Lady Ines Scandalous Hobby-Chapter 178 - Hundred And Seventy Eight

The kiss, which had started as a gentle seal of their love, quickly changed. It grew deeper, hungrier. The taste of peaches and wine was forgotten, replaced by the intoxicating taste of each other.

Carcel groaned low in his throat. He shifted his weight, pressing Ines back against the soft, thick blanket. The book of poetry slid from the blanket and landed silently in the sand, its verses about the sea forgotten in favor of the real passion unfolding on the shore.

His hands, which had been gently cupping her face, moved down. They swept over her neck, her shoulders, and down the curve of her spine. He found the back of her white muslin dress.

His fingers fumbled with the fastenings. He was eager, his touch urgent.

Ines felt the cool air hit the skin of her back as the dress began to loosen. The sensation snapped her back to reality for a fleeting second.

Ines broke the kiss. She pulled back just an inch, her breathing ragged. Her lips were swollen and red, her eyes wide with a sudden flash of worry.

"No," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Carcel, wait."

She looked around the cove. The cliffs were high, and the beach was empty, but the habit of propriety ran deep.

"What if someone sees us?" Ines asked. She glanced toward the top of the path. "The gardener... Madame Bernier..."

Carcel didn’t look away from her. His eyes were dark, burning with a fire that rivaled the setting sun. He leaned in, brushing his nose against hers.

"It is private property," Carcel replied firmly.

He looked up at the cliffs, then back at her.

"I own the land, the cliffs, and the sand," he murmured. "No one dares come here without consent. Madame Bernier is back at the house making dinner, and the gardener knows better than to disturb a honeymoon."

He kissed the corner of her mouth.

"We are alone, Ines. Just you, me, and the ocean."

Ines looked into his eyes. She saw the truth there. She saw the safety he offered. The fear of the ton, the fear of scandal, the fear of prying eyes—it all dissolved under his gaze.

She relaxed. She nodded slowly.

"Okay," she whispered.

Carcel smiled. It was a slow, wicked, beautiful smile.

He reached behind her again. He found the closure of her dress. With a smooth, decisive motion, he undid the dress completely. The white muslin fell away from her shoulders like water.

He helped her slide her arms out of the sleeves. He pulled the dress down to her waist, then over her hips, until it lay in a heap at the bottom of the blanket.

Ines sat there in her thin chemise, bathed in the golden light of the late afternoon sun.

She reached for him. Her hands went to his shirt. She pulled it over his head, tossing it onto the sand. Then she reached for the waistband of his trousers.

They undressed each other with a mix of haste and reverence. Clothes were discarded, leaving them skin to skin under the vast, open sky.

The air was cooling as evening approached, but the heat between them was enough to keep them warm.

Carcel lowered her onto the blanket. He hovered over her, blocking out the sun. His silhouette was outlined in gold.

"You are beautiful," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "More beautiful than the sea."

He kissed her. He kissed her neck, her collarbone, the soft swell of her breast.

They both tangled themselves together. limbs entwined, skin sliding against skin. The sound of the waves crashing on the shore set a rhythm for them—slow, steady, and powerful.

Carcel moved over her. He looked into her eyes, asking for permission one last time without saying a word.

Ines lifted her hips. She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him down.

"Make love to me," she whispered.

He entered her.

It was different from the frantic, desperate lovemaking in the study. This was slow. This was deep. It was a conversation between their bodies.

He moved inside her, each thrust a promise. I am here. I am yours.

Ines arched her back, her fingers digging into his shoulders. She gasped as he hit a deep spot, sending ripples of pleasure through her entire body.

"Carcel," she moaned, her voice mixing with the cry of the seagulls.

"I have you," he gritted out. "I have you, Ines."

They moved together, perfectly in sync. The world narrowed down to this blanket, this man, this moment. The sun beat down on their skin, and the salt spray filled the air.

Ines felt the tension building. It started in her toes and rushed up like a wave. She clung to him, burying her face in his neck, tasting the salt on his skin.

"Carcel... please..."

He understood. He picked up the pace, his movements becoming more urgent. He drove into her, harder, deeper.

They shattered together.

Ines cried out, her body bowing off the sand as the pleasure took her. Carcel groaned, a deep, guttural sound of release, as he poured himself into her.

They collapsed into each other, breathing heavy, their hearts beating as one against their chests.

For a long time, they just lay there. The only sound was their breathing slowing down to match the ocean. Carcel stroked her hair, kissing her damp forehead. Ines traced patterns on his back, feeling the muscles relax under her touch.

The sun began to dip lower, touching the horizon. The sky turned a brilliant shade of orange and pink.

Carcel lifted his head. He looked at the sky, then at Ines.

"It is getting cold," he said softly.

He sat up. He reached for her dress, shaking the sand from the folds.

Ines sat up, wrapping her arms around herself. She felt exposed now that the fire of passion had ebbed, but Carcel didn’t let her feel cold for long.

He knelt behind her.

"Arms up," he instructed gently.

Ines raised her arms. Carcel slid the dress over her head. The soft muslin fell back into place, covering her skin.

He turned her around. He adjusted the bodice. Then, he turned her back again.

He began to do up the back of her dress. His fingers, large and strong, were incredibly gentle as they fastened the hooks and smoothed the fabric. He placed a soft kiss on the nape of her neck before finishing the last fastening.

"There," he whispered. "Perfect."

Ines turned and smiled at him. She reached for his shirt.

"My turn," she said.

She helped him dress. She buttoned his shirt, her fingers lingering on his chest. She brushed the sand from his shoulders.

When they were both decent, they didn’t rush back to the house. They weren’t ready to end the day.

Carcel rearranged the blanket, shaking off the sand and spreading it out flat again.

"Come here," he said.

He lay down on his back, pulling Ines down with him.

She rested her head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. He wrapped his arm around her, holding her close.

They lay there, watching the sunset.

The sun was a giant orange ball, sinking slowly into the water. It painted a path of gold across the waves, leading straight to them. The sky shifted from blue to purple to a deep, velvety navy.

"It’s the end of the day," Ines murmured, watching the last sliver of the sun disappear.

Carcel tightened his hold on her.

"No," he corrected her gently. "It is just the beginning."

He kissed the top of her head.

Ines brought out a book and a pen from the basket.

Carcel asked, loosening his hold on her. " Your manuscript ?"

Ines nodded. " Arthur Pendleton is back for the next season."

" The Duke’s Midnight Lesson. Book Two."

She wrote as the heading on the manuscript.

THE END....