Dare to Love (32 page)

“Finally.” He sighed, reveling in her vanilla fragrance.

She giggled. “Finally, what, milord?”

“I have been craving a taste of your skin all evening. All day, in fact. Since I saw the dessert room.”

“The dessert room?” She sounded confused, and rightly so.

He wasn’t about to admit what had occurred this morning, his embarrassing surge of lust at the vanilla smell, so he attempted to distract her by nibbling on her neck. She was as delicious as he remembered. He nipped his way across her shoulder before trailing his tongue back to her earlobe. She sighed with delight.

But, being Nivea, she wouldn’t be content until she’d delved into his private thoughts. “What happened in the dessert room?” Her words vibrated in his mouth as he sucked the sensitive skin at her throat.

He sighed and pulled back. In the darkness, he could just make out her eyes, filled with curiosity. “Well, my dear, you may not know this, but you have the most alluring scent of vanilla about you.”

“I do?” she squeaked.

He nodded. “I find it quite irresistible.”

She smiled, lowering her lashes.

He continued softly, “When I visited the house this morning, Briar bid me to enter the room. The smell of vanilla was overwhelming, and while she was rambling on about her chef’s culinary talents, I was growing hard as a pillar thinking about you.”

Nivea’s eyebrows shot up and her mouth turned into a perfect O of surprise.

“It was not at all welcome at the time,” he admitted, “but now that I have you, the sensation is much less uncomfortable.

He pulled her closer, making her fully aware of his condition. Unperturbed, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him with an eagerness that tickled his heart. “I am so glad to hear you have been thinking about me.”

He would not disclose how much. Not now, not ever.

Besides, the time for talking was over. He only had one thought in mind—touching and tasting every inch she would allow. He stripped off his gloves and tucked them into his jacket. Stroking her arms, he reveled in the feel of her skin. It was as smooth as he remembered and compelled him to explore further.

He teased her mouth, playfully sucking at her lips and tongue while inching the small cap sleeves off her shoulders. Sensing no resistance, he trailed his fingers along the top of her bodice and let his thumb dip down to skim her nipple. He felt her gasp in his mouth and deepened the kiss. The skin puckered and swelled beneath his palm as she pressed closer to him.

Oh, she was so responsive. It amazed him that a quiet, reserved gentlewoman would be so eager for this lascivious behavior. He squeezed a handful of flesh under the frothy fabric and she moaned. It was nearly his undoing.

Grasping the sleeves, he tugged down, pulling her bodice to her waist and exposing her bountiful breasts. Growling, he buried his face between the soft mounds of flesh and inhaled. He ran his nose along her chest and settled his mouth on her rosy peak. It was so intoxicating, he almost released on the spot.

As he suckled, she slid her hands from his shoulders and down his waist. “I want to touch you, too,” she begged, freeing his shirt from his breeches and placing her hands on his back. In the deep recesses of his mind, he realized she was touching his scars, but it didn’t upset him in the slightest. They were a part of his past and no longer mattered. At least not with her.

He licked and teased her left side while gently tugging her right nipple between his fingers.

“Oh Dare, oh yes,”

He pulled her close, rubbing his form against her skirts, enjoying the friction, the heat. When her knees buckled, he whispered, “I believe there’s a low wall just behind you. Come.”

Placing his lips on hers, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to a wide slab of marble. It stood two feet from the ground, surrounding a raised bed of hollyhocks. Dare dropped down onto the wall, and settled Nivea on his lap, savoring the feel of her voluptuous bottom pressing against him.

He returned to the sweetness of her lips, his hand trailing down to her bared bosom, fondling the soft, warm skin. His desire was painful, straining against his breeches.

“I want more,” he growled into her mouth. Sliding his hand down her leg, he then raised her skirts until he could feel the bare skin above her stockings. She buried her face into his neck and moaned once again.

“Yes,” was all she said. She nipped his neck, sending a flash of fire through him. Losing all reason, he moved his hand to the slit in her undergarments and plunged into the silky wetness. She was exquisite. There was no other word for it.

As he stroked and teased her delicate flesh, sliding his fingers in and out of her, she wrapped her arms around him in a vise-like grips. “Oh, yes, Dare! Don’t stop. Please.”

