The Story of a Baron (The Sisters of the Aristocracy) (12 page)

When her head suddenly rested against his shoulder, his heart nearly stopped.

She knows!

Jeffrey allowed a smile and then dropped his head back until it rested on the edge of the settee. Given the silence in the parlor, he was suddenly aware of the slight sound coming from Evangeline. Her chest rose and fell with her even breaths, warmth emanating from where her body was pressed against his own.

She’s sleeping
, he realized suddenly.
How dare she ...?

He stilled himself. She was sleeping. She was sleeping with her head resting against his shoulder. How could she fall asleep in the part of the story where Geraldine realizes she doesn’t just want the lowly baron because she needs a husband but because she realizes she’s rather fond of him – that she might be in love with him?
How could she not be enthralled enough to remain alert and awake to find out what happens next?
he wondered.

How could she simply fall asleep?

Because she is tired
, he chided himself.
Because she feels comfortable enough to do so? Because I am here and she knows I won’t take liberties with her?

Jeffrey sighed, deciding he rather liked how Evangeline would trust him enough to simply fall asleep on his arm. Smiling, Jeffrey leaned his head over so his cheek rested on top of her head. Inhaling slowly, he reveled in her floral scent and in the calming effect her very presence had on him.

Within moments, Jeffrey, too, was sound asleep.

Jones stood on the threshold of the parlor, his attention directed on the back of the settee. On the two heads that seemed to be resting, one on the other. On the silence that filled the Rosemount House parlor. He had already tamped down a sense of panic, realizing the two weren’t kissing one another. And he had already decided not to storm the parlor in an effort to scare the bejesus out of the visiting baron so he might never darken the door of Rosemount House again. But he realized he could not simply stand on the threshold and do nothing as his master’s sister sat with a male caller in the parlor. At nine-twenty at night!

Or, perhaps he could. Neither one of them seemed to be doing ... anything. In fact, from the quiet in the room, he thought perhaps they were either very engrossed in the book they were supposed to be reading, or they were ...

Asleep
.

He watched as the baron’s head slowly listed to his left until it rested atop Lady Evangeline’s head. After another moment, the telling sounds of a soft snore made their way to his hearing.

Christ!

Now what would he do? The two were sleeping together in the parlor!

Although, they were doing so rather innocently, he had to admit to himself. Perhaps the book they were reading was boring. Perhaps they were both very tired and simply fell asleep. The parlor was rather cozy this time of night, the fire still crackling in the fireplace and the overhead chandelier illuminating only the settee, leaving most of the library in darkness.

Jones took note of the single chair that had been placed just inside the door. Duty required him to keep an eye on the chit and her visitor. He could do so if he took a seat in the parlor. If they did not wake up of their own accord within a half-hour, he would wake them and encourage the baron to take his leave of the house. Glancing down the hallway in both directions, Jones stepped into the parlor and took a seat in the nearby chair.

Within minutes, he, too, was sound asleep.

Jeffrey was enjoying his rather vivid dream, one in which the love of his life had fallen asleep in his arms, when he was suddenly aware of an intruder.

A competitor for the hand of Lady Evangeline?
he wondered, girding his loins for battle.
Or just an interloper?
Someone who took interest in the carnal activities of the
ton
, perhaps?
Or a passerby?

He concentrated on the sounds in the room, frowning when he realized the oddest sound was one of snoring.
Could Lady Evangeline be capable of such a rumble?
he wondered, slowly opening his eyes. She was still leaning against him, although now her head was nestled into the small of his shoulder. Her body barely moved with each breath she took, which meant she couldn’t be the source of the violent breathing that filled the room.

Someone else was in the parlor!

Certainly the fish couldn’t make such a racket. He knew their was a tank somewhere in the house, but it wasn’t in this room; the only fish he knew of in Rosemount House were in a tank in the library, and he rather doubted theirs snores could be heard here in the parlor!
If fish even snored
, he considered for a moment before realizing the thought was simply ridiculous.

So, who could be sleeping with them?

My one opportunity to sleep with Lady Evangeline and someone else has the audacity to join us!

He took a tentative look to his right, relieved when he realized no one else was on the settee with them. There certainly wasn’t room for another person on the petite couch. He made a careful glance to the left, ensuring no one was on the other side of Lady Evangeline. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on the source of the offending sound and realized it came from behind them.

