Page 23 of A Countess Never Tells

Now she must stiffen her resolve and escape to the garden with him once the dance was over. Just as Clarissa had done with Lovelace. She’d not gotten very far in the second volume, so she didn’t know how closely her meeting with Ash would mirror the literary couple, but the parallels were striking. Oh, but she wished she knew how the book ended.

She and Ash came back together, as they ducked under an arch made by the second couple.

“Do not frown so, my dear,” he said before they parted. “There is nothing to worry over.”

Well, she doubted that. They broke apart again, swinging other partners in a series of turns that had Kitty breathless and laughing. She supposed there was nothing much to fret over since she had resolved to go with him.

The dance wound its way through all the intricate patterns, couples coming together for the briefest of moments then parting again, until finally they ended up back at their starting place, and she was once more curtsying to Ash as the music ended. He offered his arm, which she took then immediately peered around the room searching for John. He seemed to have disappeared, which was odd. She’d thought he wouldn’t take his eyes off her tonight, ready to rush in and forbid her to dance with Ash. And here he’d left her alone with him.

No matter the reason, she thanked providence for it.

“Would you care to venture out to the garden for some cooler air, Kitty?” Ash’s face was innocent as a cherub. “‘Newcastle’ always warms the dancers well, don’t you think?”

Staring into his hopeful face, Kitty’s heart raced anew. The memory of their kiss at Vauxhall, never far from her mind, appeared now, and deep within her, that insistent throbbing began, unbidden. If they kissed out in the garden, it would only become more intense, more pleasurable…

“Why yes, I believe that would be delightful, Ash. Some cooler air would not be amiss.” Although she doubted it would cool them one bit. Throwing a last look over her shoulder for her brother, Kitty gripped Ash’s arm tighter and let him lead her out the French doors onto the marbled terrace whose steps led to the shadowy garden.

The refreshing air did cool her face, though it did nothing to still her quickening pulse as Ash didn’t stop on the verandah but grasped her hand and continued smoothly down the marble steps onto the crushed gravel path. Their hasty footsteps crunched loudly as Kitty allowed herself to be drawn further from the house, toward a looming structure that splashed water in the patchy moonlight.

“Are we in a race?” Panting, Kitty thanked heavens when they finally stopped on the far side of the fountain.

“Yes, we are.” Ash swung her close to him, gripped her shoulders, and plunged his mouth onto hers.

Emitting a squeak before he sealed their lips, Kitty rocked unsteadily on her feet until she leaned against his chest and her body stilled. Giving herself up to the kiss she’d been longing for, she reveled in the contradictory feel of his mouth on hers, the softness of his lips that pressed hard against hers. Nothing had ever felt so good.

He was more insistent this time, however. Almost immediately, he slipped his tongue into her mouth, plundering here and there, filling her whole body with a warmth that defied the cool night air around them. Gently, he withdrew then thrust his tongue back into her, the motion so erotic she writhed against him, wanting more but not knowing what that more was. The throbbing at her core had begun, foreign yet familiar, and intensifying with each stroke of his tongue. She moaned deep in her throat, unable to restrain the sound of her pleasure.

The next time he thrust into her mouth, she seized his tongue, just as she had at Vauxhall, and sucked it lightly first then harder, wanting to give him pleasure as well. Heat poured through her, like fire licking though her veins.

He groaned, and the sound enflamed her. She slid her arms around him and pulled him to her, wanting to feel him against every part of her body.

Suddenly, he broke the kiss, pulling away from her and gasping for breath. Staring at her in the faint moonlight, his eyes seemed enormous and dark as pitch.

Panting, Kitty moved to embrace him again, but he put a hand out to ward her off.

“Ash? What’s wrong?”

He shook his head, his breathing still labored. “I can’t touch you at the moment, my dear.”

“Why not?” She wanted to be back in his arms, his mouth on hers.

“Because you act on me as a powerful aphrodisiac.” His dark gaze roved over her from head to toe, and he licked his lips. “As we cannot light the fireworks here and now, I have to restrain myself, else others may see my longing for you.”

Kitty frowned. “How would they see that? By the way you look at me? Surely you can school your gaze when we go back into the house.”

With a low chuckle, he shook his head. “If it were only that, there would be no problem. But there is evidence of my longing elsewhere that will be evident when we go in, if we continue to kiss and caress one another.”

“What evidence?”

In the faint moonlight, a rueful smile came over his face. “Give me your hand.”

Confused, Kitty offered her right hand.

He took it and drew her closer to him. “This is what you have done to me.” With no warning, he pressed her hand to the front of his breeches, to the long, hard length of his member.

“Ash!” She gasped and tried to pull her hand away, but he pressed it harder, and to her amazement, his member moved, hardening and lengthening even more.

“You cannot be surprised that I desire you, Kitty. The proof is at hand.” He released her, but she allowed her hand to linger, fascinated by the heat and hardness beneath her fingers.