Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Under normal circumstances, the sight of Viscount Winstone without any trousers would have probably made Lydia gasp. However, the moment Joseph's pants started sliding off his hips, she squeezed her eyes tightly shut.

"My lady, what are you doing?"

Lydia patted her hands on her papers, trying to find her quill without opening her eyes. "I'm getting ready to sketch you, of course." Panic rose up through her ribcage as second thoughts about this endeavor made her palms sweat and her heart flutter.

It's one thing to be bold when a man is fully clothed and another entirely when he is parted from all coverings!

"Open your eyes, little nymph. You will not be disappointed."

Lydia huffed out a laugh as her fingers kept searching and nearly knocked over the ink bottle by her hip on the floor. "That's rather presumptuous, my lord."

When she finally found the quill and gripped it in her fingers, she felt Joseph's hands gently smooth over her cheeks.

His unexpected touch gave her another fright and made her drop the quill again.

"Gentlemen wear cotton drawers under their breeches, Lady Lydia. My appendage and other masculine bits are not yet in view."

He pulled his hands away as Lydia squinted through one eye, then opened them both.

Sure enough, the viscount's cream-colored cotton drawers covered him from hip to ankle, revealing nothing more of his physique than she'd already seen.

"Ah, well. Thank you for that lesson in a man's attire, my lord. It appears I wasn't as ready as I thought I would be to see your… ah, your…"

"Stately stick? Winstone wood?" Joseph's hazel eyes flickered as he teased her in the shadows of the naked men around them sculpted from stone. "Well, then. Perhaps we should work our way up to that kind of comfort level first."

Lydia tipped her head to the side and squinted at him again. "After already seeing your erect state under only a tunic wet from the hot spring?"

Joseph's eyes darkened. "It's hard to believe so little time has passed since then, my lady. You are right, of course. We have found ourselves in very intimate contact from the start. What I suggest is that we approach our growing connection, and all its benefits, by first becoming friends."

"Friends? How on earth do you suggest we do that?" Lydia folded her pages and placed them on the floor with obvious disappointment.

Joseph pulled up his breeches and fastened the buttons, then sat on the floor across from Lydia again. This time he scooted close enough to her that their knees touched and he could hold her hands.

"By letting our plan unfold. We pretend to be planning our nuptials and all the while gain each other's trust. As a bethrothed couple, we will play games and promenade through the gardens. We'll read poetry in the library and dance on the terrace. I'll learn more about you and you'll learn more about me, and I will kiss you every chance I get."

Lydia giggled as Joseph entwined his fingers with hers. "Friends don't kiss, my lord."

"Oh, but we do. We are friends who also explore the physical power of desire. For science, of course." He leaned toward her until their lips nearly touched. "I like kissing you, little nymph. I want to do it again."

The viscount's breath was warm as it floated over Lydia's skin. She closed her eyes again, then closed the gap between her mouth and his.

What he didn't know was that Lydia had intended to kiss him again all along. After all, there was much more research to be done. And this time, she wasn't as inexperienced. Kissing the viscount last evening had taught her some basics. Now she needed to go a step further.

Or two or three.

Lydia remembered that he had slid his hands in her hair the last time they kissed, so she decided to try that, too. She reached up toward the sides of his sand-colored locks, but she couldn't quite reach due to their sitting positions.

"Wait, I can't reach your hair, my lord. Just a moment, please."

Joseph pulled back and looked puzzled, then threw his arms out to the side in shock as Lydia climbed into his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"There, much better. Please continue." Lydia smiled, then slid her hands into her fiancé's hair and planted her lips back on his.

The viscount chuckled into Lydia's mouth and reached his strong arms around to embrace her as their kissing intensified. Lydia got lost in the sensations bringing her body to life for a moment before remembering to do more experimentation. Though apparently having her hands in Joseph's hair was a pleasurable addition already. He was moaning softly as she slowly combed her fingers through his silky hair and on down to his neck where she slid her fingernails in a circular motion across his skin.

"Mmm, where did you learn to do that, little nymph?" Joseph whispered between soft passionate kisses, using his own hands to cup the cheeks of her buttocks again.

"From you, my lord. Am I a quick learner?"