Careful not to jostle Evangeline’s head too much, he dared a glance behind him and frowned at the sight of the butler sitting just inside the parlor door.

Damnation!
When had Jones joined them? And how long had he been asleep?

Perhaps his heart rate had increased suddenly, or perhaps he had moved too much, but Lady Evangeline suddenly stirred, one hand moving up his chest in the process. The delicate set of long, slender fingers came to rest in the folds of his cravat.

Jeffrey closed his eyes. A few more inches and they might have landed on his lips, where he would have drawn each one into his mouth with his lips and suckled them one by one in the order they appeared on her hand. The thought had his nether regions suddenly responding, his cock hardening until it strained against the placket of his breeches.

He forced himself to take a deep breath, which seemed to cause Evangeline’s hand to fall from his cravat and onto the bulge in his breeches.

His sudden inhalation of breath had Evangeline’s head angling up a bit.

Jeffrey dared a glance down. Evangeline’s face lay against his shoulder, her lips slightly parted and her eyes still closed. Below, her hand rested on his manhood, apparently unaware of the pounding pulse her simple move had incited.

I could kiss her right now
, he thought, his pulse nearly doubling in only a few seconds.

I cannot,
he reasoned with himself.
I cannot take advantage of her innocence ...

“Kiss me,” he heard in a distant whisper.

Startled, Jeffrey stared down at Evangeline, wondering if she had been the one to invite a kiss.

“Of course, my lady,” he whispered before capturing her lips in a simple caress with his own lips.

Jeffrey closed his eyes, reveling in the feel of her lips against his own.
Like velvet and satin and my favorite whiskey,
he thought before he finally released her willing mouth. Her head remained firmly pressed into the small of his shoulder, a small smile apparently approving what he had done.

“Kiss me back,” he whispered, wondering if she would even hear his plea. The hand that pressed against his swollen manhood was now squeezing gently through the fabric of the breeches, the fingers slightly curled around his hardening cock in a manner that would send him into ecstasy if she continued her erotic movements much longer.

Jeffrey allowed his head to rest on the back of the settee, his breaths coming faster as her ministrations coaxed him closer to orgasm. Her lips suddenly captured his neck just above his cravat, nipping the skin in a gentle love bite that had him gasping. He moved his lips to hers, taking ownership of the firm, velvet flesh at the same time her fingers suddenly squeezed even harder around his erection. Not expecting the move, Jeffrey broke off the kiss when his manhood suddenly reacted and he was forced to take a deep breath.

God, it had been ages since he’d had such a release, such a quiet, powerful and satisfying orgasm that left him blind but for the stars that seemed to appear behind his eyelids. He had to bite back the groan he was about to allow; somewhere, someone else was in the room, and he dare not let them know that Lady Evangeline had been the cause of such a miracle.
Jesus, did the chit even know what she had managed to accomplish in her sleep?
he wondered as he barely opened one eye. She still seemed to be asleep against his shoulder, her lips still parted as if she thought he might kiss her again.

He did so, his light touch bringing her alive. His hand released its hold on the edge of the book and moved to her body, gliding up the soft sprigged muslin fabric until it reached the underside of one breast. Although the mound didn’t completely fill his palm as it moved over the top of it, the fact that he could hold it, press it, mold it, even give it a gentle squeeze through her stays had him so excited, so aroused, he thought he might come to completion again.

He moved his hand so his fingers could push her sleeve down her shoulder. Still covered by the bodice of her gown, her breast seemed to swell as his lips lowered onto her engorged nipple. When he pulled away, as much to take a breath as to ensure he hadn’t yet been discovered by the servant, Jeffrey noticed the nipple’s silhouette through the muslin. He couldn’t help himself as he captured the bud between his teeth and gently bit it. Evangeline’s slight hiss had him stilling his motions, had him pulling away just a bit.

“Please, don’t stop,” he heard despite the pounding of his pulse in his ears.

Startled, Jeffrey raised his eyes to hers. Barely open, Evangeline’s eyes seemed glazed and sleepy, their lashes forming an exotic curved curtain that barely hid her green eyes. “Shh,” he replied, leaning in to kiss her gently. He thrilled at how her lips responded, at how her body arched so her breast filled his hand and her nipple moved to rest between two of his fingers. And then, suddenly her breast was bare, her sleeve pulled down far enough that her nipple escaped the confines of her gown.

