Tempted By a Rake (Wicked Widows’ League #21)

Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

Lavinia disengaged herself and fell back against the small pillow that had cushioned her back while awaiting Demetrius’ return.

“I had no idea that…Well, that I could…”

“Oh, Lavinia, there is so much to show you. We have only just begun.”

And even though she was quite sated, her blood heated again. How many ways could a person enjoy passion?

At the knock on the door Lavinia scrambled from the settee and shook out her skirts. “Is all as it should be?” she asked anxiously.

Demetrius chuckled as he fastened the placket on his trousers. “Yes, it is. Nobody would be the wiser that you just took advantage of me.”

“I most certainly did not,” she argued. “Besides, you started it.”

He simply grinned as she rushed from the room to answer the door to Mr. Trenton, who she welcomed inside and asked him to wait while she retrieved the basket from this morning. When she glanced into the parlor, Demetrius was seated in the chair that he had always preferred, sipping his tea, her book was on the table and the blanket folded neatly at the opposite end from where she had been sitting. All looked very innocent, thank goodness.

“My wife will be happy to know that some decorations now adorn the parlor,” she overheard Mr. Trenton say to Demetrius as she stepped from the kitchen carrying the basket. “She worried about Lady Teviot being alone.”

“It wouldn’t be Christmas without greenery,” Demetrius acknowledged. “And I will keep her company, if she wishes to have my presence, or I will leave her be if she does not.”

Lavinia had no intention of asking Demetrius to leave before it was necessary.

“Though there has never been mistletoe in the doorways before.” Mr. Trenton chuckled. “I will not tell my wife of that addition.”

Lavinia’s face burned.

“Hopefully it will be of use to the two of you instead of hanging there for no reason other than to decorate a doorway.” At least his words led Mr. Trenton to believe that they only shared a friendship.

“Here you go, Mr. Trenton,” Lavinia announced as she came forward and exchanged the empty basket for the full one.

“This should be enough for this afternoon and this evening. My wife said to tell you that another will be delivered tomorrow morning and then late afternoon.”

“Thank you. We appreciate the meals.”

“We appreciate the time spent with family.”

“Until tomorrow, Mr. Trenton.”

“You as well, Lady Teviot.” He then nodded to Demetrius and then he was gone.

“So, we are alone until tomorrow morning.” The side of his mouth lifted. “Whatever will we do with ourselves?”

“Well, I for one will be putting the items in this basket away, you can do as you please.” She turned and hurried back into the kitchen; excitement brewed within knowing that she would have Demetrius to herself until tomorrow morning without fear of interruption. Not that she wanted to spend the entire time doing…well…that, but she wanted as many moments with him alone even if it was only in conversation.

The rest of the evening was a quiet one. Lavinia had stayed on the settee, her under the blanket and him at the other end while they sipped tea. The only interruption was when he left to see to Max and Cal, who did not seem bothered by his absence in the least. Max spent much of his time out of doors while Cal napped on a favorite chair. Demetrius had made certain there was a fire burning in the parlor, though he kept it low and just enough to take the chill from the room. Though, he was pretty certain Max had never been cold a day in his life given the thickness of his fur.

He did not seduce Lavinia again. Instead, they spoke on many topics, shared secrets from their childhood, and observations of people they knew in London. The meals were light, but delicious, and he fell even further in love.

When he escorted her above stairs at the end of the night, Demetrius took his time in undressing her and laying her on the bed and loved her slowly and deeply, committing everything about her to memory as he brought her to release and then himself before she turned on her side and he curled around her and they both found their slumber.

He slept peacefully through the night in a way that he could not previously remember.

Christmas Day was spent in the same manner, and Demetrius grew even closer to Lavinia. He’d never experienced such with anyone else in his life, and the more she shared with him, the more he wanted to know. They teased and laughed, and sometimes grew serious when they spoke of sadder times in their lives. He also wasn’t so anxious to take her to bed as before, and likely because the need that had built for so long had been satisfied. It wasn’t that he no longer wanted Lavinia, because he did and could spend every night in her bed, deep within her, but during the day his desire was to know everything about her and he sensed she felt the same.

On Boxing Day she wrapped the small gifts that she had purchased, labeled each with a name, then placed them in the large basket that had been used to deliver the Christmas dinner and placed a towel over the contents. When Mr. Trenton delivered their breakfast, she had given him the other basket and told him not to look inside until he returned to his daughter’s home.

Demetrius had hidden, as he had each time a basket was delivered on Christmas Day because he did not want Mr. Trenton to become suspicious that he was constantly here. Though, if the man had any sense, he knew where Demetrius was spending his days and nights.

“I believe this was the best Christmas I have had since I was a child,” Lavinia whispered.

“Mine as well,” Demetrius returned as he came over her. Last night was the last that he would spend in her bed, and this morning would be the last that he woke by her side and he could not leave without holding and kissing her.

As he kissed her deeply her hands caressed his body, no longer shy of touching him, and he did the same until she shuddered with pleasure and he entered her, setting a tempo that would bring them both to the heights of pleasure but not rushed.

He also grew emotional but would not let Lavinia see. His heart ached knowing that soon she would be gone and he tried not to think of his future without her, or hers if she found someone else. Someone worthy who might steal her heart, a lord who was suited to marry her.

Her hips rose to meet his and just as his release struck and he pressed deep within, a door banged below.

Lavinia stilled, as did he, thankful that the sound had not happened a moment earlier.

“We have returned,” Mrs. Trenton called from the entry which sent Demetrius scrambling from the bed to find his clothing, which he managed to put on quicker than it should have been possible.

Lavinia jumped from the bed and searched for something to wear before she grabbed the dress from yesterday, somewhat crumpled from being on the floor where Demetrius had left it, then slipped her feet into slippers and hurried to the door. “I will be down in a moment.” She then rushed to the mirror to quickly brush her hair, eyes wide with alarm.

“What are you going to do?” she hissed quietly.

That was just it. He didn’t know.

He crossed to the window and opened it. Thankfully it was not too high from the ground, but enough that he could still be injured. He then looked down the wall to note that there were no windows below hers, thank goodness, and crawled out the window.

“What are you doing?” she cried in a whisper.

“Well, I cannot be found in here now can I?” Except, if he was, Mrs. Trenton may feel it necessary to write to His Grace. Though, it was not likely the Duke of Claybrook would force a marriage. It wasn’t as if Lavinia was an innocent younger sister, but a widow of nine and twenty. He’d likely just replace Demetrius for having disrespected Lavinia, and she’d be forced to live with the embarrassment of her brother knowing how she had spent her holiday.

“You could wait,” she suggested. “Eventually they will…”

“What? Go to bed? I cannot hide in your room all day.”

She bit her lip and came to look out the window. “It is too far. You will injure yourself or break your neck.” On those words she winced. Her brother had died of a broken neck after he had fallen from a horse.

“I will not die,” he promised and hoped that he was correct. “It is not so far. I promise.”

With that, he edged out, holding on as he let his body hang down the side of the cottage, clutching to the window frame with his fingers before he looked down again.

Bloody hell! All he could hope was that he didn’t break an ankle or leg and let go.

Thankfully he did not appear to be injured and only fell onto his bum after his feet hit the ground.

Lavinia watched with worry from above and he returned a grin and a wave before he stood and stepped carefully to make certain that he had not twisted an ankle, which he had not. Then he rushed off, hoping that he wasn’t seen, then made his way back to his own cottage where Max was anxiously waiting for his return.