The Duke's Temptation (21 page)

“I hope you know what you are asking for because you’ve pushed me beyond my limit. Once we start this, I won’t be stopping.”

His warning didn’t frighten her. Instead, it gave her power to know she had the ability to destroy his oh-so-important control.

“I know exactly what I’m asking,” she whispered, surprised her voice didn’t waver.

He reached the edge of the bed and her eyes fixated on his hands as he unfastened the buttons of his breeches. His slow movements captivated her.

Silently he shed his boots and the remainder of his clothing. Free of raiment he stood before her, without a trace of discomfort, in all his naked glory.

Oh, heavens.

Her position on the bed put her right in line with his most intimate flesh. All the bravado in the world wouldn’t have been able to keep the heat from rising in her cheeks. Never in her life had she seen, or come close to imagining, how potent—and
impressive
—it would be.

It felt as if she had been staring for hours when his voice broke through her trance—and there was no mistaking the hint of a smirk intertwined with his words. “Are you
sure
you know what you are asking for?”

Chapter 30

Her mouth went dry the moment she realized Gabe had finally offered what she’d been craving more than her next breath. Somewhere in her mix of emotions Elizabeth found the ability to rise to her knees, and—in what she hoped was an enticing manner—crawl to the edge of the mattress, bringing her eyes level with his chin.

She didn’t stop to think as she reached for the hem of her nightgown. She hadn’t fastened the top few buttons, so the light fabric lifted over her head in one quick movement.

Shivering as the cool air brushed against her skin, and with newfound courage, she locked her eyes on his and dropped the cotton gown off the side to land atop his discarded breeches.

His eyes assessed her, and the intensity of that examination brought a tingle to her nipples. She swore they begged for his touch.

She fought the need to squirm as he continued to move his eyes over her, leaving a trail of heat in their wake.

The knowledge that Gabe could set her afire with the simple touch of his fingers had her craving to discover what he could do with his entire body, fully naked. She might not know the specifics of what transpired between a man and a woman, but she was relatively confident of what to expect. Besides, despite the unknown, her body seemed to long for something she suspected only he could give her.

Gabe’s eyes returned to her face. “You have matured into a beautiful woman.” He gave her a deep smile with his sensual lips.

Did this man never cease talking? Luckily she knew how to end his prattling.

She closed the distance between them. “Gabe, you talk too much.” And with that, she curved her hands behind his neck and pulled his head down so his lips settled on hers.

Without pause, his arms encircled her, bringing her against him. She couldn’t keep a soft moan from melting into his mouth the moment her breasts came in contact with his bare skin. The brush of the hair sprinkled over his chest sent a deep quiver from the tips of her hardened nipples to her lower abdomen. Sensations she’d never known flooded her, washing away any doubts or nervousness.

To ensure he understood exactly what she wanted, she whispered against his open mouth, “I want you to make love to me.”

“Oh, I intend to.”

His words dissolved on her lips as he deepened their kiss. He flicked her tongue with his and she dug her fingers into his thick hair, frantic to hang onto something, else she become swept away.

Gabe’s arms tightened around her, pressing her into the mattress. Overcome by the feel of his hardness against her leg, she had no breath to form a sound when his mouth left hers and trailed across her cheek and down the curve of her neck, each gentle touch of his lips and tongue sending waves of sensations pulsing through her.

He closed his mouth over her tight nipple. Finally attaining some of what she most craved, Elizabeth arched, sending the peak further into his mouth.

“Minx, I could taste your skin all day.”

The rumble of his voice vibrated against her heated flesh, forcing a deep sigh from her throat. He gave her nipple another tug before he turned his attention to the other.

His devotion to her breast, combined with the cooling wetness he’d left on her nipple, tightened the already taut nub and sent her to a place she could only describe as bliss. She writhed beneath him, desperate to be closer to the source.

Lost in his ministrations, the feathery touch of his fingers stroking across the dampness between her legs sent her flying off the mattress.

His slight laugh vibrated against her breast. “I’ve got you.”

Assured, she relaxed as his fingers persisted, edging closer to her intimate flesh. The steady rhythm tightened a string deep inside her.

“I’ve been dying to touch you. To feel your body come alive.”

She couldn’t take any more. If he didn’t stop, she was going to burn from the inside out.

And then, he found her center—

“Oh, ohh . . .”

His other hand caressed her breast, adding to the mountain of sensations growing inside, each one building.

Time ceased for her, lost in the feel of him, her moans relentless, craving the same intense release Gabe had given her at the inn. The sensual force continued to mount.

Right before she succumbed to the pleasure, his hand froze.

A whimper of denial escaped her. Surely he wouldn’t stop. Not now. Would he?

Then he slid his body along hers until the hardness between his legs poised at the place his hand had stroked.

“This might hurt a bit. I wish it didn’t.” He gazed deeply into her eyes and the sincerity shining in their depths pierced her heart. The tenderness heightened her craving.