He loved the passion in her voice, the desperate ache that echoed inside him.

“Nivea, I want you. Right here. Right now. Do you understand me?” His tone was brusque, but he couldn’t help it.

She looked at him with unfocused eyes and nodded solemnly. “Yes. I want you too. But how?”

In no time, he dragged them both to their feet. Giving a quick kiss to her adorably befuddled face, he spun her around to face the hedges surrounding the house. Then he unbuttoned his breeches, dropped down onto the wall and pulled her back onto his lap. This time, her legs were straddling his, her back resting against his chest.

“Dare?” she asked, a nervous hesitancy in her voice.

“Don’t worry, darling, I’d like to show you another one of my tricks.” Reaching one hand around, he palmed her breast, while the other rifled under her skirts to find the sensitive nub between her legs.

“Oh!” she cried out.

Oh, indeed. He smiled into her neck.

Bracing her feet on the ground, she began to rock up and down. Her scent so intoxicating, her sounds so arousing, he was barely able to control himself.

He nudged her upward and guided his manhood into her silky wetness with a groan.

“Oh, yes, Dare.” Easing down, she began thrusting her hips, setting a blistering rhythm.

Teetering on the edge, he moved his fingers faster and faster over her pleasure spot, kneading her breast, urging her to completion. She squealed with delight and her shudders pushed him over the brink into heaven.

With a final pulse, he fell backward into the hollyhocks, his arms sinking into the damp soil. It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered, except trying to breathe.

Nivea recovered quicker than he. She wiggled her hips and turning flashed him a wicked grin. “I
liked
that trick.”

He barked out a laugh. “Did you?” Pulling her against his chest, he sucked her earlobe. “I did too. In fact, at the moment, I think it’s my favorite.”

Before he had time to suggest another alternative, strains of the final waltz drifted through the garden followed by the sound of voices.

“Ho, the party’s over! People will be coming!” Nivea leapt to her feet and yanked up her bodice.“I must look a mess. What will we do?” She frantically brushed at her skirt trying to smooth out the wrinkles. “I can’t possibly go back inside looking like this,”

He buttoned his breeches and pulled her into his arms. “Shh, it will be all right.” Taking one more satisfying inhalation of vanilla, he drew away. “We’ll wait here until the guests depart. Then, I will sneak out to the mews and have my carriage brought around back. No one will notice your delightfully disheveled state as we escape out the rear alley.”

“But…I have to say goodbye to Briar and Joseph! It is their party. To do otherwise would be rude. They are certain to question me on it.”

“Tomorrow we will make our apologies. We will tell them that you had to leave suddenly,” he answered, thinking through the excuse as he spoke. “We can say that you, too, were feeling sick. Just like Betsy. And you had wanted to say goodbye, but the feeling was quite strong and the final waltz had just started, and you didn’t want to interrupt their final dance.”

That sounded quite plausible.

“I, of course, did not wish to deal with a female of questionable health in my carriage and urged you to leave immediately before you could ruin the interior of my carriage.” He ended with a haughty, supercilious tone.

Nivea giggled, as he hoped she would.

“Yes, well I think that part would be entirely believable. It is well known that you have no use for sickly females.”

“Quite so.”

“I confess I don’t like having to admit to an ailment such as that. It is quite embarrassing. And I
certainly
don’t like having to lie to my dearest friends…”

“Well, you can always tell them the truth,” he drawled and paused for the expected gasp.

Instead, she snorted. “Oh yes. Can you imagine? Briar, dear, thank you so much for the delightful party. I apologize for not bidding you adieu last evening, but you see, I accompanied Lord Landis into your garden. You know that garden wall where your daughters like to play. Well, I hiked up my skirts and used it to ride Lord Landis like a stallion. And you know we Horshams always win the race. It was quite exhilarating, really.”

Rode him like a stallion?
Lord, she was funny. Unable to help himself, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her soundly on the cheek. “You, Miss Horsham, are a remarkable woman.” Setting her back, he looked into her face and said, “As much as I like the sound of that, I don’t think it’s our wisest course.”

