A Bluestocking Christmas Read online

  “I’m the architect.”

  “You built this?” Startled, she whirled around to face him.

  “I designed and oversaw the construction of it.” He smiled. “You’re surprised.”

  “No—well, yes.”

  “It’s a hobby of mine.” He shrugged his shoulders almost as if he were embarrassed by her appreciation of his talent. “I built one at my family’s estate two years ago. Clarendon saw it and immediately demanded that I build one for him.”

  “It’s beautiful,” she said as she looked around her.

  “Shall I build one for you?” There was something about the question that puzzled her. It sounded almost as if he was asking her something entirely different.

  “I would like that very much. I can pay you well for your time.”

  Sleek, dangerous, and beautiful, he was like one of the black panthers she’d seen on display at Regent’s Park. As their gazes locked, his gray eyes devoured her as if she were an afternoon snack. Swallowing the disquieting lump of nerves threatening to close her throat, she didn’t move as he skirted her to stand behind her pressing his body into her back. The light touch of his fingers across her shoulder made her tremble. The moist heat in the building had settled on her skin, making it slightly damp.

  “But will you pay me in the currency I want, Ivy.” As he spoke, his warm breath heated her skin.

  “I don’t understand,” she lied.

  Another tremor shot through her as his tongue swirled a hot circle on her shoulder. The tantalizing caress caused her stomach to lurch erratically as she struggled to remain still. Sweet heaven, she wanted his hands on her, touching her, enticing her to enjoy all the wanton acts The Golden Lotus had depicted. Her body swiftly took charge as his mouth nibbled at her skin, and she sank back into his chest. She didn’t want him to stop.

  How long had it been since a man’s voice, words or touch had sent her pulse racing or her blood flowing so hot? Never. Simon was the first man to fill her thoughts in such a wicked manner. Tonight, she was more than willing to be seduced. It didn’t matter that they came from two different worlds. She didn’t care that it would only end painfully. Nothing mattered except the delicious sensation of his mouth on her skin and the way he made her feel. Tonight she would accept his offer and tomorrow she’d grapple with any repercussions.

  Chapter 8

  Simon licked the tangy dew off Ivy’s shoulder. Drinking in the soft exotic scent of her, he enjoyed the way her back pressed against his chest. Nestled against him like this, he had a pleasant view of her full breasts. The way they rose and fell so quickly convinced him that she was excited by his touch. The fact pleased him in a way that surprised him. It wasn’t just desire that made him long to see her excited by his touch, something deeper stirred in him. He scoffed at his fanciful thinking.

  “You say you don’t understand what I want in the way of payment for my designing you a conservatory, Ivy. Yet I think you know exactly what I mean.” He lightly nipped at her shoulder, one hand stealing around to caress her throat as she turned her head away from his mouth. “Tell me why you were reading The Golden Lotus.”

  “I… I thought it would be…I wanted to read it for academic purposes.” Beneath his hands, her shoulders went rigid with tension.

  “And did you find it academic in nature?” He tried desperately to keep his amusement out of his voice. Despite their short acquaintance, he knew she’d retreat from him if she even thought he was laughing at her.

  No…I mean yes. It was very...very….” The sound of her breathing had become soft pants. He kissed her shoulder once more.

  “I think arousing is the word you’re searching for, Ivy.” His arm wrapped around her shoulder to allow his hand to caress her throat and the tops of her breasts. The heat of her skin warmed his fingers. “In fact, I’m certain your nipples were quite hard while you were reading the book.”

  “I…no…I…”

  “Tell me your nipples aren’t hard right now.” Slowly, he glided his hands along the edge of her bodice. “Tell me you don’t want me to touch you.”

  This time her gasp was more of a whimper, and her body relaxed into his as he slipped a finger between her corset and her breast. His finger brushed over a hard nipple. Damn, but she was a bewitching siren. Just the sound of her quick breathing had been enough to make him painfully hard. Gently, he eased first one breast and then the other upward so her nipples pushed over the edge of her corset. With his thumbs, he brushed over her stiff peaks, then gently circled them, teased them.

