He was sure she had. “You pleased me then without even trying.” He glanced down at his cock, which had grown surprisingly firm as they’d talked. “Better than you can possibly imagine.”

  “I can imagine a lot with you between my legs,” she teased him, cupping his cheek and sat up to fling off her clothes. They landed every which way about the chamber. “You’ve a wicked tongue, and I look forward to being lashed with it again and again.” She must have noticed his face was warming up because she laughed. “Should I not say I enjoy a particular pleasure to the deliverer who brings such a powerful release?”

  “You can tell me, but there will be consequences,” he warned, as he trapped her under him. There was nothing he liked better than a naked woman under him. “We were quite loud, and I wish you could always be so, but we will have to be careful if we indulge in sex in places other than here. The shriek such as you made when you came today would be noticed anywhere beyond these walls.”

  “It’s your own fault I was so loud,” she teased, wrapping her legs about his hips. She rocked against his budding erection. “Your cock is quite delicious without that terrible condom distracting me.”

  He was fascinated by her open honesty concerning matters of desire and bent his head to nuzzle her ear. Eugenia couldn’t seem to keep her hands still. Not that he was complaining. He liked that she enjoyed his body so well. Her kisses were moving slowly but determinedly lower down his throat. He eased up as she wriggled down the bed under him, kissing his chest, his nipples, his stomach, and the point of his hip. When he felt the brush of her fingers against his inner thigh, he rolled onto his back. But he had to ask, “What do you think you’re doing?”

  Eugenia repositioned herself to kneel between his spread legs. “I want to taste you.”

  But she didn’t at first put him in her mouth. Her fingers slid around him, testing his size, the texture of his balls, before she pumped his length. To have a woman he’d only just bedded so keen for a second round was unexpected, but who was he to stop Eugenia.

  She leaned down to kiss his cock at the same time her fingers strummed over his balls.

  He let out a shockingly desperate grunt.

  Eugenia chuckled. “Someone isn’t entirely sated yet, I see.”

  “I can hardly explain it,” he whispered. “It’s your fault.”

  He curled upward to watch her descend toward his cock. He held his breath as she took him into her mouth and sucked while her skillful fingers worked to arouse him toward another complete erection. Hand and mouth slid over his cock and down his shaft in a rhythm that had his hips lifted in time. Hardening him to the point where joining with her again was all he could think about.

  He pushed her onto her back, covered her completely with his body, and drove home once more.

  “How have I lived without this for so long?” he whispered.

  “How have I?”

  “Never again. I’ll make sure you’re always satisfied,” he promised.

  “As will I, sir.”

  He put his back into it, driving steadily and surely toward their mutual second climaxes. Eugenia’s fingers digging into his back and backside, always guiding him deep and true and harder, too. This time he saw her expression as she climaxed a second time under him. He vowed there would be many more occasions like this between them. So free, so perfectly attuned in desire.

  He rose up on his elbows, even as Eugenia wrapped her long legs about his hips and lifted her lower half up to stay close to him. He was going to come. He couldn’t stop himself. Again, he would tempt fate that she knew her imminent courses would prevent conception.

  But even if there was still a risk, he wanted nothing more than to only ever have her this way.

  He deliberately stilled himself, loving the way her body looked spread out before him like a feast. The rise and fall of her chest, the jiggle of her pretty breasts, and the sweat damping her brow. He toyed with her nipples a little and kissed one. Then the other, alternating and sucking on her nipples.

  Eugenia’s hips rocked against him, trying to urge him to move again. But he was not yet ready. There were other desires he wanted to fulfill this day. “Put your fingers between us and join me in pleasure again. I want to feel you squeeze me as you come.”

  She did as he asked, a sly smile in her eyes.

  He positioned her so he could remain inside, feeling every clench of her inner walls, and see the brush of her fingers against her quim. He concentrated and flexed his cock inside her, teasing her with his length and size.

