A Scandal By Any Other Name

The desk was hard and completely unyielding beneath Delaney. But she barely noticed the solid wood. Her entire world was entirely consumed by the man standing between her parted knees.

Rowan’s mouth was hot and incredibly demanding. He kissed her deeply, taking her breath away, leaving her completely dizzy.

Delaney gripped the smooth edge of the desk for dear life. Her knuckles turned white as she tried to anchor herself in the sudden, spinning storm of their passion.

He broke the kiss on her lips, trailing his warm, open mouth down the line of her jaw.

Rowan moved lower. He pressed his face against the soft, sensitive skin of her neck. He breathed in the sweet scent of her skin, letting out a low, rough groan. He opened his mouth and gently nibbled on the curve of her neck, right below her ear.

A sharp, electric thrill shot straight down Delaney’s spine. She threw her head back, exposing more of her throat to him. But a small, practical part of her mind tried to speak.

"Don’t..." Delaney gasped, her chest heaving as she struggled to find her words. "Don’t... make a..."

She wanted to tell him not to make a mark. She knew that if he left a dark bruise on her neck from his kisses, Aunt Margery and Aunt Renee would absolutely notice it at dinner.

But Delaney’s voice was instantly cut off.

Her words turned into a soft, helpless moan as Rowan’s large hands moved. His hands slid slowly from her waist, tracing the curve of her hips, and moved down to her parted thighs.

Through the thin layers of her morning dress and her petticoats, his long fingers dug firmly, possessively into her soft flesh.

The feeling was completely overwhelming. Delaney was breathing heavily, her chest rising and falling in rapid, shallow gasps. Her practical thoughts completely vanished. Her senses were entirely clouded by desire. She forgot about the servants. She forgot about the open windows. She only wanted him closer.

Rowan was entirely lost in her. He moved his hands back up to her waist. His fingers found the delicate silk string of her dress belt.

With a quick, highly deliberate pull, Rowan pulled the string loose.

The silk belt fell away. He reached up and gently grasped the soft fabric of her neckline. With a slow, incredibly hot movement, he shifted the short sleeves completely down from her shoulders.

The top of her dress slipped downward, exposing her smooth, pale shoulders and the top curve of her chest to the cool air of the study.

Delaney shivered, but not from the cold. The cool air was instantly replaced by the burning heat of his mouth.

Delaney let go of the edge of the desk. She needed to touch him. Her hands went directly into his thick blond hair. She dug her fingers deeply into his strands, holding his head firmly against her skin.

Rowan rained hot, possessive kisses all over her bare shoulders and her exposed collarbone. He kissed every inch of skin he could reach, worshipping her.

Delaney felt completely breathless. She moved her hands down from his hair. Her trembling fingers fumbled blindly with the front of his fine shirt and his dark velvet smoking jacket. She wanted to feel his bare skin, just as he was feeling hers. She tugged at the fabric, trying to loosen the neat folds of his clothing.

The atmosphere in the quiet study was incredibly charged. The air felt thick and heavy with their mutual, desperate yearning.

In his blind, passionate rush, Rowan shifted his body slightly to press even closer against her. He moved his large hands up her sides to pull her tightly against his chest.

But as he grabbed her, Rowan mistakenly squeezed her side. His hand pressed firmly directly against her bruised, healing rib.

The pain was sudden and very sharp.

"Ah!" Delaney groaned loudly in pain.

It was a harsh, breathless sound that completely shattered the romantic tension. Her body stiffened immediately. Her hands instantly fell away from his shirt, dropping weakly to her sides.

Rowan stopped immediately.

He froze completely, exactly like a statue. The dark fog of intense desire vanished from his eyes in a single, terrifying second. It was instantly replaced by a look of profound, absolute worry and pure, cold fear.

He quickly pulled his hands away from her sides as if she were made of burning fire. He took a hasty step backward, putting a small distance between their bodies.

"Are you alright?" Rowan asked rapidly. His deep voice was shaking with panic. His chest heaved as he tried to control his ragged breathing. He looked down at her side, his eyes wide with terrible guilt.

Delaney took a slow, deep breath, waiting for the sharp sting in her ribs to completely fade away. She let out the air slowly.

Delaney nodded her head. She offered him a small, reassuring smile, despite the lingering ache.

"It is just a little pain, Rowan," Delaney whispered softly. "I am fine."

Rowan did not look fine. He looked completely devastated. He ran a shaking hand roughly through his messy hair. He remembered the terrible state she was in when they first arrived at his door, covered in mud and blood. He had promised himself he would protect her, and now he had hurt her with his own careless hands.

"I am so sorry, Del," Rowan spoke, his voice completely raw and thick with heavy guilt. He looked directly into her hazel eyes, pleading for her forgiveness. "I am so sorry. I lost my mind. I did not mean to hurt you."

Delaney’s heart broke slightly at the sight of his deep sorrow. She did not want him to feel guilty for wanting her.

She smiled a much wider, completely warm smile.

She reached her hand out. She gently caressed his tense face, letting her soft fingers stroke the side of his cheek.

"I know," Delaney said softly, her voice filled with nothing but pure love and complete understanding. "I know you would never hurt me on purpose."

She kept her hand on his cheek. She gently pulled his face back closer to hers.

Rowan leaned down willingly, submitting completely to her gentle touch.

Delaney leaned forward and pressed a very soft, very sweet, lingering kiss directly to his forehead. It was a kiss of comfort, completely erasing the heavy tension and the dark guilt in the room.