“I won’t take you on the floor again.” His brow raised to emphasize his next words. “If we’re to do this, I demand a bed and the entire night.”
She nodded. “Yes, I want that, too.” She hadn’t known how much until just now. Until the thought of not making it upstairs with him left her nearly devastated.
He moved slowly, with uncertainty, likely believing she would take this away, but she couldn’t. Whatever tomorrow might bring, she needed this night with him. As soon as his hand touched hers, she closed her fingers around his and helped pull him up. He followed her to the door on legs that were much steadier than she had thought they would be.
Once there, she paused to look out and make sure no servants were around, and he came up behind her, his other hand at her waist and his lips in her hair. She smiled as she leaned back into him for a minute, savoring the solid warmth of his body.
“We can’t do this out there.” She tilted her head toward the door and the world beyond it.
“Why?” He took her lips in a deep kiss that left her head swimming. Then she was pinned against the wall as he leaned over her. “They all assume we’re fucking. We’re getting married, and I’m leaving for home soon. Why wouldn’t we be kissing in doorways?”
The words sent a shiver of longing through her even as they emphasized how much alcohol he had likely consumed. “You’re drunk. I wonder if I’m taking advantage of you.”
He laughed, his fingertips brushing across her neck as he moved to bury his hand in her hair again. “I’m only drunk because I couldn’t have you. Besides, I haven’t had that much to drink.”
He took her hand, and her breath caught again when she realized his intent as he guided it down to press against his impressive erection. Molten desire pooled between her legs when she stroked the hard length of him, prompting her to abruptly let him go. She couldn’t do what needed to be done if she was half-witted from wanting him, though it might be a smidge too late on that score.
“Listen to me.” She took his face between her hands. “We can’t be seen going upstairs together. Everyone might think that we’re sleeping together, but they don’t know, and we need to keep it that way.” Her reputation would depend upon it when their betrothal eventually came to an end. “I’m going to leave first, and then you go to your room in a few minutes.”
“My room?” He was poised to argue, but she kept talking.
“Yes, your room. Let Howard help put your clothes away,” she said, referring to the servant her father had assigned him since he didn’t travel with a valet. “Go through your evening ablutions as if nothing is out of the ordinary.”
“I think he’ll damned well notice that I’m about to rupture the confines of my trousers,” he said sardonically.
She laughed despite herself. “I’ll come get you when it’s safe.”
“How?” He scowled in that way she loved, and she couldn’t resist running her fingertips over his brow.
“Trust me.”
He tried to keep hold of her waist, but she hurried away before he could answer.
* * *
• • •
Max paced around his room feeling very much like a caged tiger he had once seen at a traveling circus. He’d sobered significantly in the half hour he’d been in his room, becoming more convinced with every passing moment that Helena had sent him here to cool down. It was no less than he deserved for how he had talked to her, as if she were not a real-life lady with a capital L. He didn’t think of her that way, though. He simply thought of her as his, no matter how presumptuous and premature that may be. He was more certain of that now than he had ever been, even after what he had said to her father, knowing her father might very well ask him to leave a day early. He simply wanted to belong to her in the same way. He already did.
If she didn’t send for him soon, he’d—
A scraping sound had him turning toward the far corner of the bedroom. The wall panel shifted, revealing for the first time that there was a minuscule separation between it and the rest of the wall. As he watched, it further separated itself from the wall as it was pushed open. Helena stood framed in the makeshift doorway holding a single candle and wearing nothing but slippers and a dressing gown made of sapphire-colored silk. It was belted at her waist, but a deep V showed enough of her chest and cleavage to be assured there was not a stitch of clothing underneath, and her nipples pressed against the thin material.
“I told you I’d come.” She grinned.
He smiled back, unable to do anything less whenever she smiled at him. “What is this?” He walked over, half in shock that she was here but curious at the existence of a secret passageway.
“An old passageway for servants. It’s from back in the days when they would use this accessway instead of the main corridors. All of the bedrooms back up to it along this stretch of the house.”
He couldn’t stop smiling as he peeked inside to see that it was dark and completely enclosed. “I’ve never seen a real secret passageway.”
“Then follow me.”
He felt like a freshman sneaking out of his dormitory again as he stepped into the passageway behind her. The corridor was large enough that he could walk through unimpeded, but not so wide that he could walk beside her. She took his hand, and he put his other one on her hip, unable to keep himself from touching her. The silk glided smoothly over her skin as he moved his hand up to her breast to test his theory. Only a thin layer of silk kept him from her. Her breath hitched at the touch.
“Did you tell your maid that you wanted to sleep nude tonight?”
She giggled even as she shushed him. “No, I took off my nightdress after she left,” she whispered, her breath ending on a quick exhale as he toyed with the tender bit of swollen flesh.
When she stopped a moment later, he bumped into the back of her. “Here,” she whispered, pushing open the panel that led to her room. It was far closer than he thought it would be.
“My room is only on the next corridor over, but you access it from a different set of stairs.”
He followed her inside. It was lit by a single lamp burning on the bedside table and the fire in the hearth. The room was decorated tastefully in frilly white and pale blue, clearly the selections of a young woman. “Is this your childhood bedroom?”
She nodded.
“It’s conveniently close to my bedroom.”
She flushed. “I might have had you placed in one of the eastern-facing rooms on the bachelor’s hall for a reason.”
He laughed. Her room wouldn’t have had access to the western-facing ones. “You planned this?” he asked, walking closer to her.