The Duke's Temptation (24 page)

Chapter 34

The surface of his desk wasn’t where Gabe had envisioned his next encounter with Elizabeth. But he wasn’t about to waste precious time relocating to a more comfortable location.

Besides, lack of comfort aside, it fulfilled a few of the fantasies he’d concocted as he’d pored over the estate books. Before today the unused piece of furniture had seemed like a waste. Tonight, with Elizabeth sitting on the immense top, it was the perfect size and in the perfect location.

With the feel of her lips moving against his and her hands pulling the shirt from his waistband, he forgot about where they were, and lost himself in her.

After easing away long enough to rip his shirt over his head and throw it to the side, Gabe focused on rendering her equally bare-chested. His fingers nimbly loosened the buttons and ties on the back of her gown. His mouth went dry at the sight of her breasts as he peeled the bodice down.

Gabe lowered his head, intent on taking her nipple in his mouth, when she murmured, “I lied before.”

She was trying to start a conversation?
Now
?

“W-what?” he stammered, struggling to pay attention to other than the enticement of her naked skin.

“Before. I lied.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I lied when I told you I never thought of you today. I hardly thought of anything else.”

Nothing she said would have made the interruption worthwhile. Except
that.

Gabe leaned in close, until the green of her eyes was all he could see. “I know.” And sealed his words with a kiss.

Her lips clung to his the moment they came in contact. The amorous response almost sent him over the edge. If he didn’t take control of the situation soon, he’d spill his seed before he could remove his breeches.

Gently lowering her until she reclined on the desk, Gabe looked his fill at her body, on display for him, her breasts so tempting. He bent his head and sucked her nipple deep . . . enjoying a feast that was better than any meal ever prepared for him.

“Oh God, Gabe.” Elizabeth wrapped her legs around his hips.

He rocked his pelvis into hers. Against the barrier of his clothing he felt her heat, and groaned, “I must have you, now. I can’t wait.”

Braced on one arm, he released the buttons on his falls and pushed his breeches to his knees. With her gown around her waist, nothing denied him access to what he craved most.

At the touch of his cock a soft whimper fell from her lips.

He grinned down at her. “Do that again, Minx and this will be over before it begins.”

His smile vanished as he fought his own urge to groan when a quick brush of his fingers over her folds proved she craved this as deeply as him.

As much as he wanted nothing more than to sink into her, he stood, locked between her legs. Debating his next move.

Could he accept the deep feelings that came with bedding Elizabeth?
How could I not?
This was the woman he loved.

In one powerful thrust, he filled her.

“Oh, yes.” Her eyes closed and her head fell back.

The ability to think fled. The feel of her surrounding him was all that remained.

How had he lived without this for so long?

His lips grazed her neck and his tongue tasted the sweetness of her skin. When the new angle pushed him even deeper, he knew he couldn’t last much longer. She felt too good and he’d denied himself of her for too long. Last night hadn’t come close to sating his desire for her.

“Give over to me,” he whispered against her lips as he rubbed his thumb over her wetness.

“Yes.”

Her staggered cry was all he needed to lose control as her fingers dug into his back and her body tightened around his cock.

Together the sounds of their mutual pleasure filled the room before their heated bodies stilled and quieted.

A moment passed while his heart stopped racing. Once he had the strength, Gabe gathered her into his arms and settled into his desk chair with her on his lap.

He smoothed her bodice into place and tucked her head under his chin. “No falling asleep on me.”

Her soft chuckle vibrated against his chest. “Not a chance.”

“So, you lied to me.”

Her laugh turned to a moan. “I can’t believe I admitted that.”

“Minx, I knew you were lying the moment you uttered the words.”

She straightened and peeked at him. “And how would you know?”

“Because I know you. After giving yourself to me the way you did, I knew you wouldn’t forget so easily.”

Her cheeks took on a charming shade of red and she buried her face in his chest. He found it beyond endearing that the temptress who had the power to send him to his knees still acted like a shy virgin.

Seeing her like this—and after their last few days together—something inside of him yearned to hear the words she’d whispered in her sleep at the inn.
I love you.

