Wicked Mourning (2 page)

As he moved his hand on her spine in small circles, Clara leaned closer. He shifted his weight, pressing close against her belly and kept up the steady pressure. When his hand slipped lower, Clara arched her back and a moan escaped her lips.

Beneath the bulk of her belly, hidden from her view by the child she carried, evidence of his attraction to Clara grew beyond his power to control. He wanted her with such a fierce ache that he couldn’t breathe.

Reggie dropped his head to her shoulder and, after a moment, he turned his lips against her skin. Clara, perhaps forgetting who held her, arched her neck so he might have unfettered access. Reggie took his time, pressing light kisses up the column of her throat, nuzzling her ear and then gently tugging the lobe with his teeth.

Clara clutched at his lapels, a contented hum purring from her lips. Reggie drew her body as hard against him as he could manage and pressed his lips to hers. Clara’s eyes widened. But then she kissed him back, she let him have his way with her lips, destroying all his imaginings of their first kiss.

She tasted like sweet sunshine and the darkest claret. A combination that went to his head in moments and reduced his resolve to scattered ash. He claimed her mouth again and swept his tongue between her parted lips.

Clara made an impatient noise and bumped awkwardly against him. He hadn’t considered the unborn child between them in any of his fantasies so he was unsure of how to draw her any closer. He swept one hand over her back and cupped her skull with the other.

Clara drew back, eyes wide. “What are you doing?”

Clutching her tight against him, he walked them to his bed, laid her down upon the counterpane and crawled over her prone body. “I must be sorely out of practice if you must ask me. I’m making love to you.”

Careful to keep his weight from crushing the babe she carried, he hovered over, letting his kisses reduce them both to mindless moaning creatures. All he wanted was to cherish her and put an end to this unfulfilled craving.

Clara pushed at his shoulders. “Reggie, please? Be serious.”

He drew back, catching her bewildered stare and feeling, only momentarily, like the worst sort of cad. “I am completely in earnest, my love. We have both mourned long enough. We both have needs and I am eager to satisfy every one of yours.”

Clara gaped at him. “You truly mean to make love to me? But why?”

He laughed a little at her confusion. “Do you see any other stunningly beautiful women lying about my country estate? Of course I want to make love to you. I’ve thought of little else since you moved in.”

He let her digest that for a bare moment before he captured her lips again.

Chapter Two

Clara’s head spun as her best friend pressed her deeper into the mattress and kissed her witless. Any moment she’d awaken from this pleasant daydream—hot, flushed and overly excited—and have to pretend that she was perfectly happy with her sexless existence as a widow and expectant mother.

Yet Reggie moaned softly as he swept his tongue deep into her mouth. She hadn’t ever imagined that before. She opened her eyes to find his dark head bent over hers, his lips pressing ardent kisses to her skin, his hot breath dancing upon her nerves.

Clara clutched his head, frustrated that her big, ungainly body refused to mould to Reggie’s as she wanted. For now, she’d be content with whatever small pleasures might come her way. Reggie rolled onto his side and pulled her toward him, and his fingers curved around the heavy weight of her breast. She moaned.

“So beautiful,” he whispered.

When Reggie pressed his lips to the upper swells of her breast, Clara’s body hummed with pleasure. She couldn’t get close enough to his beguiling heat.

But suddenly, Reggie jumped off the bed. She met his gaze. The naked desire blazing bright in his eyes sent her pulse thudding at the junction of her thighs. He stripped his dark coat from his shoulders, and loosened his cravat in a rush. His gaze roved over her and, suddenly uncertain, she pressed her thighs tighter together. Could he truly want to make love to a woman as ungainly as she?

“Don’t move, love. I’ll return in a moment.”

Clara’s heart raced with excitement. She wouldn’t have to pretend not to want more from her friend than she should. Reggie crossed to the bedroom door, locked it and the door to an adjoining chamber, and then sauntered back across the room. He stopped at the bed side and stared down at her.

Clara let her gaze roam his body. His square jaw, usually so serious and perfect, was shadowed with a dusting of dark stubble. The broad chest drew her eyes and she longed to touch the hot skin hidden beneath his waistcoat. Her admiration ended when her belly got in the way.

Reggie’s lips lifted until a broad smile brightened his eyes. “Perfect.”

“Really, Reggie. You exaggerate.”

His grin grew wider. “I hardly ever exaggerate about beguiling women.” He dropped a boot to the floor, and then tossed the other clear across the room.

When he crawled over her again, Clara was ready for more than just kisses. Her body hummed so badly she thought she’d expire before he could claim her. She reached for Reggie and drew his head to her breast. With a chuckle, he nipped and licked at the skin above her bodice, then wriggled his fingers beneath her gown at her shoulder and tugged. But the dress was made for prim propriety, not a rogues ease of access.

She chuckled and rolled to her side. “You might need to unlace me.”

Reggie groaned and pressed against her back. He nipped at her nape and sent shivers down her spine. She blushed as he snuggled close and the hard ridge of his erection pressed against her bottom. She had missed physical pleasure so badly she shook with the need to feel a man’s possession again. To feel the warmth of a beautiful man bare against her skin.

“Dear God, you are lovely,” Reggie groaned.

The low growl sent a flush of warmth rushing between her legs. Clara thrust her bottom against his erection, eager to encourage him anyway she could.