  “Oh God,” she moaned.

  “This is only the beginning of pleasure, Ivy. There are more ways than you can imagine for us to please one another.”

  With a gentle movement, he caught her wrist and pulled it back behind her to rest on his cock. She jerked slightly, but he wrapped his arm around her waist and pressed her closer to his body. Although she didn’t move her hand, she didn’t retreat either and the warmth of her touch melted through his trousers. If possible, he grew harder. Without thinking, he rubbed himself against her hand.

  Christ Jesus, he was more than ready to drive into her hot depths. She was making him so hot he wasn’t sure whether he could continue this slow seduction without taking her quick and hard. He swallowed the desire pounding through him and brushed his mouth over her shoulder before kissing the nape of her neck.

  “Do you remember the picture in The Golden Lotus of the woman using her hand to please a man?”

  As she nodded her head, a tremor shuddered through her. To his delight, her hand stirred against him. They were tentative strokes but without any coaxing from him. The touch of her hand on him felt good. Damn good.

  But he wanted her to hold him in the palm of her hand, to pump him until he spewed his seed from the pleasure of her touch. His mouth went dry at the image, and he quickly released his cock from his trousers. The moment her fingers brushed over the tip of him, she jerked her hand away. Turning her around to face him, he guided her hand back to his engorged staff.

  “Wrap your hand around me, Ivy. Hold me tight,” he rasped as her fingers singed his skin. He was ready to explode. “Now slide up and down. Yes, that’s it.”

  Friction tugged at him, and he groaned from the pleasure of it. Even more than that was her willingness to satisfy his need. His gaze boring into hers, he watched the desire stirring to life in her brilliant sapphire eyes. She was going to be the most delightful creature he’d ever had in his bed.

  Her thumb rubbed across the cap of his engorged length, brushing against the sensitive spot beneath it. Closing his eyes, he threw his head back and rocked his hips against the tight grip of her hand. There was a slight rustle of her skirts and she suddenly released him. No. Not now. Why the hell had she stopped? Intense pressure tightened in his groin as he opened his eyes.

  The sight of her kneeling in front of him made him go rigid. He swallowed a shout as her tongue flicked out and stroked his erection. Sweet Jesus, where the hell had she learned—the book. She’d gotten more than halfway through the book. The sensation of her tongue swirling around the tip of him, made him jerk. His hands grasped her shoulders in an effort to steady himself.

  A moment later, her mouth closed over him. God Almighty. It had been a long time since he’d had his cock sucked, and Ivy was exceedingly adept at pleasuring him. The light scrape of her teeth over his shaft was about to push him over the edge. Base need took over as he shuddered under her delicious caress. He was ready to explode. Barely able to think straight, he tried to remember where his handkerchief was. He didn’t want to spill his seed all over her.

  Groaning, he tried to pull away from her, but her mouth tightened on him as she increased the pace of her mouth pumping over him. Damn, he needed to pull away, but her mouth on him was incredible. The build up inside him was at the breaking point when her fingernails gently scraped across his ballocks.

  “Bloody hell,” he cried out as he came inside her mouth. He throbbed beneath the heat of
her sweet lips. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d experienced such a sweet hot pleasure. She’d actually swallowed his seed. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined her performing such an erotic act. Slowly, she released him from her tempting lips. The leisurely touch of her tongue laving his skin made him shudder again.

  Gathering his wits, he bent to lift her to her feet then stepped away from her. Quickly adjusting his clothing, he stared at her with appreciation and a desire that still raged inside him. His need should have abated by now, instead it had only been intensified by the manner in which she’d just pleasured him. In the moonlight, he saw the blush tingeing her cheeks. She was the most beautiful, wanton woman he’d ever seen. The moment she turned her head away from him, he caught her chin and forced her to look at him.

  “Don’t be ashamed, Ivy.”

  “I’m…I’m not ashamed.” There was just a hint of uncertainty in her voice as she averted her gaze. With a gentle tug, he pulled her into his arms.

  “That had to be the most astounding thing that’s happened to me in a very long time.”