Pinching the ruched bud between his thumb and forefinger, Jeffrey deepened the kiss in the hopes that he could swallow any sudden sounds she might make in response to his ministrations. He felt her gasp against his lips, felt her body arch up against him. When he was sure she wouldn’t cry out, he moved his mouth down to the nipple and closed his lips around it, his tongue laving over and around it until he was aware of her body shuddering beneath his, her hands clenching on his lapel and the bulge in his crotch. The sensation had him gasping and holding his breath in order to keep from calling out.

Evangeline suddenly settled against the front of his body, her face pressed into the space between his shoulder and neck as she exhaled what sounded like a very satisfied sigh.

Coming back to his senses, Jeffrey carefully raised her sleeve to its place on her shoulder and adjusted her bodice as best he could.

Was that a moan of disappointment he heard as the fabric scraped over her breast? Or one of despair? Did the lady realize what had just happened? Was she already regretting the liberties he had taken with her?

Christ! I’ve taken advantage of a sleeping woman
, he chided himself. A wanton, sleeping, gently bred woman who was the sister of one of his friends!

I am so going to hell!

When her lips suddenly found his, Jeffrey’s eyes widened. He barely had time to return the kiss before Evangeline pulled away. “Please, do not regret what has happened here,” she whispered, her voice barely audible with her plea.

Jeffrey frowned.
Regret?
Why in bloody hell would he ever regret these stolen moments of pure pleasure with Lady Evangeline?

And then he realized the loud snoring had ceased. Remembering the book that was barely perched on his thigh, he moved one hand to steady it as Evangeline smoothed her skirts.

“I apologize for not having answered your earlier question,” Evangeline said, her voice suddenly filling the quiet library.

Jeffrey furrowed a brow. “What question?” he wondered, and then wondered how she could remember anything. His own brain was quite useless at the moment.

Evangeline bent her neck to one side. “You wondered why I cannot believe Lord Ballantine is having difficulty in finding a suitable match,” she said.

Nodding, Jeffrey finally remembered the comment. “And why do you wonder?” he asked. “He’s not exactly a prime candidate for the Marriage Mart.”

“Why ever not?” Evangeline countered, her surprise at his response evident.

Jeffrey inhaled, just as surprised by her response. “The baron is ... broke. I shouldn’t think any lady would want to marry a man who only weds her for her dowry,” he claimed, the words helping to calm his manhood.

Evangeline’s mouth formed an ‘o’ as she shook her head. “But, she would if she felt affection for him,” she argued. “If he ... if he confessed his affection for her,” she added quickly. “Not every woman is looking to marry a rich man,” she whispered and then realized that perhaps most were looking for just such a match. Geraldine certainly was.

Jeffrey regarded Evangeline for a long time before he nodded. Perhaps there was hope for him. “Thank you for ... sharing that information,” he said in a whisper.

Nodding, Evangeline sighed. “I do believe this was a most satisfying chapter. Don’t you agree?” she asked aloud, as if nothing of the last fifteen minutes had happened.

A most satisfying chapter
... in the book? Or in their lives?
he wondered suddenly. “Very, milady,” Jeffrey agreed with a slight nod, aware that the butler was still behind them and probably very awake. Or at least, very aware. “I do believe I should be taking my leave, though. It’s quite late, and I didn’t mean to keep you from your slumber.”

Evangeline suppressed a smile, figuring the baron had known she had fallen asleep at some point during the second or third page. “You have not, I assure you. I will show you out.” Rising from the settee in one smooth movement, the earl’s sister caught the baron by surprise. Jeffrey stood up, though not with as much grace. A bit unsteady on his feet and hoping his waning erection wasn’t too apparent, he offered his arm to Evangeline. “Thank you for hosting me at such a late hour,” he answered with a nod.

Evangeline led the baron out of the parlor and past Jones, whom she just then realized had apparently joined them in the parlor at some point during their slumber. Now he was struggling to stand. “Oh, no need to get up, Jones,” Evangeline said as she and Jeffrey headed toward the vestibule.