“I trust you,” she whispered.

He still seemed doubtful.

“I promise.”

A groan resonated from his throat before he trapped her lips in a deep kiss. The heat from that kiss flared the embers of her desire that had been left simmering. By the time his tongue twisted with hers, a fire raged inside her once again.

Her hands slid up his strong arms, fingers digging into the muscles of his upper back, drawing him closer. But the press of his shaft, poised against her, made her pause anxiously.

He mumbled against her lips. “I’m sorry, Minx.”

Before she could think—before she could digest his apology—he entered her in one quick thrust. A twinge of pain sliced through her, tightening every muscle in her body. Her fingernails dug into the flesh of his back.

“I’m so sorry.” He kissed her gently. “It couldn’t be avoided. Try to relax. The pain will fade, I promise.”

He rained more kisses over her face, murmuring soft words with each feather-light touch. She held still, worried any movement would strengthen the pain. But she trusted Gabe, so she took several deep breaths and tried to relax the tension holding her captive.

Slowly, the pain receded, until only Gabe’s sweet kisses and a piercing fullness between her legs remained. On instinct she shifted her hips, trying to reach for something she couldn’t explain. This time, instead of pain, she felt unadulterated pleasure.

“Oh . . . Oh, Gabe.”

He thrust inside her, stroking slowly, deeply. How naïve she’d been, thinking nothing could bring more pleasure than the touch of his fingers.

His pace increased, mirroring her mounting need. Despite being unfamiliar with the mechanics, her body instinctively knew what to do, how to match each plunge with a raise of her hips.

At that same moment, not sure why, but feeling the urge, she tightened her inner muscles around Gabe’s shaft.

A deep growl filled her ear. “Bloody hell, Minx. You will be the death of me.”

Mixed with her moans, she managed a smile. She’d found Gabe’s weakness. She didn’t have a chance to exploit her newfound power as Gabe forged deeper than she thought possible, wiping her mind clear. The ability to feel was all that remained.

“Gabe, it is too much. I can’t—I can’t take anymore.”

He chuckled breathlessly. “We’ve just begun.”

Instead of being concerned at what he could possibly mean, her body cried for more.

And he gave it to her.

Braced on one arm, he slipped his hand down her body, following her curves like a map to the juncture of their joining. The precise moment his fingers touched the tight nub and gave it a quick swirl, her body shattered.

She cried out, “Gabe!”

“That’s it, Minx. Give me your pleasure.”

Now his thrusts sent wave after wave of ecstasy through her. They had begun to wane when he gave a subtle shift and more shudders crashed over her.

His lips reclaimed hers, swallowing her cries. Each peak melted into the previous one, turning her body to liquid in his arms.

At last, he released her lips with a cry of his own. “Oh, God, I can’t hold back any longer.”

Elizabeth found herself mesmerized by the way he lost control, the way his face tightened right before he gave one last, deep thrust. And went still.

The strength in his arms gave out and he collapsed over her body, resting his head on the pillow next to her. Still lost in the remnants of her own release, Elizabeth basked in the joy of his gentle weight. Instead of crushing, she found the heaviness only added to her contentment.

She suffered a small shot of emptiness when he rolled to the side. She soon found she had no reason to complain as his arms encircled her, drawing her into the curve of his hard body. She fought the temptation to purr like a kitten, tucked close to his side, with his muscled leg draped across hers. He sealed them in their own private world by pulling the discarded coverlet over their cooling bodies.

“I’ve never known you to be so quiet.”

She sensed an edge of uncertainty in his voice, erasing the always composed duke. Reminding her of the young man he’d been.

“Just recovering,” she whispered.

His body relaxed and she felt his smile against her hair. “That good?”

The temptation to dent his ego almost had her denying the fact, but after her very vocal release, she doubted she would succeed. “Yes, that good.”

Chapter 31

Guilt tugged at the back of Gabe’s mind, demanding to be heard, but he pushed it aside. He chose contentment instead. There’d be ample time later to worry about the past or the future—or the ramifications from what he’d done.

The moment was too perfect to allow the wrongness of the situation to ruin it.

Instead he focused on the smoothness of Elizabeth’s skin against the back of his fingers as he ran them along her arm. The hint of lilac that remained in her hair.

The pleasure still surging through his body.

His erection flared back to life at the mere thought of how perfect their lovemaking had been. Years of dreaming of her sweet body hadn’t come close to touching the exquisiteness of reality. Never one to dwell on emotional drivel, he’d been perplexed by the utter completion that had seized him the moment he had broken through her maidenhead.

Now was definitely not the time to decide on how to protect Elizabeth from the consequences of their intimate transgression without binding her to the folds of his fated existence.

“What are you thinking about?”

Her sudden question paused his hand in its path along her arm. “Would you believe me if I said nothing?”

“Since I’ve never known you to stew about nothing, I’d find that hard to swallow.”

