Free Lady of Seduction by Laurel McKee

only
feel,
and the rawness of it felt foreign and frightening—and glorious. She was free in this one perfect moment.
    She tightened her thighs against his hips, and the cloth of his breeches felt abrasive on her soft, bare skin. His lips slid
     from hers and along the arched line of her throat. Her head fell back as she gave herself over to him. She held on to him
     tightly, twining her fingers in his hair as shetugged it loose from its tie. It fell over her hands, binding her to him.
    His tongue traced the line of her low, square neckline and dipped into the hollow between her breasts. His teeth nipped lightly
     at the sensitive flesh, and then he soothed it with a sweet kiss. Her nipples ached, and a heaviness expanded low in her abdomen.
     Her whole body strained for his touch, and she arched herself against him.
    His fingers curled into the edge of her too-large bodice and tugged it lower, releasing one pale, small breast from its confinement.
     She had always been rueful about her thin body, her small bosom, so different from the soft, plump creaminess that was so
     fashionable and looked so good in stylish gowns.
    But now, as Grant stared down at her in avid hunger, she forgot all of that. She felt—beautiful.
    “So perfect,” he whispered. And he leaned down to capture her pouting nipple between his lips, rolling it, biting it lightly
     before he drew her deep into his mouth.
    Caroline cried out at the startling rush of pleasure that roared through her. She twisted her fingers into his hair again
     to hold him against her. Between her spread legs, through the fabric of their clothes, she felt his penis grow even harder.
     She was falling…
    Then there was a sudden sound in the corridor outside, a crash as if someone dropped a tray and footsteps rushing away back
     to the kitchen. Shocked, Caroline tumbled off Grant’s lap onto the cold floor.
    “Mollaght,”
Grant cursed. He grabbed her arm and dragged them both to their feet. She was shaking so hard that her hands couldn’t grasp
     her muslin bodice to tug it back over her breasts.
    Grant did it for her, smoothing her dress into place and her tumbled hair back from her shoulders. She saw that his hands
     trembled, too, and his eyes were nearly black.
    “Come with me to my chamber,” he whispered urgently into her ear. “Please, Caroline. Nothing will happen that you don’t want
     to, but—come with me now.”



Chapter Nine
    G rant’s bedroom was in darkness except for one candle set on the bedside table. The old, massive, dark wood furniture loomed,
     and shadows flickered through the uncovered windows with their medieval panes of diamond-shaped glass.
    He had led Caroline up a narrow, twisting staircase to the floor above her own room, and the tapestry-covered walls were gently
     curved, so Caroline was sure they must be in a turret. Surely it was not the fatal tower, for everyone said that was merely
     a shell, but this space seemed quite fearsome enough. It was like a chamber for a wizard or an alchemist, with its hulking
     furniture and faint scent of burned sandalwood.
    But she had no time to think about her surroundings. Grant pulled her into his arms and pressed her back against the door.
     He bent his head to kiss her neck, his loose hair trailing over her skin. His mouth was open and hot, tasting her greedily
     as if he was starving for her.
    An answering hunger, raging and insatiable, rose up inside her. She wanted to lose herself in him—forgeteverything but emotion and sensation, the way she felt when he kissed her like that. To hell with being sensible.
    She pushed herself against him and tilted her hips to press against the hardness of his erection. His kiss trailed lower,
     enticingly, until she cried out in longing. His tongue traced along the edge of her bodice and on the bare, soft skin of her
     breast before he left her.
    “Grant!” Caroline cried. She braced her head against the door and stared up at him in the shadows. His eyes