Page 31 of Wicked with Him

He swept her away from the stove and dropped her onto the edge of the kitchen table.

Amity looped her arms around his shoulders, laughing in surprise. “We could go back to bed while we wait.”

“Why go anywhere else?”

“Well, we could talk, or make love there.”

“Who needs a bed when this table right here seems sturdy enough to hold the two of us.” He kissed her cheek. “What was it you wanted to talk about though?”

Amity bit her lip a moment and then decided there was no point in waiting for a better time. “Are you leaving today?”

“No,” he promised. “Unless you’ve had enough of me.”

“I haven’t,” she said softly. It was nice to have Roman here, nicer to have his arms around her still. She made her shawl fall off her shoulders and pulled on the drawstring at her neck to loosen her nightgown. “I’d like you to stay and make love to me again.”

Roman nodded and wrapped her tighter in his arms. He was warm and so familiar now. She heaved a sigh and rested her cheek upon his chest. His heart beat loudly, keeping time with hers. “I didn’t expect you’d stay the night.”

He kissed the top of her head. “I didn’t mean to but I’m glad I did to see you this morning. You are utterly beautiful without all the frills and starch you used to wear.”

“My aunts controlled my wardrobe. They never listened to what I wanted to wear.” But she thought of what he said about her attire. He liked her as she was now, not as the primped and polished paragon. Of course, it might also be that her nightgown was rather loose, and he could peek down the front of it to see her breasts. Amity could feel herself becoming aroused and heated just from knowing he might be looking at her nakedness. “How will you spend today?”

“With you, I hope,” he said as he cupped her breasts in his big hands. “There’s not a lot to do in this village unless its drinking at the inn or indulging in gossip.”

She shook her head. “They will gossip about me now.”

“About us, as I had intended from the start.” His fingers eased down her torso to her sex, pausing, maddeningly, just above where she’d already begun to crave his attention. His fingers slid from side to side, teasing her with the anticipation of his tender touch. “I would never again neglect such an incredibly giving woman.”

She stilled his hand. “Crawford, what do we do if the maid comes back?”

“You told her to go and why. If she disobeys and see us together like this, it’s her own fault for interrupting a married couple making up after a long estrangement. I am quite prepared to be seen making amends, too. Your husband was in the wrong. A fool to let you go,” he promised as he urged her to slide farther up the sturdy table. He pulled off his shirt and tossed it carelessly aside. His bare chest and shoulders gleamed in the morning light.

Wearing only his breeches and a cheeky smile, he set his knee on the table and crawled up to join her, holding himself over her—caging her between his strong arms and thighs. He hovered there, his expression one of utter mischief. “I must say, I like pretending to be your wayward husband. Satisfying all those urges you’ve only just found existed has become an ambition of mine.”

She squinted up at him, walking her fingers down his chest toward the bulge in his trousers. “How do you know I didn’t have those urges before you came along?”

“I hope you did, but now I have to hope those thoughts are for none but me. I want you to only think of me when you’re being truly wicked.”

She studied Roman and decided there was no point denying her attraction and interest in him. They were lovers. She wanted them to stay lovers for as long as he could bear being away from London. “Perhaps I did and do think of you. Perhaps I always could, if given the right incentive.”

“Then let’s not waste another moment more making up.” He lowered slightly and skimmed his lips over hers. And just like the first time together, everything fell into place, and they didn’t need to say another word about what they expected from each other. “I want you to always think of me and what we do together.”

Amity was in complete agreement. She tugged her nightgown up to her waist and out of the way, and eased her legs apart, making room for his body to fit snugly against hers again. Just as she’d started to wish it could always be between them. Natural and easy and exciting and tender. She kissed Roman with all the passion she felt, all the love that only seemed to grow deeper the longer they spent together. She was completely committed to her lover and hoped to be forever in his arms.

Chapter 11

Despite his best efforts, Amity stirred as Roman tried to slip out from beneath her as gently as he could. He kissed her brow and moved her onto the mattress beside him, then considered covering her up to her neck because her pearly white skin was such a distraction. He became so easily aroused seeing her this way. Their lovemaking in the kitchen had been fun but he preferred seeing her lying in her own soft bed, sated, after a day of love play. He wished they could stay like this forever—except, he had an appointment arranged for this morning.

Curiosity was getting the better of him about any other Sweet family business he might have stumbled upon.

“I’ll be back in a few hours.”

Amity slid her leg out from under the sheet, toe pointed and seductive as she wiggled it at him. “Do you really have to go?”

He spent a moment considering, grinning at her flirting with him. “I’ve turned a paragon into a wanton woman. Not that I’m complaining. It’s my pleasure to make you happy, my dear.” Roman laughed, kissed the top her head and rolled out of her bed. “But unfortunately, the innkeeper might send out a search party if I don’t make an appearance at the inn soon. I wouldn’t want anyone but me to see you like this.”

Her eyes sparkled as she held the sheet across the lower part of her face and batted her lashes like a coquette. “Do I look like I’ve been ravished?”

“All night long,” he promised, full of wonder for the day and night they’d shared. They were so in tune when it came to exploring their passions. Hungry and willing to do anything to please the other.