Chapter Thirty-Two

T he Right Honorable Miss Bernice Namath

After a confused Mr. Humphrey left us in front of the publishing house, Moran insisted on bathing the second he walked through the door. I couldn’t blame him one bit. He lay back in the tub, eyes closed while I knelt on a thick towel on the floor, steam fragrant with cinnamon and spice rising around us. Soap in hand, I finished lathering his hair for a second time, allowing my fingers to massage his scalp.

“That is heavenly,” he sighed.

“Do you feel better now?” We hadn’t talked much since leaving Mr. Humphrey’s carriage. Moran didn’t have much to say and I didn’t want to push him. The entire experience had been harrowing for all of us. Throughout the night, I paced like a restless tiger. Only after Humphrey worked his magic and obtained Moran’s release, could I breathe properly.

“I will feel much better when you join me.” He tilted his head to look at me, a telling light of lust in his gaze.

“Rinse and I will.” I slipped the chemise over my head. We flooded the bathroom the last time we bathed together so I made sure to hang the garment on the peg next to his robe. He had slipped a condom in the pocket earlier and I retrieved the prophylactic, eager to fulfill his request.

He ducked under the surface, his knees rising out of the water. Foamy soap obscured his lean body until he sat upright, rubbing the water from his eyes. His hair stood on end, giving him an endearing, boyish air that melted my heart even more.

With one hand on the rim of the tub for support, I bent over to grab the towel off the floor. The sooner I could join him, the happier I would be. Our first intimate encounter was unforgettable, and I could hardly wait for a repeat.

“What are you doing?” Moran twisted his torso, one arm draped over the tub while he ran his wet hand down my bare belly.

“I am getting a towel for your hair.” My pulse began to race with anticipation for the promise in his eyes. The moment his fingertip found the throbbing nub between my legs, I bucked into his touch.

“I don’t need a towel for my hair. I need you.” The husky timbre of his tone, coupled with the building sensations, was all the invitation I needed.

I slid my arm around his neck as he angled his head, our lips connecting with need. My love for him swelled. Everything would be different now, and yet his kisses were achingly familiar. I couldn’t articulate how pleased I was that the horrors of the past twenty-four hours were behind us. At least for now. The charges had been dropped because he was a duke. A duke. I was kissing the Duke of Moreland.

Like him, I had a secret, one I vowed to disclose before we parted company for the night. Yet the time wasn’t right. Chances were that after telling him who I was, we’d be on the outs. But Ash was right, I needed to speak my truth. I prayed that once I told him the truth, Moran could forgive me for hiding my identity like I’d forgiven him for doing likewise.

Mouth seeking more of his kisses, I lifted a leg and placed my foot in the water between his legs. Being with Moran stripped me of my inhibitions and I wanted to be in his arms forever. Except that wasn’t possible. He didn’t love me.

Warm water rushed up to my knee and I forced myself to concentrate on him and not the emptiness the realization brought. Love wasn’t everything. He held my hips until I finished climbing in. Still bent at the waist, I continued to ply his mouth with kisses. Urgency rushed into my core as he dipped his tongue into my mouth, the silky length sliding along my own. Desire and desperation warred with one another.

I made to slide onto his lap but he lifted his head and met my regard with his heated one. Leaning forward, he trailed his mouth down my stomach, his hair wet and cold against my overly heated skin. I bit my lips, my hands clutching at his slick shoulders to remain upright. The bathtub had become my favorite place in the world.

He used the tip of his tongue to part my folds, his fingers digging into my bottom to hold me closer. The suction of his mouth on my nub, followed by every flick of his tongue weakened my knees. My escaping moans echoed throughout the bathroom. I fought to remain upright but the alternative didn’t bear thinking about. Calling a halt to our play wasn’t an option for me. I wanted him with all of my heart.

Thighs increasingly unsteady, I pushed my hips into his caress, the building pressure inside me growing by the second. “I think number six and a half is on the horizon,” I said on a breathy laugh, our last conversation in the bathroom days ago coming back to me.

Liquid eyes full of amusement met mine, and he licked my nub with precise strokes until I gripped the back of his head to remain standing. My breath catching, ripples of pleasure tore through me, each one a tiny slice of heaven.

