She began to adjust her skirts, which were bunched between them, pulling at the yards of fabric until there was less separating them—just his clothing. Then she sank down on him, her sex a delicious heat against his stiff cock.
Arching up, Dare pressed against her, simulating intercourse. How desperately he wanted to sheath himself inside her. She rose up, then ground down again. He moved with her and brought her mouth back to his, holding tightly as he tried to maintain some semblance of control.
She whimpered into his mouth, and he slipped his hand from her hip, finding the end of her skirts and the start of her flesh. Grazing his fingers along her thigh, he sought her sweet core. As she lifted up once more, he touched her there, teasing her clitoris and drawing a low moan from her throat.
“Let me,” he whispered as he worked his fingers over her flesh.
“Yes,” she breathed. Then louder, “Yes.”
He stroked her into a frenzy, her body moving against his hand. “Come for me, Juno.”
“I need you inside me. Please.”
Happy to oblige, he thrust his finger into her and pumped. She cast her head back and moaned. He felt her muscles tighten around him just before she cried out.
“Shhh,” he urged, claiming her mouth again as she rode her orgasm.
She barely stilled, her ragged breaths filling the coach, when they stopped in front of the house.
“We’re here.” He gently pulled his hand from beneath her skirts.
She looked down at him, her eyes shining with satisfaction. “Thank you. I’m sorry you didn’t get to…”
“Next time.” He held her gaze and deliberately put his finger in his mouth, sucking the taste of her from his skin.
Her eyes narrowed with renewed desire as she slid onto the seat beside him and rearranged her skirts. Just in time too, for the door opened.
Dare climbed out, then helped her to the ground. He offered his arm, and they started toward the house.
“There shouldn’t be a next time,” she said, keeping her voice low. “I’ve just accepted a position from Lady Gilpin. I’m afraid I must be on my best behavior while I’m here.”
“I’m sure we can be discreet. Ask anyone who’s conducted a liaison during a house party. It happens all the time.”
“That may be, but I can’t risk my livelihood. I do hope you understand.”
He couldn’t let that be the end of it. He stopped before they reached the door, which was being held open by a footman. “Then let’s go somewhere else.”
She was a step in front of him and looked back. Her eyes glinted with amusement. “Where?”’
“Anywhere. So long as you’re there.”
Lady Gilpin stepped from the house. “Oh! My coach is already gone. I’m afraid I left my hat inside. I had to take it off after one of the pins came loose. Ah well, I’ll have a footman fetch it.” She smiled at Juno. “Coming in?”
“Yes.” Juno gave Dare a rather enigmatic stare as she let go of his arm. Then she disappeared into the house with her new employer.
Dare frowned. That wouldn’t be the end of it. Juno had opened something inside him, and he’d be damned if he’d let it slam closed.
Chapter 10
By the time the final course was removed from the table, Juno realized her cheeks hurt from smiling. That was remarkable since she was a generally pleasant person, most often with a smile on her face. This was different, however. Tonight, she’d been singularly engaged with the man beside her. The man she’d once called the rigid duke, which seemed asinine now.
Not that he’d spent the entire evening smiling. He was still far more reserved than her, especially in the company of others. She noticed he was distinctly different, more at ease, when it was just the two of them.
Thinking of that brought to mind their short carriage ride back to the house that afternoon. It was no wonder she’d spent the evening in a state of elation.
Now it was time to remove to the drawing room with the other ladies, and Juno found she didn’t want to leave. “Thank you for a delightful dinner,” she murmured to Dare.
His eyes met hers with a smoldering heat, and she had to clench her thighs together against a wave of arousal. “The pleasure was entirely mine.”
“Not entirely. Don’t make me argue with you.” She winked at him before departing the dining room.
As she entered the drawing room, she looked for Cecilia. Her new friend owed her an explanation.
Unfortunately, Juno had to patiently wait to draw their hostess away from Lady Bentham and Mrs. Hadley, two ladies who liked to talk incessantly. At last, she had Cecilia alone. Then a footman offered them glasses of madeira.
“Why thank you, Vincent,” Cecilia said, taking one of the wineglasses.
Juno also took one and swallowed a sip as the footman moved on. She fixed an expectant stare on Cecilia. “Are you playing matchmaker with me and the duke?”
Surprise rippled across her features. “Of course not. Why would I do that?”
“I can’t think of a single reason, particularly since you also recommended me to Lady Gilpin. However, I can’t discount the ways in which I’ve been alone with the duke today.”
“Because of the ride back in the coach?” Cecilia waved her hand. “I do apologize for abandoning you to travel with my husband.”
“You also didn’t spend any of the promenade with me, despite looking back to check on my progress.” Juno narrowed her eyes. “You weren’t checking my progress, though, were you? You were trying to see if I was still with Dare.”
Cecilia’s lashes fluttered. “‘Dare?’”
A low sound vibrated in Juno’s throat.
“Goodness, you sounded like him just then.”
“I did not.” Perhaps a little.
“Why are you calling him Dare?” Cecilia asked coyly.
Juno rolled her eyes. “Because I grew tired of calling him the rigid duke.”
Cecilia’s eyes rounded. “Did you call him that to his face?”
Ignoring the question, Juno took another sip of wine. “You also sat me next to him at dinner again when there was no reason to. Do you deny that you’re playing matchmaker?”
Lifting a shoulder, Cecilia also drank. “Do you deny that you and he are attracted to each other?”
Was it obvious? Juno tamped down a surge of apprehension. “That doesn’t signify.”
“Doesn’t it?” A glint of triumph lit Cecilia’s eyes.
“You can’t think he’d marry me. I don’t even want to get married.”
Cecilia looked down at her wine. “I’m sorry. I should have spoken to you first. It’s only that, well, you seem to share the connection that he and Lady Marina lacked. Call me a romantic, but I believe in love.” Her gaze drifted in the direction of the dining room, and Juno thought she must be thinking of her husband.
“I used to,” Juno said quietly. “I think perhaps I stopped—at least for me—when my husband… Well, when he turned out to be not quite what I’d hoped.” His penchant for drink and general lack of focus on her and their marriage had become troublesome before his death. She’d hoped they would get back to the bliss of their courtship, but then he’d tumbled down that hill.