Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Eleanor looked at him, this fallen angel, as handsome as a celestial being consumed by earthly desires. "You have made your point. What else is there to learn?"

She wished it would take a lifetime of kissing to prove he was right. Damp between her thighs, her sex ached for his touch. Never had she been so reckless. Never had she experienced the potent power of lust.

"How can a lady judge the quality of shoes if she doesn't wear them?" he replied cryptically. "How can she know if a bonnet fits without trying it on?"

Eleanor narrowed her gaze. The way he wrapped his tongue around every syllable said he had mischief in mind. "What have hats and shoes to do with pleasure?"

"Every experiment needs a conclusion." His devilish grin said they would kiss again soon. "How can you judge if plums are an aphrodisiac unless you reach the pinnacle of desire?"

"The pinnacle?" she stuttered.

"I need to make you come, Eleanor. "

Her breath caught in her throat.

Shock should have been her first reaction, yet she couldn't help but admire his honesty. It wasn't the only thing she admired. She liked how his new coat clung to his biceps, a wrapper for a tempting package. She liked the way candlelight flickered over his chiselled jaw, a sculptor's masterpiece.

"As an unmarried lady, I attend to my pleasure in the privacy of my chamber." Two could play his game. "I don't need a lesson in that."

The admission had a strange effect on him, a growl rumbling in his throat. "Next time you indulge in wickedness, I hope I'm watching from a chair in a shadowy corner. A whisky in one hand, something hot and hard in the other." His tongue skimmed the seam of his lips. "Tonight, I have a different goal in mind, something in keeping with the theme of food."

Eleanor laughed, or else she might faint from a lack of oxygen. "Are you so drunk with desire you cannot form a coherent word? I confess, you have me at a loss."

"I'm hungry, Eleanor."

He sounded ravenous.

"Have a piece of plum pie."

He stepped closer, pressing her back against the card table, their thighs touching. His breath mingled with hers, warm and intoxicating, as his fingers gently brushed a strand of hair from her face. "You're the only thing I want. Indulge me." He gestured to the cards on the green baize. "Let's make a wager. The highest card wins."

"What are we playing for?" she dared to ask.

"For you. If I'm victorious, you'll be my personal feast."

"And if you lose?" She prayed he didn't .

"You'll go to bed tense. Restless. Spend a sleepless night wondering what I planned to do." He bent his head, his mouth brushing hers softly. "Trust me. Turn over a card, love."

She hesitated.

Her virtue was the only thing she truly owned. Hers to give to a man of her choosing. No one affected her the way he did. No one made her heart thunder like a tempest, wild and unrestrained.

"We're playing for kisses," he whispered against her lips. "Intimate kisses. Nothing more. You have my word."

Curiosity and a deep-rooted need to feel close to this man had her turning over the ten of diamonds. "It will be hard to beat," she said, trying not to sound deflated.

Theo reached for his card, his confident grin causing a flutter in her belly. "I always play to win. I'd never risk losing something I want so badly."

With the flick of one finger, he flipped over his card.

The King of Hearts.

Why was she not surprised?

He stole hearts and broke them; that's what the gossips said. He held hers in the palm of his hand. It was too late to claim it back. And so she would do what she'd sworn to do initially. Trust him.

"I imagine you want to claim your winnings now."

"Only if you want me to."

"As you said, a conclusion is crucial to this particular study. Though I fear the effects of the plums have worn off."

"Allow me to rectify the problem." He reached behind her and stuck his thumb into the pie before coating her lips with juice and sucking the residue. "Now, where were we?"

He was quick to remind her .

The kiss was slow, hypnotic, so deep it had her core muscles clenching. He tasted of claret and plums and an indefinable male essence. He kissed like the dangerous devil men feared. Like he meant to own her. Like he meant to ruin her for every other man.

Theo tangled his fingers in her hair, tilting her head back and baring her throat. He was panting when he spoke. "I want you to lie on the table, Eleanor. I'm desperate to claim my winnings."

"On the table?" She shivered when he pressed his lips to the sensitive spot below her ear, arousal heating her blood. "Is it safe?"

"How many times must I tell you to trust me?" Setting his hands to her waist, he lifted her with ease and sat her on the table's edge. "I've won an intimate kiss. I'm sure you know what that means."

"Theo, every kiss we've shared has been deeply passionate."

His subtle smile said he agreed. "I'm going to kiss you everywhere. Let me show you. Tell me to stop if you feel uncomfortable."

She breathed through a pang of excitement. When it came to this man, the word stop wasn't in her vocabulary.

He locked eyes with her, the intensity of his stare holding her spellbound. His lips parted as he gathered her skirts and slid them slowly up to her thighs.

A sweet hum escaped him, followed by a curse when he glanced at the ugly purple bruise marring her skin. "I'll kill that devil when I catch him. As God is my witness?—"

"Hush." She touched his hand. She had more bruises on her back and bottom. "Let's not think about that now." These moments with him were precious. "Perhaps your kisses can heal wounds." Perhaps they could chase away ghosts or fill the inner emptiness.