Reggie made quick work of undoing her gown and as her breasts tumbled free, he caught one and molded her flesh with his strong hand. Clara moaned as months of wishing for intimate touch came true. He thumbed her nipple, then twisted and plucked at the hard peak. Clara squirmed against his groin. Her body throbbed with need, but what Reggie was doing wasn’t enough.

As if sensing her impatience, he pushed her flat to the bed and set his lips to her nipple. He drew the peak deep into his mouth. Clara moaned as a rush of damp heat pulsed between her legs. She shifted them restlessly until Reggie trapped one of her legs and nudged his thigh against her groin.

Dear God, she wanted so much more. She thrust her hips against his limb and her quim tightened unbearably. She’d never experienced such a rush of need before. It was almost as if her body was a stranger to her.

Reggie kept up a steady assault on her senses, so much so that she didn’t notice he’d inched her gown up her legs until her knees were bared. His palm covered her skin and slid over her thigh. Clara gasped at the sensation and Reggie, after giving her a wicked grin, shifted down the bed.

He touched her stockings and drew her knees apart. Deprived of pressure where she needed it most, Clara pressed her arm across her eyes to regain her faithless control. She had never ever imagined that Reggie had this kind of interest in her. Oh, she’d allowed his protection and allowed him to bully her out of
London
. But this? She gasped as he touched her curls and drew her knees wider apart.

Clara raised her head, but her distended belly made seeing more of him than his broad shoulders impossible. Probably just as well. She wouldn’t like him to see the blush that heated her cheeks.

He kissed her thighs, moving slowly until Clara growled with impatience. Reggie chuckled and lightly nipped her inner thigh. She wriggled and attempted to catch hold of his head, yet she couldn’t gain a satisfying grip on his dark hair. She gave up and slipped her hands beneath her hips, angling her lower body towards him.

He groaned. “Is all this lovely wetness for me, Clara? You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to taste you.”

Clara quivered at his words. Thank heavens he meant to ease her suffering with his mouth.

Yet when he kissed her lower lips, Clara was in no way prepared. She gasped and rocked her hips upward against his face. He kissed her harder and then slid his hands under her bottom, over hers, to hold her still.

His deep rumbled groan vibrated over her nub and then he dug between her legs with his tongue—firm enough to make her shake and moan out loud. He lapped and probed with swift intoxicating pleasure and before she was ready, before she expected to reach the point of no return, she climaxed and shuddered against his face.

Clara turned her head and closed her eyes, embarrassed by her loud shrieks of enjoyment reverberating around the room.

Reggie emerged from beneath her gown and settled at her side. When he didn’t immediately move to enter her body, Clara opened her eyes. What held him back from receiving his own pleasure?

He slid a lose curl from her forehead. “You sounded like you needed that more than I do.”

Clara frowned. “But you have yet to be satisfied yourself?”

Reggie settled his head to her shoulder and curled against her side. His hand settled on the highest point of her baby’s bump then slid down to where her hip once had been. “I’d like to visit you tonight in your room, or invite you to spend the night here with me. As much as I long to touch every part of you in every way possible, I fear your mother-in-law will come looking for you at any moment.”

Clara blinked in shock. She’d forgotten her annoying, self-appointed chaperone. Although she still trembled from Reggie’s pleasure, Clara struggled off the bed.

Reggie followed and slipped his arms around her. “May I come to you tonight?”

Clara stared into his earnest face. In good conscience, she could not deny him his pleasure after his efforts on her behalf. She nodded. “Of course. I’ll leave my door unlocked.”

He pressed his head against hers and sighed. “I’ll be counting the hours. Let me set us both to order and then get you safely on your way.”

Reggie swiftly pulled his boots on, and then turned to the mirror to restore his cravat to its proper appearance. He struggled into his coat and then returned to tuck Clara’s fallen curl back into place. He led her to the second bedchamber door, hooked her arm about his and they set off through the house, wandering at an easy pace.

Clara was grateful for the quiet interlude. She had a lot to think about after finding pleasure in Reggie’s arms. She’d had no idea the man was remotely interested in seducing her. And he’d done it so well and so deliciously eagerly too, despite the bulk between them.

She rested her hand upon her belly, still wondering what Reggie could want with a ripening widow when he had many a young and pretty girl eagerly trying to snare him. She glanced sideways and caught his impish smile.

Before she could blink, Reggie had turned them into another room and held her against the door.

“I don’t know if I can wait until this evening. The way you look, the way you smell is already driving me insane.” He stared into her eyes. “Gods you’re aroused again. Oh, Clara, my love. Your eager passion has destroyed all my plans to be patient and good.”

Reggie growled as he kissed her and wanton, needy creature that she was, Clara pulled him closer. Her body already hummed with the knowledge that satisfaction could be found in his arms. She wanted more of that ecstasy, more of Reggie, so she slid her fingers over his thigh until she touched the hard ridge of his arousal.

He groaned as her fingers bumped along his length.

Footsteps hurried toward their door. Clara froze, straining to hear as they stopped behind her back. The door handle jiggled beside her thigh, and she gripped Reggie tighter. When Clara glanced down, she found Reggie’s hand holding the knob tight.

He met her gaze with a plea in his eyes and she slowly moved her hand up and down. He bit his lip. Eventually, the footsteps continued on their way.

Reggie kissed her brow. “I have the worst timing imaginable. Perhaps we should continue this later when we have no fear of being interrupted. Come on. We have an eagle-eyed chaperone to fool.”

Clara pouted as he tugged her hand from his erection. After a quick check to be certain their reappearance would be unnoticed, they stepped out into the hall.