“Your mouth is divine.” He caressed her back in soothing strokes as his hips jerked violently. “Stop now, love.”
But she ignored him. Continued pleasuring him until his seed burst into her mouth, wet and warm. He shook from the power of it, stilled and gasped for breath as the tremors subsided.
Daphne sat up and moistened her lips. For a woman who lacked experience when it came to passionate encounters, she was quite pleased with herself.
“You did not have to do that,” he said, still struggling for breath.
“Did you not enjoy the experience?”
“Enjoy it? I’ve never felt anything so damn good.”
“Excellent.” She drank in the look of contentment on his face. Tried to ignore the faint battle scars on his shoulder and chest. Nothing would spoil this moment of utter bliss. “Now you can do something for me.”
He raised an arrogant brow. “I thought I just did.”
Daphne gazed at him. The overwhelming sense of love and longing in her chest must surely be apparent. “Lie with me. Hold me in your arms. Let’s forget about the rest of the world for a while.”
“By now you must know I would do anything you asked,” he said, taking her hand and lying down next to her on the bed.
She turned to face him and buried her head in his chest. With his strong arms wrapped around her she closed her eyes, drew comfort from the smell of his unique scent.
Daniel Thorpe was her match in every way. Why had she not seen it before?
Chapter 20
It was one o’clock in the morning when Daniel’s conveyance rumbled to a halt outside the modiste shop on New Bond Street. After yet another passionate interlude in his carriage, they’d spent more than half the journey asleep. Daniel turned to the woman whose head was resting on his shoulder. The soft, rhythmical sound of her breathing confirmed Daphne slept so deeply she had not realised the vehicle had stopped.
He watched her for a moment, marvelled at the rise and fall of her chest, in the warmth flooding his body whenever he stopped and acknowledged the depth of his feelings.
Once they’d gained a confession from Lord Gibson — which Daniel did not expect to be an easy task — his mind would be free to consider what to do about the captivating lady at his side.
The physical relationship they shared had done nothing to ease his craving. But why would it? He’d fallen in love with Daphne the first night he met her. The intense longing had sparked to life in his chest as he watched her enjoy the opera. Despite lengthy times apart, his feelings never changed. It was the reason he avoided the couple during their two-year marriage.
“Are … are we home?” Daphne sat up, rubbed her eyes, stretched her arms and craned her neck. “How long have I been asleep?”
“Since you fell back in the seat exhausted from our recent activities,” he said unable to prevent the smile forming.
He could not recall another time in his life when he’d felt so elated. Yet they could not continue like this. They’d been careful up till now. But it was only a matter of time before he lost himself in her body. The last thing he wanted was to father a child out of wedlock.
“Being cramped in a carriage forces one to work a little harder,” she replied with a giggle.
God, he loved seeing her smile. She looked so happy now compared to the first night she’d let him into her parlour to explain about the theft.
“It did not seem to bother you at the time.” Daniel glanced out of the window at the modiste shop. “Do you think Betsy will be in bed? The place is in darkness.”
“Not if she’s behind in her work. But we’ll be quiet, just in case.”
“We?” Daniel grinned. “Does that mean you’re inviting me inside?”
Daphne leant forward and pressed three soft kisses on his mouth. “I assumed you’d stay the night.”
Damn. His cock pulsed to life at the erotic image her words evoked. “I suppose we do need to decide how to tackle Lord Gibson.”
They’d both narrowly escaped death during this investigation. Their lives were still in danger. Yet it was the case of seduction that occupied his thoughts.
“Then come inside,” she whispered softly. “We can devise a plan while you rub the knot in my neck.”
“You know as soon as I touch you my mind turns to mush.” By the time they eventually got down to the matter of business, the traitor would have fled to France. And he still hadn’t visited Mr Reynolds. It was not like him to be so lax. “We’ll discuss the plan first else I doubt we’ll ever solve this damn case.”