"Oh, indeed. Let me show you more, like how kissing can tantalize more than just the lips." Joseph kissed his way across Lydia's cheek, then slowly worked his way down her neck and ever so close to the deep crevasse of her cleavage.

Lydia's entire body broke out in goosebumps as the viscount's mouth made her skin tingle as though from the touch of a feather. Only wetter and much, much better than any feather could do.

As Joseph held her from below and pulled her closer, her skirts rode up high enough on her thighs that she could wrap her legs around his waist. When she did so, the viscount's arousal was quite evident as it pressed into her covered groin.

Lydia froze for a few seconds, then realized there was no way his mysterious and erect appendage could get through the rest of their clothing. She relaxed and decided to see how pliable the appendage was in its current state, just for fun.

As Joseph kissed and licked his way along the slit at the top of her bodice, Lydia dared to press her pelvis into his groin again and again and again. Within seconds of her third gentle bounce against his clothed but protruding arousal, Joseph suddenly lifted her body off his. Then he pressed his hands against his groin and tipped to one side.

"Lydia! You cannot toy with a man like that!" Joseph seemed to be in pain as he took some deep breaths and rocked back and forth on the floor.

"Oh dear! Did I hurt you?" Lydia, splayed out on the ground where he'd tossed her, sat up and yanked her skirts back down to her ankles. "I'm sorry, I thought you'd like it!"

Joseph grinned as whatever pain he'd been suffering subsided and he breathed a sigh of relief. "Forgive me, I was not in the frame of mind to explain my outburst, my lady. First, you should know that I liked it very much. Very, very much. However, there is only so much stimulation a man can handle while he is… still clothed. There is a… release… that happens when a man and a woman are… coupling… that should not be provoked until then. Do you understand?"

Lydia bit her lip and shook her head. "Not in the slightest, my lord."

The Viscount chuckled and took her hand. "You will learn in good time, little nymph. For now, we should…"

"My lord and lady, are you in here somewhere?"

Joseph and Lydia gripped each other's hands with alarm. The quiet but urgent voice coming from the doorway on the other side the gallery sounded familiar, but Lydia couldn't yet place it.

"Oh dear. I knew we should have decided on a secret bird call for emergencies! Ca-CAW! Ca-CAW! Miss Underwood has left her room and is heading your way!"

Lydia peered around one of the statues that hid her and Joseph to see that the young woman flailing her arms and making crow sounds had red curls sticking out of her bonnet and bright green eyes.

Lydia yanked hard on Joseph's sleeve. "It's Bridget! Hurry!"

As she and Joseph scrambled to gather their things, Lydia didn't know whether to panic or giggle as Bridget continued to flap and caw like a bird in danger.

"That's quite enough, Miss Kelly! We hear you!" Joseph's hushed but amused tone made it clear that he was struggling not to fall into panicked hysterics, as well.

He and Lydia giggled and bumped into each other several times on their way toward the gallery door.

"Goodnight, my lord! I'm going this way." Lydia pointed toward the hall that would lead to the main stairway and up to the guest rooms.

"Yes, goodnight. I'll go the other way. Miss Kelly, please accompany Lady Lydia to her room."

Joseph sprinted down the hall while Lydia and Bridget scurried toward the stairs. When they reached the first steps, Bridget pulled on Lydia's arm to stop her.

"My lady, we need an excuse ready in case we are discovered. Why would we be awake at this time of night and out of our rooms?"

Lydia's eyes widened as she tried to think quickly. "I… I will say that I was unable to sleep and went to the library to read with you as my chaperone."

Bridget nodded and looped her arm through Lydia's. "Yes, that is perfect! Let's proceed to your room!"

Fortunately, they did not encounter another soul between the staircase and the Carter sisters' bedchamber. After Lydia bid Bridget goodnight and thanked her for her help, she removed her shoes and slipped back into bed without waking either Eleanor or Charlotte, who were both snoring so loudly no other sound could be detected in the room.

Lydia pulled the bed linens up to her chin and smiled. She replayed her latest kiss with the viscount through her mind and couldn't wait to add more notes to her satchel about their latest experience that made her toes curl.

Then her body froze as she realized she had not brought her satchel back to her bedchamber. Lydia sat up in bed as all the color drained from her face and her heart rate accelerated rapidly.

I left my satchel in the art gallery—with my kissing notes inside!