“Well, it is unimportant so you needn’t worry about it. How about you? Are you well?”

“I’m not sure how to answer.”

“And why not?”

“Well, if I say I’m wonderful, never better, I’m afraid I’d sound like a hussy.”

A deep chuckle filled his chest. “You, my dear, are as far from a hussy as you can get.” He rolled over, pinning her naked body beneath his. “But you are one hell of a minx.”

He became lost in the happiness in her gaze, peering back at him. A look he would give the dukedom to be able to see for the rest of his days.

“I am nothing of the kind.”

“You are.” He grew serious. “I wouldn’t change a single thing.”

A bold hunger entered her eyes, turning the green to a dark hunter. And he was lost all over again.

Lowering his head, he kissed her so gently their lips barely touched. Lust pleaded for him to push on and love her once more. Yet he wanted to savor the feel of her, every inch.

For that reason, he took his time. Burning each detail of her body into his mind, so whatever happened, he’d always have a piece of her to remember.

At dawn, Gabe stole from Elizabeth’s room to his own. A feat he’d never had to accomplish in his own home before. Besides dodging a few husbands, he hadn’t felt a need to be circumspect with his bedroom pastimes. Accustomed to doing what he pleased and damn the consequences, the situation felt downright unnatural.

However, for Elizabeth he would do anything—well, apparently not anything. His sacrifices didn’t extend to keeping his hands off her.

He’d taken her innocence, the one thing she should have saved for someone who would be able to give her a future. Not a man who’d destroyed a life.

Nevertheless, no matter how much his gentlemanly instincts told him otherwise, he couldn’t summon any regret. Not when the few hours spent in her arms had been the most spectacular and special of his life.

If he thought being with her would ease his craving, he soon realized he’d been mistaken. After leaving her side, his day was filled with nothing but thoughts of her.

The very affliction that had enabled his steward to waylay him on his way to the stable. And the reason he currently sat behind the desk in his study, trying to keep his mind off Elizabeth’s exquisite body and on the damn reports Phillip had stressed needed his immediate attention.

Gabe raked his hands through his hair and slammed his elbows on the desk.
Bloody hell
. The minx would be the end of him before long. Then again, at least he would die with thoughts of her sweet lovemaking on his mind.

Seeing no escape from the study without at least glancing at the papers, he picked up the stack and prepared to struggle through the various numbers and figures.

Much to his surprise his eyes didn’t roll back into his head after the first few minutes. In fact, before long, he found himself alert and intently studying the papers, scribbling his own notes in the margins. For once, he was actually interested in reading the latest estate summaries.

A knock at the door penetrated his concentration.

“Enter.”

“Your Grace?”

Still engrossed with the figures, he failed to raise his head and acknowledge Wilkes. “Yes, Wilkes.”

“Luncheon will be served shortly.”

That got Gabe’s attention. “Luncheon? It can’t be that time already.” A glance at the clock on the bookshelf told him how wrong he was. He must have been more absorbed with the documents than he thought. He’d somehow managed to spend hours in review.

“Shall I have a place readied for you at the table?”

Indecision pulled him in two directions. One of which was very in line with his standard decadent lifestyle. The other held a touch of propriety and, he hated to admit, duty. Two things he’d avoided after realizing he’d never be anything more than a typical Wesbrook.

A part of him wanted nothing more than to join the others in the dining room and enjoy a midday meal. Why not be honest? The meal itself had nothing to do with it. All he wanted was to join Elizabeth. Actually, what he wanted to do with Elizabeth didn’t include a meal, other than prolonged use of the dining room table . . . but there would be no eating of food involved.

The other part—one he’d never encountered before—thought to continue working on the reports. The information was fresh in his mind and he wanted to stay on pace with it. After spending the last four years avoiding this very thing, he’d been as stunned as Phillip when he hadn’t outright refused to look at the documents.

Duty won out and Gabe refused to examine what that meant. “Not today. Please have a tray prepared and I’ll eat while I work.”

Gabe couldn’t be positive, but Wilkes appeared almost pleased before he gave a nod and started to back from the room.

Before his butler could fully retreat, Gabe halted him. “Has my brother left?”

“Yes, he departed yesterday, as you instructed.”

Gabe gave a gesture of dismissal and the door clicked shut behind Wilkes. Sending his brother to fight his war still sat uneasily, but he knew it had to be done. He had Phoebe to think about. Besides, Nate was right. Since they made it appear as if Gabe had banished him from Frenton Hall, they’d earned the time to discover who was behind the blackmailing.

Either way, at the moment he didn’t have time to mull it over. If he managed to finish the reports, he might have time to read the new contracts Phillip had given him.

How far he’d come from the man who’d harassed his friend for doing this very thing. If Marcus could see him now, he’d no doubt cripple himself laughing. Thankfully, Marcus was miles away in London and would never find out about Gabe’s brush with his ducal obligation.