  Her fingers quickened on her clitoris as her eyes fluttered shut. “Tell me about your engravings. What is your favorite?”

  “My favorite is of a woman stretched out on a bed, her hands on her quim like this, with a cock and anal plug buried deep inside her.”

  Eugenia whimpered, and her body clenched around him.

  Teddy answered by pressing a little harder into her sex. “In the engraving, she’s wearing nothing but a smile like yours.”

  Teddy flicked the tip of her pert nipple with his finger, but on her gasp, he caught her breast in one hand. He continued to squeeze her breast and flick her nipple with his thumb. He rolled the tight bud between thumb and forefinger and then pinched.

  “Move,” Eugenia demanded, gasping. “I need you.”

  He couldn’t have declined even if he wanted to. Knowing what she wanted from him drove Teddy wild, and he thrust into her as briskly as he could. As she climaxed, he couldn’t stop his seed from pouring out a second time, and he howled like a barbarian.

  Eugenia twisted and bucked on his length as she shuddered and climaxed much longer than she’d ever done before with him. But everything must end, and she collapsed back on the bed a second time, panting and gasping. “Oh my. Oh hell,” she gasped out, struggling to breathe. “I never imagined…”

  “Wicked indeed,” he said, satisfied beyond belief.

  Teddy remained over her, his weight supported by his arms, his lips grazing her throat as their passion cooled and their breathing slowed.

  Eugenia’s fingers danced down his side. “No lover I will ever have in the future could match this.”

  “No,” he agreed. “You are without compare.”

  Her fingers settled on his back, and she let out a weary sigh. “I think I will envy your next lover and wife and all the pleasure they’ll have from you. Jealousy is such an unpleasant character trait in anyone, especially so in myself.”

  “Marriage is very far in my future.” They separated to lie on their backs side by side. He laughed softly and reached for her hand. “Don’t think I won’t be jealous of your future lover and his good fortune, either.”

  “What should we do?”

  “I suppose the sensible thing would be to marry each other and let everyone be jealous of our passion,” Teddy suggested—then his face heated with shock at his own words. Three delightful fucks were not the basis to begin any marriage.

  Eugenia started to laugh. “Suggestions made in the heat of the moment and just after good sex are never wise, Thaddeus Berringer. I swear, I would never hold you to such a preposterous suggestion. Besides, you said you were not marrying until next season at the earliest, least of all to someone like me. I intend to hold you to that.”

  Thank God. He tried to hide his relief, but given the way Eugenia still grinned, it meant she already knew he had immediately regretted his unthinking suggestion that they wed each other. He slid away from her, distancing himself further from his impulsive words. “Kind of you to release me from any obligation. I was only imagining the satisfaction of bedtime encounters with you and spoke without thought.”

  “It would never be a duty with you for any woman,” she promised, then sat up in bed to look around. “I am suddenly starving.”

  Their clothes were scattered about the room.

  “Wait here a moment,” Teddy said quickly before she could rise and rushed out the door naked.

  He retrieved the picnic basket he’d brought with him and presented it to her with a flourish and a deep bow. “I didn’t think you’d mind me bringing a little something to nibble upon, other than myself, of course.”

  He came closer and spread out the contents between them on the bed. There was plenty to feed two hungry lovers. He’d even brought wine, since he wasn’t sure what remained in the cellar here, if anything. He offered her a piece of chicken to eat from his fingers.

  “Hmm, just what I needed. Thank you.”

  He repositioned to settle beside her and pulled a blanket around his hips, since there was a chill in the air. Not surprising since a fire hadn’t been lit here in some time.

  Eugenia snuggled close, the bedding wrapped tight over her breasts now, and then glanced up at him. “Never worry that I’ll hold you to any promise, sir. This changed nothing for me. I am exactly where I want to be and need no commitment to welcome you back again.”

  He hugged his lover close. At least his unthinking suggestion of them marrying and then a withdrawal from the proposal hadn’t soured her opinion of him. He fed her more portions of chicken from his fingers and offered cake, too, as the next hour ticked on.