Though he couldn’t offer her the words in return, despite loving her to his very soul, he needed to know her heart.

Especially after all she had learned about him.

The afterglow of their lovemaking dimmed a bit when he recalled everything that stood between them, his past only a portion of it. Marcus would never stand for a relationship between him and Elizabeth. No doubt he’d outright kill Gabe if he ever learned of his sister’s ruination.

“Gabe?”

He could tell by her tone he wouldn’t want to hear what she had to say. He braced himself. “Yes?”

“Did you love Cecilia?”

I don’t want to discuss this.
Not with Elizabeth. And sure as hell not after the incredible connection they’d just shared.

“Please, Gabe. I need to know.”

Unable to deny her anything, not even this, he steeled his emotions in order to make it through the next few minutes.

Hands on her waist, in one swift motion, he lifted her from his lap and placed her on the desk, distancing himself from her sweet fragrance in order to coax the words from his lips.

After she was settled, he placed his head on her knees.

As she threaded her fingers through his hair, he inhaled deeply, drawing strength from her touch. For long moments she stroked him as he gathered himself. Finally he straightened and placed a chaste kiss on her lips before he stepped around the desk to stand before the fireplace.

There he stayed, staring at the dying embers.

No one was privy to the real reason he’d severed all ties to Cecilia. After their relationship ended, two different rumors had floated around town. Men favored the stance that Gabe had tired of her and moved on to greener pastures.

Women, on the other hand, had put a more romantic spin on events. Since Cecilia had left town unexpectedly and no one knew why—well, no one besides Gabe—the female persuasion liked to imagine she’d fallen in love with someone else and run off to be with him.

Since that left Gabe the wounded party, there had been many ‘ladies,’ for lack of a better word, offering to console him in the privacy of their bedchambers.

Being the man he was, he’d allowed them to ease the pain.

But that had nothing to do with Cecilia’s betrayal. As for the rumors, since they’d deflected people from the truth, he neither confirmed nor denied.

He almost forgot he wasn’t alone until he heard Elizabeth’s slipper-clad feet against the floor. He braced himself for her touch.

It never came. Instead, he heard a rustle as she settled into the chair a few feet from where he stood. He wished she would have stayed by the desk. Now he felt on trial. He knew that hadn’t been her intention, but if he could fool himself into thinking he addressed an empty room, this would all be so much easier.

Gabe continued to stare at the bright red and orange, burning the image into his vision. He should tell her everything, but found he couldn’t. Call it cowardliness or protective instinct, he would keep the more tragic details from Elizabeth.

He took a deep breath and turned to face her. The brightness of the hot embers still blazed in his vision; instead of seeing her delicate face, he was blinded by bright dots. Which was probably better than watching her sweet expression overtaken by pity.

His salvation wasn’t meant to be as his focus returned, and he was left looking into beautiful green eyes that had the power to see to his soul.

Or to the very place his soul should be but wasn’t.

Finding no escape, he said, “You asked me once before if I loved her and I told you it was complicated. And it is. Was. If compelled to be forthright, I’d have to say yes, in my own deluded way I did love her.”

A single tear rolled down her pale cheek. Before the drop fell from her face, he was on his knees before her, placing them eye to eye.

“But that was
before
. Before I realized it was all a lie. Before I knew what she was capable of.” Without thinking it through, he decided to confess all. “Before I fell in love with you.”

Her only reaction was a hitch in her breath before her tears fell in earnest, creating tiny rivers over her cheeks.

He raised his hand and with a single finger tried to stem the flow. “Shhh . . . I’m sorry, Minx. I didn’t mean to make you sad.”

A smile broke through her tears. “You big lout. I’m not sad.”

“You’re not?”

Her lips curled into a smile that radiated all the way to her eyes. “No.”

Nerves replaced his initial worry. If she wasn’t sad, could she still love him? Even after learning about everything he’d done?

“To assure the
big lout
understands, what are you?” he murmured hoarsely.

“I’m in love.”

