Page 58 of An Affair at Stonecliffe

“I see you as you are, I think, and that is who I want.”

“Do you?” He raised a teasing eyebrow, lifting her hand to his lips to place a soft kiss on it.

“Yes.” She scooted closer to him. “There is only one thing I have to say.”

“And what is that?”

“That tonight is our last night here.” Noelle’s lips curved up invitingly. “And I don’t want to spend it talking about your mother.”

“We’ll not say another word.” He reached out and pulled her over into his lap. “About anything.” He bent to kiss her.

CHAPTER TWENTY

THE RIDE BACK to the town house was filled with heated kisses and seemed impossibly short. When they pulled up in front, they separated hastily, doing their best to adopt a look of composure. Grateful for the darkness that hid her face, Noelle slipped out of the carriage and hurried into the house, not waiting for Carlisle. If he was beside her, she feared it would be all too clear how they had spent their time on the ride home. She heard Carlisle enter the house behind her, unnecessarily announcing that he was going to have a brandy in his office.

Noelle spent the next hour in a fever of anticipation, hurrying about her tasks of getting ready for bed, all the while listening for the sounds of Carlisle’s footsteps in the hallway. How long would he stay in his study with his drink? Would Carlisle come straight to her room? Or would he go to his own chamber first, allowing more time to pass? Should she get in bed? Remain up? Either way seemed presumptuous somehow, as if she expected him to come to her. She did, of course, but...

At that moment, with the faintest of knocks, the door eased open and Carlisle slipped inside. She went into his arms, all questions and doubts fleeing her head. They came together in a storm of passion, lit by their kisses in the carriage and fanned into fire by the long wait since. With swift, jerky movements, they shed their garments, kissing and caressing as they moved toward the bed. Noelle felt as if her very skin was afire, her body yearning for completion, and when he thrust into her, she caught her breath in a short, sharp gasp, the satisfaction so sweet, so deep, so all-encompassing it was almost unbearable.

Afterward, they lay wrapped together, her head resting on his chest, still idly stroking, touching one another, as if unable to end the moment. Noelle felt his lips brush her hair, his hand slide down her arm. She smoothed her own fingers over his chest, following the hard ridges of his ribs. The last time, she thought. Tomorrow they would be at Stonecliffe, and everything would change.

But, oh, the prospect seemed far harder now than she had dreamed a few days ago. Their nights together had been too brief; they had only increased her thirst, not slaked it. She had not foreseen how deeply Carlisle’s lovemaking would affect her, how utterly pleasurable it would be. Now she only wanted more and more. Unfortunately, wishes did not change the fact that the end of the affair was inevitable. She let out an unconscious sigh.

Carlisle caressed her hair. “Perhaps we could return to London soon or...well, I’ll think of something.”

“Don’t worry about it. I will be fine.” She raised her head to let him see her smile. “And there are many more hours tonight.” Noelle slid up to kiss him.

CARLISLE GAZED OUT the carriage window at the buildings of the village without really seeing them. In another two miles, they would reach the lane leading up to Stonecliffe. For perhaps the first time in his life, Carlisle found himself uneager to see it.

The sight of the house rising in the distance, which usually made his heart lift, now aroused only reluctance and a twitchy impatience at the thought of the occupants of the house who would greet them—Nathan, Annabeth, Gil, the countess and her obstreperous mother, the servants. Lord, it was like living in an anthill. Even though the place was enormous, there were too many people always about.

He glanced over at Noelle, who sat looking out the opposite window. He could see only the side of her face—the soft skin, the little tilt of the chin that was becoming so familiar, the curve of a delicate eyebrow—but it was easy to conjure up the image of her smile, the mischievous light that gleamed in her eyes when she teased him, the creamy white complexion, tinged faintly with pink.

A throb of hunger started deep within him, and Carlisle turned resolutely away. He could no longer be her lover; he must become only the guardian of her child, a friend and protector. It had seemed easy enough when she invited him into her room. He could handle it; he would ease the hunger, and then it would be over. Simple.

If only that were the case.

His desire for her was not quenched—far from it. Now that he knew the delights of her body, he wanted more. He should not have been so rash, so thoughtless. But the truth was, presented with the same situation, he would make the same choice. Take the same consequences. Giving up what he had felt the past few days was unthinkable.

“What is it?” Noelle turned to him. “Is something amiss?”

He realized that he had let out a sigh. “No, nothing. Just a trifle restless—we’re almost home.” Carlisle forced a reassuring smile. He would act as he should, do what was expected of him. He’d always been able to manage his life. It might take a few days of discomfort, but his desire would die down. Everything would return to normal. He would make sure of it.

NOELLE WAS EAGER to see Gil again, and there was even a part of her that was beginning to feel as if Stonecliffe was her home, but beneath those emotions lurked regret, even sorrow, at the thought that this would be the end of her time alone with Carlisle.

Both Lady Drewsbury and Nathan were waiting for them in the entryway when Noelle and Carlisle entered the house. Adeline swept forward to take Noelle’s hands and kiss her cheek. “Welcome home. I know you want to see Gil first thing, but he is taking a nap—he quite wore himself out bouncing up and down and running to the window for a sight of your carriage.”

“Oh. Well, then I shan’t wake him.” Noelle thought of going upstairs to take a peek at her sleeping son, but she knew how likely that was to awaken him.

Adeline lowered her voice and cast a cautious glance up the staircase, as though speaking of her might bring Lady Lockwood out. “Mother is napping, too. It’s a perfect opportunity for us to sit down and chat.”

“Yes,” Nathan said as he shook Carlisle’s hand and offered Noelle a perfect bow. “I want to hear what Sloane said. I suspect he didn’t confess on the spot.”

“Far from it,” Carlisle agreed as the four of them walked into the drawing room. He went on to describe their meeting with first Marcus, then Sloane himself. “Sloane was furious that we were talking to his father.”

“Probably because Marcus knew something about Sloane’s plans.”

“I doubt it.” Carlisle shook his head. “Marcus was pleased to see us, happy to talk, and not suspicious in the least about why we were there.”