They only had tonight, then she’d never see him again. And she knew what she wanted.

Everything.

The question was, would he give it to her?

Her hand crept lower and moved between them to cup his erection. He sucked in a breath and grabbed her wrist. “Alice, please. I don’t want to take this further. I just need a moment.”

Leaning in, she began nibbling his throat, her fingers pressing into the ridge of flesh inside his undergarment. “What if I want to take this further?”

He gave a strained laugh. “I would tell you no.”

“Why?”

“You know why.”

Because he didn’t want to marry her. Because she was to marry someone else.

The problem was, he made it very difficult to want anyone other than him.

I have him right now, right here. Her mother returned tomorrow and with it all the expectations of her family and her class. But society wasn’t stopping her from taking what she wanted at the moment. Kit was the only person standing in her way.

Had she the courage to convince him?

The Alice of a month ago couldn’t have possibly demanded such things. However, the Alice who held this man’s affections could do damn near anything. I’ve never cared about anyone before. I care about you, Alice.

In one sensuous move, she slid off his lap and stood. Relief flickered over his expression until her hands went to the strings at her waist. When she untied her drawers, he sat up straight. “What are you doing?”

She pushed the cotton over her hips and down her thighs, then stepped out of the garment. Then she stripped off each stocking, bending over slowly, enjoying the way his hot stare followed her every move. Now completely nude, she lifted her chin. “Take off your undergarment.”

He started shaking his head before she even got the words out. “Oh, God. Don’t even suggest it, Alice. I’m dying over here.”

His plea emboldened her. Kit was being careful . . . but the time for care had passed. The clock was ticking and there was one more thing she needed for him to show her.

She crawled onto his lap, keeping her expression innocent while inwardly she plotted. His chest heaved and he kept his hands at his sides. One after another, she undid the buttons of his undergarment. “I want it to be you, Christopher. I don’t want another man to teach me how to do this. It has to be you.”

“Fucking hell,” he said on a groan, and dropped his head onto the back of the sofa. “Alice, I shouldn’t. I can’t. You will soon have a husband and he’ll be furious that you allowed me to be first.”

“Wrong.” She pressed a kiss to his jaw, the evening whiskers rough against her lips. “He’ll be grateful that I learned such wonderful technique from a master.”