Page 99 of A Much Maligned Miss

Gervaise beheld her speechlessly for a moment, quite still, then he tipped her off his lap and stood up. Caroline stood catching her breath as dismay washed over her. He was likely horrified by such a notion, and what decent man would not be? She ought never, ever have repeated such a shocking thing.

She would apologize, she would— Oh. He was removing his jacket. He threw it over a nearby chair and then followed suit with his waistcoat and cravat. Then he lay on the sofa. “Come on, then,” he said, arranging himself on his back. “And it better had be ventre a terre or Reg will catch us at it.”

Oh God. She had not even considered discovery! Caroline hurried over to the sofa, face aflame. Was she really going to do this? “I’m not sure how to—”

“Lift up your gown and place one knee here,” he said, patting a spot next to his shoulder. He held a hand out to steady her and she took it, hitching up her pink satin petticoat. “You will tell me if—if it becomes too much, won’t you,” she babbled as her knee sank into the soft upholstery of the sofa and she awkwardly straddled his chest.

“Yes, of course,” he murmured. “Now rest your other knee here. That’s it.”

“How will you tell me?” she asked reasonably.

He paused to consider this, then said, “I will tap your thigh three times like so.” He rapped on her thigh with two fingers. “Clear?”

“Yes, quite clear.”

“Good, now come here.” His hands came up to grasp her buttocks, urging her further forward. “Lift your skirt higher, so I can see,” he said thickly.

Taking a deep breath, Caroline did as she was told. He licked his lips and groaned and then his mouth was there, and she was grasping the arm of the sofa for dear life. He did not pause to breathe on her mound or to place gentle kisses this time. Oh no, he went straight for the main course.

“Gervaise!” she whimpered as his hot mouth licked and sucked at her cleft with precious little by way of finesse. Oh my God. Caroline’s mind reeled. Perhaps he really did think she tasted like ambrosia? There could be no other explanation for his voracious enthusiasm as his tongue sought out every drop.

The trouble was, the more he lapped, the wetter she got. His mouth was open and hungry and within seconds she was struggling to keep from coming apart completely. She squeezed the armrest, moaning, her eyes shut, her body helplessly undulating. If poor Reg walked in now with their supper, he would certainly get an eyeful.

He would be truly shocked at such a sight, and why should he not be? Any decent person would be shocked to their core, she thought, her breath hitching. She was acting like the veriest hussy, straddling a man and rubbing her—what had Gervaise called it?—her pussy against his face, while he lay back and relished such treatment!

She could be in no doubt of the fact Gervaise was an enthusiastic participant. The sounds he was making clued her into that. He sounded as if he had never tasted anything so delicious. It was so…so…indecent. She ought to be ashamed, not exhilarated.

She jerked as Gervaise sought out that fleshy bud he’d teased earlier. This time he did not tease, he consumed. “Oh!” she cried out, her legs stiffening. Her eyes flew open. “Oh Gervaise! Oh Gervaise! Yes!” she wailed like a wild woman. Someone had called her that once, had they not? Or were they referring to someone else?

She slumped forward, utterly undone. Fortunately, Gervaise was strong enough to extricate himself for she had not the strength to lever herself off. His hands closed over her hips, and she found herself lifted and eased backward until she was sat on his stomach. His breathing was ragged as he wiped his mouth with his wrist, staring up at her.

It was lucky she had no room left in her blissed-out brain for shame. Gervaise cupped her face, and she pressed her cheek against his hand, waiting dreamily for him to say something. Something teasing perhaps to snap her out of her pleasurable daze.

Instead, when he spoke, his words sounded almost serious. “I’ve been so damned careful not to ruin you,” he said. “Yet you refuse to extend me the same courtesy.”

Caroline’s eyes flew open. “What do you mean?” She faltered. “How have I ruined you?”

“You have ruined me thoroughly and completely,” he said, his thumb drifting over her lips. He did not sound angry though. Caroline blinked down at him, but at that moment they heard a footfall on the stair, and both hurried to right themselves.

40

Neither of them did justice to their meal. Caroline, he was sure, must have felt the way his eyes dwelled on her, and as for him, desire had its claws embedded far too deeply in his flesh for him to care about assuaging any other appetite.

The cats feasted like kings on the leftovers and Gervaise took them downstairs, letting them out into the yard to answer the call of nature while he smoked one last cigarette. Reg had heated their washing water and was busy cleaning their plates when he came back inside.

Gervaise tipped him handsomely and carried the jugs upstairs as the cats did their best to trip him up on every step. Once they had washed and he had Caroline back under the covers where he wanted her, he insisted they revisited Vance Park once more.

“Follies are romantic, are they not?” Caroline whispered.

Were they? Gervaise shook his head to dispel his fog of lust. “Fuck, yes,” he enthused, rolling on top of her. He had pushed himself too far tonight, and now he ached for her almost to the point of pain. He shuffled back from her just far enough to whip off his nightshirt.

He had kept it on in the vain hope he could maintain some semblance of control. Here in the darkened bedroom, that seemed not only unlikely but also unappealing. He wanted to feel his bare skin on hers. He took her in his arms once more, sighing in relief as their bodies made contact. His cock throbbed against her hip. He could not resist kissing her, once, twice, thrice. “Are you going to let me tell you now, Miss Halperston?” he asked.

“Tell me what?” she answered breathlessly.

“What a conquest you have made of me.”

“Yes, please do, Lord Atherton. I am all ears.”