Page 45 of Love and Other Disasters

He leaned close to nuzzle her ear as he playfully teased her nipples. “Are you all right?”

“Yes,” she whispered, catching his fingers where they circled and holding them still.

“That was quite the moment, wasn’t it,” he whispered, and then chuckled softly.

“It was, but just a moment and it is over for me.” She sat up abruptly, pushing down her skirts over her calves. “What of you?”

“Me?”

“Did you…?” She waved her hand over his lower anatomy, where he was slightly less stiff than when she’d come against his thrusting.

“No.”

“Oh.” Her brow furrowed and her expression changed to one of confusion.

“Don’t worry about me,” he whispered.

But that statement seemed to worry her even more. “But don’t you want to climax, too?”

Jasper sat up beside her. “Men do not need to achieve release every single time they become stiff. In fact, a repetition of excitement and softening over the hours of a day can make a later release more intense. At least that is my experience, and if you doubt me, just ask your friends down the hall what other men say.”

“Oh,” she said slowly and glanced down at his lap.

Jasper grinned and leaned close to drop a kiss at the corner of her mouth. “You’ve much to learn yet about the many ways of passion, my dear.”

“I see that.” Her gaze flew to his. “Can you teach me soon?”

Jasper gaped. Who was this remarkable creature? So confident one moment and yet so uninformed. “I could,” he said slowly. “But why the urgency?”

She shrugged. “It’s probable I shall never marry. I would like to know what other women, like my friends, sell their bodies to enjoy.”

“Not all intimacy is enjoyable, especially not for whores,” he warned sternly.

“Oh, I know that. That is why I should like to enjoy this time with you while I can,” she told him, nodding to herself.

He pulled away from her. “Are you going somewhere?”

“No. But you will, and I will move on to another situation one day, too.”

Jasper got to his feet. The matter-of-fact way she spoke of leaving and a next situation far from Ravenswood diminished his enjoyment of what they’d done together somewhat. He’d pursued and seduced a governess, and she was already thinking about the end of their affair—but he wasn’t. He didn’t want pleasures to be over so soon between them. “There will always be more children in this family to keep you busy and employed.”

“Yes, your young brother has married, and your cousin, Mrs. Crawford, seems pleased with my work for Lord Nash. But I cannot assume they’d want me for their children.”

“Why not?”

“You, of all people, should see why.” She jumped off the bed and started smoothing down her gown, and the bed too. “My skirts are a little wrinkled,” she said, and then laugh softly, “but luckily I am almost always a little that way after playing with the children, so none of the other servants will wonder about it. Liam likes to climb into my lap for hugs many times a day.”

She spoke naturally, as if she were accustomed to confiding in him. He liked that change between them very much. “What of Thomas?”

“He’s almost too grown up to need my comfort.”

Jasper crept behind her and wrapped his arms about her waist, pulling her close and pressing a long kiss against her cheek. “He’s a fool.”

Sophie laughed softly again. “He’s young and thinks differently to a full-sized gentleman with amorous inclinations.”

He marched Sophie to the mirror, holding her from behind so he could see her face clearly. There was a pretty blush to her cheeks still from their lovemaking. “Amorous indeed, but not indifferent to your needs. See? Not a hair out of place.”

Sophie twisted her head from side to side. “I think you might be right. Well done, my lord. I doubt my friends will guess what we’ve been doing, as long as I can keep a blush off my face.”