.”

Her heart melted. Pushing his hands to the soft cushions beneath, Charlotte kissed the Earl of Devlin with all the passion she had pent up inside. He moaned and captured her tongue to deepen the kiss as it quickly spiraled out of control. After a long minute Charlotte broke free of his mouth and slipped the neckcloth around his wrists, securing them in a tight knot.

“What—”

“Don’t speak.” Charlotte placed her finger on his lips, silencing him. “Do I still have your permission?”

For a moment he watched her, his blue eyes like a dark fire. Then he nodded.

Charlotte took great enjoyment in ripping off the lace at his throat. Once his neck was free, she concentrated all her energy on making him wild. And judging from the groans in his throat beneath her tongue she was succeeding quite nicely.

“I quite like this side of you,” she said, doing her best to help him remove his breeches with her foot. “Without the foppish clothes, of course.”

“I’d prefer you without any clothes at all.”

Charlotte focused all her energy on removing the rest of James’s clothes. She was grateful to discover that he wasn’t wearing one of those ridiculous girdles men wore to get into their very tight breeches. She marveled at James’s body, long and muscular, and she ran her hand down the entire length of him. He tensed beneath her fingers and Charlotte felt a surge of power. Hovering over a naked man while she was still fully dressed felt positively sinful.

“And now what do you plan to do with me?”

Bending her head, Charlotte took one of his exposed nipples between her teeth, making him hiss with pleasure. But she had only just begun. She slowly moved lower, kissing, teasing, and biting him along the way until she reached her destination. James was already hard against her exploring fingers, and she gently dipped her head toward his heat.

“Charlotte!” His whole body tensed as he tried to pull himself up, but she wouldn’t be denied. Pushing him back onto the pillows, Charlotte then placed her hands on his thighs and took him into her mouth.

“My God,” he hissed.

Charlotte had never been so turned on in all her life. She thought she could stay forever in this little room, slowly driving James mad with pleasure.

And suddenly she was flat on her back.

Ripping the linen cloth from his wrists, James captured her mouth for a deep, searing kiss. She pushed back against him, their mouths dueling for control of the wild kiss, but when James slipped his hand up beneath her skirts, Charlotte was overcome. She tossed her head back with a small scream.

“Rather fortunate we’re not still in the drawing room.” His grin was downright wicked.

“Don’t stop,” she begged, “please.”

He lifted her skirt, his other hand now exploring the inside of her thigh and beyond. “This?”

“Oh, yes!” she cried, pulling him in closer. His hand continued its journey, and Charlotte arched against him.

James’s hand finally found its way through her many layers of silk and began to caress her in the most sinful manner. She clawed at his back, and then, when his finger went even further inside, she bit him.

“Are you ready for me?” he rasped into her ear. Charlotte might have nodded, though she wasn’t quite sure. “Because I’m sure as hell ready for you, love.”

She shivered at the endearment as James slowly entered her, taking his time with the sweet torment. In fact, he was taking rather too long. “James!” she cried out, slapping his shoulders.

He answered her with a slow smile. “You don’t have to speak a word, my love. Your groans are making it quite clear.”

She wanted to shout at him, to tell him a lady didn’t groan, but that if he didn’t come to her soon she was going to die, but then his hand slipped down to stroke a most delicate spot, and she screamed instead. Still trembling from the intense waves of pleasure, Charlotte pulled James to her and kissed him long and hard as he climaxed inside her. She was happy to note his groan was even louder than hers.

****

“You certainly know how to destroy a shirt, Lady Mallen.” James allowed his lips to slide down the most sensitive part of Charlotte’s ear before pressing his teeth against the skin. “I have little choice but to go upstairs to change.”

“Just don’t return in something pink,” she replied, and he swept her in for one last scorching kiss before closing the door on their secret haven.

Their lovemaking still vivid in his mind, James fought to keep his hands off Charlotte as they walked hand in hand down through the pantry into the kitchen. He knew they shouldn’t linger. A servant could come in at any moment and discover them. James didn’t really care if they did.

“I’ll only be a few moments,” he said, placing a chaste kiss on her fingers. “I am long overdue for our dance.”

His teasing smile faded as he watched Charlotte slowly shake her head. “I won’t be dancing with you tonight.”

She pulled her hand from his. “Take this,” she said, pulling Andrew’s letter out of her little bag. “I want you to have your inheritance, but I….I can’t go through with our deal.”

She held out the letter to him, but he didn’t move. “I don’t understand.”