Free Romancing Lady Stone (A School of Gallantry Novella) by Delilah Marvelle Page B

swaying from side to side. He hadn’t had a woman poke at his soul in a long, long time. It felt good. She made him feel good. Something he could hardly even do on his own. “Thank you,” he murmured.
    She nodded and wrapped her arms tightly around herself. She stepped back and glanced toward the low-burning hearth. “Are there more coals?”
    Realizing the damp clothing had probably chilled her beyond what he should have allowed, he set aside the watch and scrambled to his feet. “I will add more coals at once, but we need to get you out of those clothes first.”
    She trembled.
    “Turn around.” He grabbed her waist and spun her around, unhooking the wet, heavy fabric down the curve of her back.
    She stilled.
    “I promise not to look at anything I should not.” He unhooked the last of her gown down toward her back and tried to even his breathing realizing he was undressing her. He dragged her gown off her cool shoulders and arms, exposing an expensive looking satin corset, a sheer wet chemise and pale skin.
    It took every ounce of respect he had for her to keep himself from gaping.
    He tugged the sleeves off her arms and yanked the gown down the length of her body, letting it drop to the floor in a heavy, wet heap. Determined to stay focused, he unlaced her corset and tossed it onto the floor as well.
    Quickly turning away, so he wasn’t imposing on her state of undress, he pulled the linen off the bed. Wrapping her tightly in it, he rubbed its warmth into her and smoothed away her damp hair from the sides of her face. “Remove your chemise.”
    She turned away, slipping out of it beneath the linen he wrapped around her.
    Konstantin gathered her clothing and corset and dragged the chair over to the hearth. Adding more coals into the hearth from the dented tin bucket, he laid her clothing out as close to the heat of the glowing coals as safety would allow. “Put your chemise and stockings here by the fire, as well. It should all be dry before we leave for Saint Petersburg the day after tomorrow.”
    She plodded over and towed another chair over to the fire, draped her chemise and stockings against it. She softened her voice. “Thank you.”
    He nodded and strode toward his clothing he had yet to gather off the floor. He leaned over, picked up one of his linen shirts and tossed it toward her. “That can be your nightdress.”
    She caught the shirt with one hand and fumbled to pull it on without losing the linen.
    Konstantin swung away to give her privacy. He grabbed his pocket watch off the bed, walked over and tucked it into his waistcoat pocket that was slung over the chair. Pacing back and crouching, he started gathering his belongings and shoving them into his wool sack, realizing his hands were trembling. He continued shoving the rest of his clothes into the sack knowing he was already smitten by a woman bold enough to confess that a man who used to protect criminals was worthy of even having a friend.
    God save his stupid soul. Why did she have to be an aristocrat?
    Nothing would ever come of it.

 

    Cecilia hesitantly touched the side of her head, her cold fingers grazing long, wet hair which had cascaded from its pins in spiraling, unraveled sections around her shoulders. She gathered her hair, bundled it up, and tightly pinned each section into place using whatever pins she could find lodged in her locks. When everything was secured into a chignon, she let out a breath.
    What a night.
    Smoothing the front of Mr. Levin’s shirt with a hand that was hidden deep within the sleeve, she glanced down, making certain not too much of her legs were showing. The shirt smelled like him. Like charred wood. Rolling the sleeves several times, she finally caught sight of her hands.
    “Are you dressed?”
    She jumped at the sound of his deep, accented voice. She crossed her arms over her chest knowing her breasts and the outline of her entire body was very visible through the material. “Barely, but yes.”
    He