  “I thought you might like it,” she whispered against his shoulder.

  “I enjoyed it a great deal. If you were acting on your academic review of The Golden Lotus, I heartily approve.” He kissed the tip of her ear. When she didn’t answer, he cupped her chin to tilt her head back. “In your research, did you read about the lotus petals?”

  “I don’t recall any such phrase in the book.” The frown of puzzlement on her brow made him grin.

  “Come, sit down on the bench over here, and I’ll explain what they are.” Taking her hand, he led her toward the hand-carved bench. Once seated, he bent over and lifted her foot into the air.

  “What on earth are you doing?”

  “Hush,” he murmured. “Be patient.”

  He removed her slipper and dropped it onto the walkway. In a leisurely fashion, he explored the top of her foot with a gentle stroke of his fingers. It was a beautiful foot, smooth and elegant looking in the black silk stockings she wore. Simon pushed aside the dark material of her skirt to study her ankle. Like her foot, it too was lovely.

  Gently resting her foot on his thigh, he pushed the hem of her gown upward to reveal the calf of her leg. Immediately, his mouth watered at the erotically tempting picture she made with nothing more than one leg exposed to his gaze. He looked up to see a mixture of bewilderment and curiosity on her sweet features. Other women would have been displaying arousal at this point. Instead, she quietly watched him with a questioning gaze that stirred something deep inside him. The woman was bewitching.

  Taking his time, he explored the curve of her knee with his fingers before he slid closer to her, stretching her leg across his lap. The silk layers of her midnight blue gown frothed up past her thigh, giving him a glimpse of what he sought. He glanced up at her face to see anticipation glowing in her eyes. She quivered as he stroked her thigh with one finger.

  “Simon?”

  “Yes?” He raised his head to see her blushing, and he smiled.

  “I am not inexperienced, but my knowledge is somewhat limited.”

  “Which is why you were reading The Golden Lotus.” He watched her frown slightly as he continued to trace a circular pattern over the top of her thigh. A soft gasp parted her lips as his hand moved toward the top of her thigh.

  “I was curious.”

  “And has the book satisfied your curiosity?”

  “No…yes,” she whispered as her eyelids drooped slightly as a sultry expression of desire swept across her face as his fingers found her garter and the bare skin above it.

  “You seem unsure.”

  “It’s only that you make me feel uncertain about everything.”

  A fierce blush invaded her cheeks but it was the vulnerability on her face that made his fingers go still against her leg. As if suddenly comprehending she’d revealed something significant about herself, Ivy quickly turned her head away from him. His fingers grew still as he studied her with surprise and assessment.

  This woman was a far cry from the social climber he’d believed her to be just days ago. He’d begun this seduction believing he would simply have her in his bed for a short time before moving on to the next conquest. Now he wasn’t sure it would be easy to do that.

  There was something special about Ivy, and the realization made tension harden every muscle in his body. She wasn’t like any of the other women he’d had liaisons with. She was intelligent, principled, and an enigma all wrapped up in a sultry body created for lovemaking.

  The point in fact was that Ivy was affecting not only his base instincts, but something deep inside him that he didn’t want to believe, let alone accept. He buried his thoughts in the recesses of his mind as the warmth of her skin beneath his fingertips forced its way into his consciousness.

  “I like that I disturb you that way. It tells me that our liaison will be quite pleasurable.” His fingers trailed their way across the inner portion of her thigh, and the sharp breath she drew sent satisfaction through him.

  “The lotus petals…they’re…”

  The way her tongue flicked out to wet her lip shot a bolt of excitement surging through him. Leisurely, he moved his hand upward to the slit in her woolen drawers. The curls there were already damp with moisture, and he smiled.

  “We both know what the lotus petals are, Ivy. And we both know that I intend to fill those petals with my cock when I can do it properly.”

  Simon laughed softly at her gasp of shock then leaned toward her and captured her mouth with his. As he slid his tongue into the heat of her mouth, he gently stroked the edge around her slit until her hips thrust upward in a silent plea for more.