Somehow he retained enough composure to avoid the complete idiocy of jumping and shouting for joy. “And, would you happen to be in love with anyone in particular?”

“Well, there is this duke—a very highhanded and overbearing duke—who stole my heart when I was a young girl.”

He knew he had a sappy smile plastered on his face. “He did, did he?”

“Oh, yes, very much so.”

“Does this duke have a name?”

“Besides pigheaded, you mean?”

Always the cheeky minx. “Actually, yes, I was looking for something more formal than pigheaded.”

Her sassy grin vanished and her expression grew serious. “Well, society refers to him as the Duke of Wesbrook. Friends call him Gabe. I want nothing more than to call him mine.”

Unable to hold back his happiness any longer, Gabe pulled her into his arms and whispered, “And you shall,” right before he pressed his lips to hers.

Chapter 35

Elizabeth clung to Gabe as he kissed her, arching against him, until he pulled her off the chair and onto his lap. The touch of his lips set off a flurry of shocks through her body. Somehow this kiss was different, deeper and more connected than any they had shared before.

He loves me.
She couldn’t stop repeating those three words in her head.

He lavished her mouth with more sweet kisses, until she was lying in the crook of his arm cushioned from the rug and he was stretched out at her side.

Only when they were completely settled did he pull back. She almost wept again at the pure happiness looking back at her. It had been a long time since she’d seen such contentment from him.

“I would give anything to be able to make love to you again,” he rasped.

“And why can’t you?” She wriggled closer to his warm body.

His first answer was a deep groan before his hand dropped to her hip and halted her movement. “None of that, Minx. I’m having a hard enough time keeping myself on a tight leash the way it is. If you keep up, I’ll be done for.”

She tried to move against him once more but his steady hand effectively held her in place. “Would that be so wrong?”

“There is plenty wrong with it. First, we are in the middle of my study. Someone could knock on the door at any time. Someone who could easily turn out to be your aunt. Secondly, and most importantly, prior to last night you were a virgin. I should be easing you into this.”

Elizabeth noted the set of his brow and knew she wouldn’t be changing his mind.
Damned stubborn duke!

“Fine. If you say so, Lord Pigheaded.”

His face slackened in surprise. Apparently, the great Duke of Wesbrook didn’t like his new title. He swept her beneath him and his sly tactic caused her to fall into a fit of giggles.

“Lord Pigheaded, huh? What if I started to call you Dizzy Lizzy?”

Her laughter turned to a moan at the reminder of the childhood nickname Marcus had given her. “No, please. Not that.”

“Truce?”

“Truce.”

His body still loomed over her so she had the perfect view of his sharp features as they changed from the laughing Gabe to a serious Duke. Coldness trickled past her happiness. It never boded well when Gabe resorted to ducal form.

“Elizabeth, you know I’m not able to marry you.”

Her heart sank into the pit of her stomach and she felt as if he had struck her. She hadn’t expected a marriage proposal to immediately follow his declaration of love, but the commonsense portion of her brain had thought the question of ‘will you marry me’ would occur in the foreseeable future.

For him to deny it as a possibility cut her deeply.

He rushed on. “Not now. Not with my life the way it is.”

She wanted to stop the fresh tears overwhelming her, but there were too many sensations pulling at her. “What do you mean?”

“Until I settle my past, there can’t be a future for us.”

“I don’t understand.” She hated how her anxiety made her voice wobble.

He peered at her and instead of his closeness being comforting as it had mere moments before, she started to feel trapped.

Either sensing her uneasiness or requiring his own distance, he rolled away from her, lying prone on the rug. Miserable, she scrambled into a sitting position, supported by the chair at her back.

From there she studied him through tear drenched eyes. She remained silent as he rubbed at his forehead.

Elizabeth flinched when one of his fists slammed onto the floor. “Damn. Why must this be so impossible?”

The angry bark of his words hurt her heart. Then, as quickly as his ire had exploded it seemed to seep from his body.

In a fluid motion he sat up, facing her, and Elizabeth found herself mesmerized by the light from the fire as it danced over his bare chest.

How had everything fallen apart already?