Like always, Theo was quick to find out.

The feather-light touch of his lips sent heat coursing through her. He kissed the bruise once, then twice, his tongue lightly tracing the tender skin as if he possessed a magical elixir.

"Lie down for me, love," he said, his voice husky as he eased her back onto the baize. "Men take their pleasure at the tables. That's how I intend to take mine. You look good enough to eat."

Then he dropped to his knees, ready to worship her. He hooked her legs over his shoulders, pressed his mouth to her thigh and kissed a path to her forbidden place.

It was shocking.

It was heavenly.

It was the most thrilling experience of her life.

Every slide of his hot tongue over her bud had her gasping and gripping the table. He knew where to stroke her. Every sweep of her sensitive flesh had tremors shooting to her toes.

"Theo!"

He continued his wicked torment, the pleasure so intense her head felt light while her body quivered. The need to climax was so profound she arched her back and rocked her hips against his mouth.

It took the slide of one finger into her sex to make her come, her whole body shuddering as she moaned and panted his name.

When he rose between her legs, licking his lips and grinning sinfully, she didn't want this night to end. She wanted more hours of mindless pleasure. More hours spent in his arms. She wanted to see his face aglow with the effects of his own release. To hold him inside her and never let go.

Don't stop!

Those words danced on her tongue.

The sudden knock on the door dragged Eleanor from her reverie. She had been a moment away from offering herself to the man she couldn't resist. Lust had the power to banish inhibitions. Having spent a lifetime stifled and denied a voice, lust brought a sense of liberation.

"Theo?" Aaron called, his voice hard, his timing abysmal.

"Just a second." Theo straightened. He groaned in frustration as he scanned her bare thighs. "Perhaps you should return to your shop. At least there, we would have some privacy." He reached for her hands. "Let me help you."

Another loud rap had them straightening their clothes and gathering their wits. The knob turned, but thankfully the door was locked.

Eleanor sat in a chair and snatched her wine glass, though her body was still aglow from her dazzling release.

Theo unlocked the door and opened it wide. "There'd better be a fire," he said through gritted teeth. "Or a bloody good reason for the disturbance."

The air turned decidedly chilly when Aaron Chance strode into the room. He did not hide his emotions out of politeness.

"This room is reserved for gambling." Aaron glanced at her attire, appearing more irritated by her lack of dishevelment. He did not like to be proved wrong.

Theo gestured to the table. "Which is why we're playing cards and drinking wine. We're on our fourth wager. "

Aaron inhaled deeply. Hopefully, the aromatic smell of frankincense filled his nostrils, not the scent of arousal.

"When I allowed Miss Darrow to stay here, I asked for one thing." Aaron's eyes were as hard as obsidian in the candlelight. "Keep me informed. Don't let Daventry make me look foolish."

Theo shrugged. "I told you everything during dinner tonight."

"You omitted one minor detail."

Eleanor stared at him blankly. "I assure you. Theo trusts you more than anyone. He would never keep you in the dark." He would sacrifice his own happiness to ensure you're not alone , she said silently.

Aaron snorted. "Are you saying the gossiping lords are lying? Sigmund just told me the news gained from witnesses at the Olympic."

"What news, sir?"

"The news that you're betrothed."

A laugh escaped her. "But we're not really betrothed. Theo said it in the heat of the moment while threatening Lord Wrotham. He has no intention of ever leaving Fortune's Den."

Theo looked at her with obvious admiration. Most people were terrified of Aaron and seldom voiced their opinions. Yet she knew when a man's temper stemmed from love and concern and when it was borne from his own selfish interests.

"I'm afraid you're stuck with me," Theo said, his smile failing to reach his eyes. "We made a pact to be bachelors until we're old and grey."

Aaron contemplated the remark for lengthy seconds. A frown marred his brow, and when he sighed, it was long and weary. "As I said, you don't need to hide anything from me. Your happiness has always been a priority." He stepped back and motioned to the door. "It's late, Miss Darrow. I suggest you retire before you lose your most prized possession in a game of chance."

It was a demand, not a suggestion.

Eleanor stood and made for the door. "I thank you for your hospitality." She had outstayed her welcome. "I shall return to my modiste shop in the morning." Mr Gibbs would tackle the villain if he dared to attack her again. "Hiding is only delaying our progress. Perhaps it's time I lured the blackguard into a trap."

Theo made to speak, but Aaron replied first. "I admire your courage and tenacity, madam. In the face of adversity, true emotions are often revealed."

True emotions?

Eleanor sensed he was referring to her relationship with Theo, not the devious ransacker's motives. She also suspected Theo would object to her leaving but understood the logic of Aaron's suggestion.

"I mean to bring this matter to a swift conclusion." She turned to Theo, hoping her smile did not convey the true depth of her affection. Anything more than a brief affair was out of the question. "Thank you for an entertaining evening, Mr Chance. As to our game of trivia, you were right. Aphrodite is the goddess of plums."