“We will be shooing for seven.” He released me and stood, his cock resting hard on his belly. Retrieving the condom from where I had placed it on the towel beside the tub, he slipped it on. With a confident smirk, he added, “Eight if possible.”

“You will hear no argument from me.” Once he was again seated in the water, I placed my hands on his shoulders. He pulled me down until I straddled his body, anticipation stealing my breath.

Dipping his head, he skimmed his mouth along the swell of my breasts. I gripped his hardened cock and guided him into me. My earlier need returned twofold and I shuddered at the sensation of his mouth sucking on my nipple.

“Possible or probable?” Moran rocked into me, our hips moving in rhythm. Talented fingers swept over my nub, each a promise of the pleasure to come. Yearning permeated the steamy air, both of us striving to reach nirvana.

“Since possible means it might happen, but probable mean it is likely to happen—given what you are doing to me right now—I think it is definitely probable.” Water sloshed over the tub, a common occurrence with us.

“Excellent. Once again, your grasp of grammar has come in handy.” Eyelids at half mast, lust and affection sparkled in his eyes. But not love.

The compliment boosted my pride more than any poetry. Vibrations built stronger inside my core and I threw my head back, moving with more speed toward the ultimate goal. Nails curling into the hard muscle of his shoulders, I allowed the release to flow through my body.

He clutched at my thighs, his body bucking beneath me. My love for him swelled and I tried to hold it back. I arched my back, his pelvis grinding into my nub with each thrust. Lust and friendship had to be enough between us. Another wave eclipsed the last and my cry mingled with his harsh shout. The tendons standing out on his neck and chest, he never looked more appealing in his gratification.

“Indeed, probability won out.” The waves we’d created stopped rippling as I lay on his chest, his arm around my neck. I turned my head to kiss his cheek, his racing heartbeat matching my own.

Moran yawned and rubbed at his face, water dripping down his forearm. His breathing had grown steadier and he looked more relaxed than when I picked him up at the station. “I am so glad to be clean.”

“I shudder to imagine what you went through. I...” My breath caught on an unexpected sob, and I cleared my throat. “I feared for you. As did Ash.”

While I missed having Ash with us, I was glad to experience this intimacy with Moran. Selfish, yes. I loved the other man but I connected with Moran on a deeper level.

Moran stiffened beneath me, his arm around my neck flexing. I cursed the slip of my tongue. He was upset about Ash and I had poked at a sore wound. “Have you seen him since then?”

“He said he had some work to complete.” After we’d arrived at the station, Ash had bid me adieu and disappeared. He was upset with Moran and with good reason, I suppose. The same way he was upset with me over my deception. Only I promised to make amends. “I am sorry, I don’t have more information than that.”

Eyes closed, he nodded and pressed his lips together, mouth turned down in a sorrowful line. “He is upset, that is to be expected, I suppose. But he’ll come around, he always does.” Sadly, Moran didn’t sound so certain. “I am glad you have forgiven me, even though I lied to you.”

“You didn’t lie to me. You simply didn’t share your past. There is nothing wrong with that.” Guilt hit me and I lifted my head, my lips playing over his in a long, lingering kiss. If things were different between us, I would stay here forever. That wasn’t possible. Twisting, I grabbed the side of the tub and climbed out. The chill in the room without his warmth sent goosebumps over my skin and I snatched up a towel.

“A lie is a lie, Birdie. No matter how you spin it.” Moran climbed out after me, his skin slick with water. He raked a hand through his hair and rubbed at the back of his neck. In his naked state, he never looked more appealing or dangerous to my heart. “While you are no saint, you are the most honest person I know.”

I bit back a snort and clutched at the towel, my unrest growing. He thought I was honest, and now I must disappoint him. My current nude state made me feel more vulnerable, and I vigorously dried my torso, needing the shield of clothing before diving into my truth. “While that is high praise, it couldn’t be further from the truth.”

“You are too modest.” Moran took care of the condom and slipped on the navy robe, hiding his wet form from view. Unlike me, he didn’t seem in too much of a hurry to dress. Of course, this was his home, thus he could stay. “I wish you didn’t have to leave.”

Nausea roiled inside my stomach. I reached for my chemise and drew it over my head. “I wish I didn’t either but my sisters will worry.” I wasn’t sure what would happen after I told him who I was. Perhaps I was overthinking it. Or perhaps not enough. Either way, it needed to be said.