  He released her lips, and feathered her cheek with kisses as he sought the plump mounds of her breasts. Gently he pushed aside the folds of her sex to find the small bud that waited for his touch. Cream coated his fingers as he applied pressure to the nub of flesh. A cry of pleasure flew from her mouth, and she bucked against the touch. Already she was slick with heat from just a few caresses. When the time eventually came for her to wrap her silky core around him, she was going to feel incredible between his legs.

  Chapter 9

  “Oh, dear lord.” The husky sound of her voice barely registered in her ears as she raised her hips and exposed more of her body to Simon’s seductive caresses. Her experience with Whitby had been quick, clumsy, without pleasure and lacking in even a small amount of affection. It had certainly never been this erotic or sinfully pleasurable.

  In contrast, she would never forget this moment or Simon’s touch. The thought sent a shudder streaking its way along every nerve ending in her body. Sanity tried to tug her back from the brink, but failed as her eyes closed, and she gave herself up to his wicked touch. How it happened, she wasn’t sure, but seconds later, her back was pressing into the seat of the bench. Startled, she looked up to see Simon studying her with a gaze of hot steel. It set her blood on fire and pulsated its way through her body, heating every pore of her skin.

  “I like seeing you all hot and slick for me, sweetheart. My cock is already hard and ready for you.”

  The coarse words shocked her, but not because he’d used them, but because she liked hearing him say it. The dark rasp in his voice said he was as aroused as she was. It made her insides tighten as he applied pressure to the sensitive spot between her legs. Even more shocking was the sudden image of him kissing her there much in the way she’d pleasured him. The thought made her gasp. Staring up at him, she saw his eyes narrow with astute assessment.

  “Tonight isn’t the right time for me to slide into your hot, tight core, sweetheart. But for right now, I think what you want is for me to taste you, lick that hot cream off your sweet cunny and suck on you until you explode in my mouth.”

  “I don’t think... Oh God, Simon,” she cried out as he quickly lowered her head and singed her sex with his tongue.

  The heat of his mouth against her made her blood run
hot as molten lead as his tongue swirled around the bud of flesh between her legs. His teeth gently nipped at it, and her entire body shuddered at the sensation. With long strokes, his tongue teased and tempted her until she craved a release. It was the most sinful act she’d ever encountered, and it was exquisite in its intensity.

  This was a completely different experience than her first introduction to sex. Whitby had cared nothing for her satisfaction, only his own. But this…this was the skilled caress of a master of seduction. The pleasure he provoked with his tongue was blinding. A moment later, she shuddered violently as wave after wave of delight rolled over her.

  Slowly, the explosion of wild sensations ebbed away until she lay still on the bench as Simon caressed the inside of her thighs with his mouth. Lost in a blissful state of subsiding pleasure, Ivy remained still, her eyes closed.

  The soft rustle of her gown covering her legs forced her to look up at Simon. A smile of satisfaction on his face, he wrapped a strong hand around her arm and gently pulled her upright.

  “From your reaction, it appears you enjoyed yourself.” With a long, elegant finger, he traced the outline of her lips, and taste of her desire was easily discernible. Drowsy and relaxed, she smiled.

  “Yes, very much.”

  “And you’re fully instructed on the pleasures related to lotus petals?” His grin was filled with wicked glee.

  “Yes.” She laughed. “I would say that my knowledge is now complete.”

  “Complete? No my sweet Ivy, there are far greater pleasures to enjoy. Delights I intend to share with you at the earliest possible moment.” With a hot look, he leaned forward and kissed her hard. “Come, I imagine our absence has caused some raised eyebrows. I’m certain the library’s patrons prefer Miss Ivy Beecham maintain her reputation as a starched librarian.”

  She rose from the bench and repaired her appearance. When she’d finished, he caught her hand in his and led her out of the hothouse. As they hurried through the garden, she pondered his words. Starched librarian. Is that what everyone thought? That she was a stiff and inflexible bookworm? But then what else were they to think? She’d done everything to cultivate that image. She’d worked hard to build a shell around her to keep people out.