Page 48 of The Rum and The Fox

Chapter 20

As merry as a grig - cheerful and lively

- The 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, by Francis Grose.

Keziah gasped, a slight but startled sound as he drew back again.

“There,” he said, smiling at her, though there was uncertainty in his eyes. “That wasn’t so very dreadful, was it?”

She let out a slight huff of laughter and shook her head.

“Not so very dreadful, no,” she repeated, finding her smile was genuine this time.

He moved a fraction closer, repeating the experience, each time moving his lips just a bit, pressing them against hers a touch harder.

When he moved away once more, she admitted to herself that she was just a little disappointed; it had, after all, been rather … pleasant.

“Here,” he said, turning his back to her. “Help me out of this thing, will you? I told my valet to make himself scarce, but this blasted coat is a devil to get out of.”

Obediently, Keziah moved to divest him of coat and then his waistcoat, and helped to ease off his boots as he sat on the edge of the bed and unwound his cravat.

“Lord, that’s better, thank you,” he said, grinning at her. “Now then.” He got to his feet and reached up a hand to touch her hair. “I can’t tell you how I have longed to take the pins out of this,” he said, such reverence in his voice that Keziah felt her cheeks heat. She stood perfectly still while he removed all of the pins securing her hair in place, running his fingers through the silky locks as they tumbled past her shoulders.

“Beautiful,” he murmured, holding a curl to his mouth and brushing the soft strands over his lips.

Once her hair was freed, he took her hand, leading her to the fire that blazed in the hearth and sitting down in the armchair beside it. She gave him a quizzical look, as he still held her hand, but it wasn’t until he gave her a slight tug that she realised his intention.

Blushing furiously, she perched herself on his knees, and then at his urging, moved closer to him. Once she was arranged to his satisfaction, she dared look at him again, suspecting that he was laughing at her. But there was no mockery in his expression, no amusement, just pleasure and happiness that could be seen in those dark green eyes, so full of tenderness.

He moved forward and she stilled as he kissed her, the feeling of his mouth on hers still new but not so strange as a moment ago.

It appeared he was in no hurry for anything further and she relaxed as she grew used to the intimacy of it. His arms pulled her a little closer and she became aware of his hand clasping her waist. It moved a little, sliding a little higher until it rested just below her breast and she gasped once more.

As though he had been awaiting the moment, Ash traced the contours of her mouth with his tongue, taking advantage of the parting of her lips to open her mouth a little more. Keziah tried not to tense, startled by the feeling of his tongue against hers, but relaxing once again as she discovered there was nothing to dislike in the sensation. Indeed, as she tried to mimic his actions, she was aware of a pleasurable heat suffusing her. It was no doubt the proximity to the fire, but whatever, it was by no means unpleasant.

Little by little, the kisses grew deeper, and she became aware that Ash was breathing harder. In truth, she felt rather breathless herself, but she jolted in surprise as his hand slid higher, cupping her breast and squeezing slightly.

He withdrew immediately, pulling away from her and watching her with caution.

“Forgive me,” he began, but Keziah laughed, not knowing what to say, but shook her head.

Though she didn’t want to put it into words, she hadn’t reacted so because it was unpleasant. Indeed, a spike of pleasure had shot through her that had been something of a revelation.

Ash’s face cleared and he smiled at her. “I took you by surprise?” She nodded and he grinned, looking quite endearingly smug. “I warn you, I may do that some more before this night is done.”

Keziah blushed but held his gaze, feeling suddenly a little bolder. As if determined to keep his word, he reached around her back, searching for the two little ties that secured her dress and giving each a tug. With care and moving slowly, as if not to startle her further, Ash pulled the gown from her shoulders until she sat in her chemise and petticoats with her dress around her waist. Apparently satisfied for the moment, he pulled her closer once more and kissed her.

This kiss - or these many, many kisses, Keziah was not sure which it was as his lips barely left hers for a moment. Whichever description was correct, the effect was really quite intriguing. The room seemed to grow ever hotter, the restriction of what remained of her clothes suddenly confining. A strange impatience settled over her, though what it was she was waiting for, she couldn’t quite decide, until she remembered the feel of his hand on her breast and decided that was certainly high on the list. But to her frustration, he did not attempt such a move again, concentrating alone on her mouth, his hand resting lightly at her waist.

All at once, he stopped, regarding her with caution. Both of them were flushed and breathing hard, she realised, and as he reached out and placed his hand to her cheek, she surprised herself by angling her face into his touch, like a cat.

He smiled, then, the delight and wonder in his eyes touching her heart and making her wish to please him.

“Do you think,” he asked, his voice low and enquiring and with no sense of urgency. “That perhaps … you would like to come and lay down with me?”

Keziah swallowed. All thus far had been surprising and tender and far from unpleasant, but surely now he would expect whatever it was of her that men always sought. That which seemed to make animals of them. Nonetheless, she had made a promise, she had sworn herself to this man, and he had made a bad enough bargain so far, she’d not let him consider it worse than it was. So she nodded, albeit a little stiffly, and got to her feet.

The slither of her gown falling as she stood, combined with the loss of heat as she removed herself from his hold, brought her to shivering. Once started, however, she found that she could not stop.