  And then Eugenia fell fast asleep in his arms. He listened and watched her as she rested, finding even that a pleasure. But…even if his proposal had been a mistake, and refused by her, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. Surely a marriage to a lusty lady wouldn’t be all bad—especially not one whose hand even in sleep had slipped onto his thigh under the covers to arouse him.

  Chapter 15

  There was nothing more satisfying for a woman than to have frequent orgasms. She and Thaddeus had managed to meet again, and for the last week at Albemarle Street, at odd hours. Her courses had come and gone on schedule and she’d reveled in his wickedness ever since.

  Last night, they’d even managed to spend the night here together rather than her returning to Wharton House and him to Grafton House. No one at home had batted an eye that she’d planned to stay the night here. She’d promised to return early enough to still attend a picnic with her cousins.

  But there were disappointments to be faced today. Eugenia would return to Wharton House, and regret that she had to.

  Eugenia glanced over her shoulder as her bed shook under her. Thaddeus was finally stirring after a satisfying night beneath her sheets. She’d managed to sleep for a little while and now felt quite satisfied.

  Or she would be, if he was not preparing to go. She hated this part of an affair, the re-dressing, the moments before separation even if it was entirely necessary. Eugenia was only his lover. An honor she relished and would enjoy while these exquisite moments of lust lasted.

  While she’d much rather stay in his arms for another hour or two, she really did have to return to her cousins. There was only so much time Aurora could distract everyone if she was wanted at home.

  She sat up and wrapped her arms around her knees. They’d been lucky that their affair remained a secret still. Thaddeus had been adamant from the beginning that no one could know about them and, with the exception of Aurora figuring it out on her own, she wanted that too.

  When he stood, Eugenia climbed out of bed, crossed the room, and went to stir the fire. It had died down during the night, and she stroked it until a nice blaze burned again, warming the chill from her room. There had been no need to hide the fact she was here last night, after all.

  When she straightened up and turned, Thaddeus was staring at her with a look that held a great deal of heat for so early in the day.

  She had forgotten to even throw on a robe, after all, which she had noticed he seemed to like her to do.

  Eugenia crossed the room and stretched out on her side on top of the coverlet. She held his gaze and smiled knowingly. “Is there something the matter, lover?”

  He blinked and shook his head. “Not from where I’m standing.”

  Eugenia rolled onto her back and ran her hands down her body, starting with a lingering grope of her own breasts, then down to her thighs. She sighed. There was no point stirring him up too far, or herself, if he was going, but damn if what they were doing didn’t feel liberating. Though all good things must end.

  She burrowed back under the coverlet, covering herself.

  Thaddeus paused beside the bed, trousers half on, his torso bare and beautifully broad, but a frown marred his handsome face. “Is something the matter?”

  “No,” she promised him. He could go, and she might even fall back asleep for a while before returning to Wharton House. She sighed and rolled over onto her stomach.

  Wharton House. Eugenia was not looking forward to going back there today, even if her beloved cousins were expecting her.

  Teddy’s fingers teased lightly across her shoulder. “I only ask because you didn’t speak to me at the Piermont luncheon yesterday.”

  She had seen Thaddeus, watched on as he’d paid court to an heiress and a widow, and hadn’t liked the feelings that had assailed her. Those women could openly seek to attract him to their side, and even though she was his lover, she had felt the sting of exclusion and not a little jealousy. She had no right to think that he belonged to her in any way. “I had nothing new to say yesterday, or nothing fit to be overheard by others.”

  “You can always talk to me.”

  Eugenia rolled over to look at him. They already talked a lot. But in public, she knew she had to go on as if they were still near strangers. “I know that.”

  He frowned again. “Is this secret of ours becoming a burden?”

  “Goodness, no. Why ever would you think so?”

