Page 15

His fingers grazed her inner thigh, and Jo moved her hips lower until his hand touched her core. Jo moaned, breaking the kiss. Their heavy breaths mingled in the midnight air, their gazes linked.

The viscount stared into her eyes as he moved his fingers, playing with her wet folds. Jo bit her lip against crying out, and he smiled smugly.

“You’re so wet,” he whispered against her lips. “So ready for me.”

Jo whimpered in frustration. Her hands moved down his chest until she encountered the falls of his breeches. With shaking hands, she freed his hard, burning cock and took him in her hands.

They both moaned in relief as her hands circled his length, squeezing him between her fingers. He looked at her, his eyes dark with passion glinting in the light of the moon. His breathing was ragged, and she ran her hand up and down his length, watching his reaction, watching as his breath hitched with every movement of her hands.

As if in retaliation, his fingers moved against her wet folds, expertly playing with her quim, touching, pressing, making her cry for more.

Her hips moved of their own volition as her hand squeezed his steely length. He chased the tension in her loins with his fingers, making her burn from the inside.

“Harder,” he growled. “Squeeze me harder.”

She did, holding him in both her hands and pumping his length with renewed vigor. Suddenly, he pressed his thumb against the most sensitive part of her sex and circled it.

She cried out, and he repeated the action. Jo covered her mouth with his to refrain from screaming, then bit his lip from the pleasure that flooded her. He didn’t relent and whimpers left her throat with every stroke of his fingers.

She shuddered from the inside and cried from bliss as she came. The viscount growled and deposited her onto the bench.

He shot up and finished into the rose bushes with a loud groan.

Jo worked on regulating her breathing as she lowered her skirts.

What was that?

She had never felt such an intense spell of passion where all her thoughts just flew out the window and she was left raw and exposed, only need coursing through her veins. A handkerchief appeared before her face and she took it. She stood from the bench, turned away from him, and cleaned herself up.

When she turned around again, she saw him standing a few feet away, his back to her, giving her complete privacy.

Well, she should have been glad for that. And yet she felt a boulder settle in her throat. She felt ashamed of how she’d acted, although she had no cause.

That wasn’t completely true, was it?

She had a reason for shame. She had just violated her own beliefs and convictions for one quick tryst with a lord.

I do not get involved with gentlemen.

And she hadn’t for a few long years. Until now.

“This was a mistake,” she said, and the viscount turned on her sharply. “This will never happen again.”

“Why do you say that?” His frown was ferocious. “Did you not enjoy yourself? Did I not bring you to completion?”

Jo scoffed and shook her head. “You know that you did. It was… quite wonderful.”

His face immediately changed to a smirk of arrogant satisfaction. “Then I propose we continue our night in my chamber.”

Jo’s knees weakened, and her entire body screamed for her to say yes. To go with him. To take full advantage of his skillful hands, his full, sensual lips, and his lithe tongue.

She shook her head. “I am afraid I cannot afford to get involved with a lord. Once was enough.”

The frown returned to his face, and he studied her under his thundering brows. “Very well,” he finally said, and Jo let out a breath. She had been afraid he’d insist. She had been afraid he would start kissing her again, waging war against her weakened senses. And she was afraid she would enjoy it. “But these are your conditions, not mine. If you change your mind, the door to my suite is always open.”

He turned on his heel and stalked away.

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