“No, I suppose you’re right. Fine, we’ll go with your story and hope for the best.”

“That’s a good girl. Now come over here and wait for my whistle. I’ll pull up close to the door and you can dart in without being seen.”

Giving her one more ardent kiss on the lips, he slipped out the gate and headed toward the mews.

Dare bowed and lowered his foil.

“Well done, Lazby. Your technique is much improved.”

The young dandy flushed with pleasure. “Thank you, Landis. I have been practicing. Not that I will ever match your skills, but I appreciate your encouragement.”

Dare did his best not to laugh. He was finding it much easier to be tolerant of the overeager sycophant. Last night’s soiree had been such a success, he was feeling positively benevolent today. He strode to the back of the fencing studio and chatted with him as they removed their protective gear.

“Will you be back again tomorrow? I have a noon engagement, but could be here by two,” Lazby offered.

All right. Maybe there was a limit to his benevolence. “I think not, good man. Perhaps sometime next week.”

“Next week. Yes. That would be better. I’ll work on my parries in the meantime.” Grinning like a fool, the silly sot gathered up his equipment and sauntered away.

“Been dipping into the brandy again?”

Dare hadn’t notice Joseph emerging from the neighboring
piste
.

“Excuse me?”

“Since when do you encourage that rattlepate?” Joseph was leaning on his foil, his expression intent.

He chuckled. “You are just jealous you aren’t able to attract such adoration.”

Joseph snorted and removed his padded vest. “Yes, that must be it.” Once he stowed his equipment in his case, he turned to Dare. “Do you have your carriage? I am in need of a lift to Bond Street.”

“Certainly. Are you going to visit my new friend Pierre? His talented transformation of me on Friday is sure to increase business.”

Joseph laughed. “How did you know? I plan to advise him to place a sizeable order for Landis Lilac. Once word gets out regarding your new fashion preference, Pierre will be hard pressed to keep the fabric in stock. No doubt, Lazby will wish to recreate the entire ensemble.”

“Good Lord. Please, do not let that become my fashion legacy,” he moaned, pulling on a subdued midnight blue coat.

“It would serve you right.”

Glaring at his friend, Dare sauntered out to his awaiting carriage with Joseph following closely at his heels. Tired from a morning of dueling, he would have been content to ride in silence, but Joseph had something on his mind.

“So, it appears you have resolved your recent dilemma.”

Dare closed his eyes. “What do you mean?”

“You’ve changed. You’re much more relaxed than the time we talked at White’s. I take it you’ve resolved your issue with the woman in question.”

Dare shrugged.

“So. Nivea Horsham, is it?”

His eyes flew open. Good God, how had the man arrived at that conclusion? Forcing his voice to remain steady he asked, “Why would you say that?”

“At my party…I was watching you. You couldn’t take your eyes off her.”

Dare snorted. “Surely, you are mistaken.”

“No. It was quite obvious.” Leaning forward, he speared Dare with a penetrating gaze. “Now, tell me why was she so upset with you? Was it because you insulted her brother?”

He could blame it on his fight with William, but that did not seem fair. Taking a breath, he decided to come clean. “Truth be told, the day I insulted William, I was in a foul mood. I was unforgivably rude to Nivea as well. At your party, I decided to make amends with the entire Horsham clan. Fortunately, she is an immeasurably tolerant girl and she accepted my apology.”

Hoping to end the conversation, he added, “That was why I was being so attentive toward her at your party. I was just seeking to earn her forgiveness.”

Joseph nodded his head. “So, that was all—you hoped to earn her forgiveness?” he restated in a less than convinced tone. “So, the two of you are just…” He paused.

“We are just…” Dare struggled to come up with an appropriate word and settled for “friends.” He shrugged, thinking the subject closed.

“Hmm. Friends. Well that will certainly help matters when you ask the earl for Nivea’s hand?”

He flinched. “What? Why would I be doing that?”

Holding up one gloved finger, Joseph said, “You escorted her to dinner.”

That was a ridiculous point. “Can’t I be polite to my best friend’s sister?”

“You can, but you never have before.” He raised a second finger. “You have showed her an increase in attention. And you danced with her.”

A third finger appeared, which irritated Dare to no end.