  “I don’t know,” he smoothed her hair back from her face gently. “I just have this nagging feeling that I’ve disappointed you in some way.”

  Eugenia got to her knees and crawled toward him. “You never have. You never could.”

  He came closer, drew her against his chest, and kissed her soundly.

  Hoping to distract him from wondering what she thought of their affair, Eugenia slipped her tongue into his mouth. She enjoyed him a little too much than she probably should. She was always excited to see him, sad when their wicked interludes were over. They were always too short.

  Eugenia slid her hand down his body to fondle his cock.

  Thaddeus drew back, laughing slightly. “Enough of that. I have to go.”

  “I know.” She grinned impishly. “I just wanted you to remember me after you’re gone.”

  “How could I forget? You’re in my thoughts always.” He cleared his throat. “Speaking of remembering…”

  She thought she knew what was coming but acted surprised as he dug inside his coat pocket. She’d felt a bulge there when she’d helped him undress when he’d first arrived.

  She sat back on her heels, watching him produce a handkerchief. She wasn’t sure how to refuse the gift, but of course she must. She wasn’t in the habit of accepting tokens of appreciation from her lovers. No money or jewels should ever change hands for pleasure. “Thaddeus, you shouldn’t have. I can’t—”

  “Don’t say no until after I show you what I found. I thought very hard about this,” he warned. “Of course, you could not openly wear jewelry from me. Your cousins would question you, and no doubt Wharton would hear of it.”

  He revealed a fine gold chain, unusually long, with a small charm attached to one loop. It wasn’t what she’d expected from him at all.

  “I long for any occasion to see you wear this in private for me.” He held his fingers wide in front of her, showing her the charm in closer detail. The tiny gold disk was fashioned in the shape of a heart with the initials EH engraved on one side. The other side was blank.

  He lowered his hands to her waist and hugged her close. “And I hope that occasionally you might wear it beneath your gown in public, and whisper to me that it’s there.”

  When he pulled back, the chain encircled her waist, fitting snugly above her hips.

  She was stunned, and also delighted with him. He’d made a good choice. But the question was, could she keep it? It wasn’t diamonds or rubies, but something simple and from his heart. And it was engraved with only her initials. “Oh, Thad, you shouldn’t have, but…thank you. It’s beautiful.”

  “I wanted to give you a token of my affection but be discreet about it.”

  She nodded. She could keep this one gift from him for now. She’d wear it all the time until their affair was over, and then she would hand it back. Her eyes suddenly stung with the threat of tears, and she lowered her head to hide them.

  Thaddeus slipped his finger under her chin and raised her face. He frowned at her tears and then smiled softly. “None of that now,” he chided. “It’s just the beginning.”

  She drew back and placed her hands protectively over the chain. “It’s a perfect gift for a secret lover, and I want nothing more from you.”

  Eugenia hurried off her bed and rushed for the mirror. A naked woman wearing a simple chain about her waist seemed more decadent than one opening wearing costly gems. Eugenia had to admit, she was looking forward to wearing it out and telling him about it to see his reaction.

  Gift admired, she rushed back to Thaddeus and embraced him. “You really shouldn’t have spoiled me so, but I appreciate that you wanted to.”

  Thaddeus’ arms tightened around her only briefly before he stepped back again. “I wish I could stay, but the duke—”

  Eugenia rushed to press a finger to his lips.

  The duke quite depended on his heir. She understood. She knew he always would come first. The duke took precedence over everything and everyone. Thaddeus had to leave, and she wouldn’t pout or protest. There was no need. “Meet me here tomorrow night if you can.”

  “I would try very hard to,” he promised. “Except, are we not both attending Lady Bisley’s party, too?”

  “Oh, I’d forgotten. Likely I won’t be able to avoid it now.” She winced. “Perhaps we can meet the next night.”

  She finished buttoning her lover’s waistcoat, smoothed her hand over his wide chest, then pressed a quick peck of a kiss to his stubbled cheek.