The Governess Club: Claire by Ellie Macdonald Page A

to her. “Join me for some stargazing.”
    The prospect was so appealing she didn’t even mind his imperious phrasing. Sitting on the windowsill, she allowed him to help her down on to the roof. It wasn’t that high of a jump, but Jacob held her hips firmly as he helped her down. When her feet touched the graveled surface, his hands remained on her hips and she swayed toward him.
    This time he took advantage of her willingness and pressed his lips to hers.
    The feel of his strong lips moving against hers was too much to resist. Perhaps females had inherently sinful natures too, for all Claire wanted to do was press herself against his strong body, preferably naked. She contented herself with sliding her arms around his neck and moving close enough to feel the texture of his coat press against her dress. It had been four years since she had truly kissed a man, but the knowledge flooded back, and she moved her lips in time with his.
    Their breathing quickened and their tongues began to flick and trace and explore each other’s mouths. Jacob’s tongue ran underneath her lower lip, dragging it into his mouth and gently sucking. A small whimper of delight rose in her and her fingers slid into his hair, relishing the silky feeling of it between her fingers. Claire rose on her tiptoes to gain better access to his mouth.
    Heat fused through her body as whorls of sensation emanated from her mouth, traveling down her body. Jacob finally moved his hands, wrapping one arm around her back while the other hand slid down to cup her bottom and tilted her into his pelvis, kneading as he did so.
    Claire could not mistake the evidence of his desire. Pressed against her belly, she could feel the bulge continue to swell and grow, and she felt an answering wetness gather between her legs.
    As much as her body screamed at her to continue this to completion, the small part of her mind that remained rational became incessantly vocal. With a moan, she broke the kiss. “Stop,” she gasped.
    “Soon,” Jacob muttered, burying his head in her neck. Her eyes closed as he began to nuzzle her neck, little nips teasing her skin.
    “But the stars . . .”
    “Hang the stars.” He took her mouth again, sliding his tongue inside to dance with hers. Little mewls of appreciation vibrated up her throat.
    But again, she broke the kiss. “Stop.”
    “Soon.”
    “Now.” She accompanied that with a small push against his chest.
    With a sigh, Jacob loosened his embrace and leaned back slightly. Breathing hard, he pressed his forehead against hers. Sweet Mary, but he wanted her. Wanted her so bad his every pore ached for her. Every nerve in his body was currently thrumming with unfulfilled desire and all from a mere chaste kiss, at least compared to what he wanted to do to her. What was it about this woman?
    “Magic,” he breathed, his heart resuming its normal pace. Dropping a kiss to her forehead, he stepped away and winged an elbow at her. “My lady, your stars await.”
    “M iss Bannister!”
    The high-pitched annoyance in the child’s tone finally broke Claire out of her reverie. Blinking, she saw the angry faces of Miss Sophie and Miss Mary glaring at her. Miss Allison was playing with her dolls in the corner, unaware of her sisters’ annoyance.
    “My apologies; I was woolgathering,” Claire said. “Is something the matter?”
    Miss Sophie crossed her arms and made an unladylike sound. “You were staring off into space. You were talking about stargazing and then just stopped.”
    “We called your name four times,” Miss Mary added, holding up her fingers for emphasis.
    Claire felt her face burn hot. How could she confess to her charges the nature of her thoughts? She couldn’t, of course. She cleared her throat. “Of course. Mr. Knightly has promised to show you how to use his telescope to look at the stars more closely.”
    “I fail to see what is interesting about stars,” Sophie said, her nose tilted at the angle only