Unable to fight the urge, she met his eyes. Whereas minutes before they had blazed a golden brown, they were now dead. Almost lifeless.

“Elizabeth, I don’t want to do this. Hell, I’m the worst kind of scoundrel by not rushing you to the nearest alter after taking your virginity. But you of all people have to understand. Until I can come to turns with what I’ve done, I will never be able to give you the life you deserve,” he pleaded.

Mixed in somewhere with Gabe’s pain and misery was the man she had fallen in love with. The young man who had comforted her. And more recently, the man who tried to hide the love for his daughter but instead revealed his fatherly emotions.

She glimpsed the agony it caused him. He didn’t want to reject her but she knew he thought he must.

That didn’t mean she had to accept it.
No chance of that
. She hadn’t waited over ten years for him to love her, only for him to deny their future.

“Gabe, you know I don’t believe you killed Mary.”

He visibly balked at the name. “It isn’t what you believe that concerns me. Do not misunderstand. I’m honored you have such faith in me. But what you believe and what I know to be true are two very different things.”

“Gabe—”

He shook his dark head. “No. I have to do this the right way. For you, I have to. I can’t marry you unless I can be the man you deserve. A man capable of loving you with his entire being rather than what little hasn’t been destroyed.”

She opened her mouth to argue but he stopped her.

“Not this time, Elizabeth. Please, for once don’t quarrel with me.”

She wanted to disagree but his imploring tone stopped her. For now, she nodded. But he hadn’t heard the last of this. Not by far.

Hopefully Nate would return soon and have some information that would help Gabe come to grips with Mary’s death. Elizabeth couldn’t think of what she’d do if he didn’t.

“Minx?” His voice cracked and his hesitation was obvious. “Do you hate me?”

She crept to his side and framed his face with her hands. “Oh, Gabe, I could never hate you. I won’t deny it hurts but I understand why you feel as you do. I don’t hate you.”

His hands covered hers and he pulled them from his face to place light kisses against both palms.

“You are more than I deserve.”

“I’m not perfect.”

He gave her a cocky grin. “Besides your tendency to argue with me and your penchant for impudence, you are perfection.”

“I’d rather be cheeky than a bore.”

“Did I say impudence? I meant outright disrespect.”

“For my elders, do you mean?”

At his comical expression of mock-ire she hastily added, “In all seriousness, I have flaws just like anyone else. More so, actually.”

“And that would be . . .?”

“Witnessing my weakness, you know firsthand what my foremost failing is.”

He stared at her blankly before understanding hit. “Are you speaking of your fear of traveling during a storm?”

“Harrumph. I’d hardly classify it as mere fear. All-out terror would be more accurate.”

He held tight to her hands, still encompassed in his. “Elizabeth, you have every right to your reaction. Your parents’ death was very traumatic. And you could have died that day. It doesn’t make you any less perfect.”

The debate was futile; she let it pass. “So you say.”

“I do. Now, let’s escort you to bed before your aunt finds you with me.”

She couldn’t control the way her body flared to life when the word ‘bed’ left his lips. She obviously failed to conceal it from Gabe, for he added, “Alone. You need to go to bed alone.”

She dropped her head and gave him a sultry look from below her lashes. “Are you sure?”

Instead of pulling her into his arms as she would have liked, he yanked her to her feet. “Yes. I am sure. The sooner, the better.”

Elizabeth smiled behind his back as he unlocked the door. He may have declined her offer but she’d heard the longing etched in his voice. Gabe acted the gentleman but he was far from indifferent.

With his array of talents, he easily maneuvered Elizabeth through the house without stumbling across anyone. She almost wished they would have been caught. Then he would have no choice but to marry her.

Yet she would never accept a marriage to Gabe if he’d been forced into it. It would be his choice and only because he couldn’t possibly live without her.

When they reached the door, Gabe offered her a quick kiss and a soft, “Good night, Minx” before he left her. She watched him walk away with his dismissal of their future on her mind. But she wouldn’t be deterred.

He might not be able to marry her today, but tomorrow was an entirely new day.