His gaze fixed on her chest as he rose, and she realized, with mortification, that her dress was askew. She turned her back, but his arms came around her.
"Let me." His hands steady again, he ran his palms up her bodice to smooth her gown back into place. He took his time, his cheek against her temple, and Eliza tried not to shake like a leaf when his fingers brushed her nipple one last time before his hands drifted to rest on her hips.
He put his mouth next to her ear. "Should I apologize for what happened?"
The tiniest shake of her head.
His lips touched the sensitive skin behind her ear. "May I call on you- just you, not your father?"
Her heart was about to stop. She would faint and slide through his arms to land in a senseless heap on the ground. "Yes," she whispered.
"Thank you." Gently, he turned her around. Eliza gazed up at him, wondering if he could tell from looking at her that she was about to fall headlong in love with him. A small smile touched his lips, bemused but reassuring."
"Let me." His hands steady again, he ran his palms up her bodice to smooth her gown back into place. He took his time, his cheek against her temple, and Eliza tried not to shake like a leaf when his fingers brushed her nipple one last time before his hands drifted to rest on her hips.
He put his mouth next to her ear. "Should I apologize for what happened?"
The tiniest shake of her head.
His lips touched the sensitive skin behind her ear. "May I call on you- just you, not your father?"
Her heart was about to stop. She would faint and slide through his arms to land in a senseless heap on the ground. "Yes," she whispered.
"Thank you." Gently, he turned her around. Eliza gazed up at him, wondering if he could tell from looking at her that she was about to fall headlong in love with him. A small smile touched his lips, bemused but reassuring."
( Caroline Linden )
[ An Earl Like You ]
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