The Duke stepped closer, his voice dropping to a low, unyielding command. “You may not see it now, but you are as much a part of my fate as I am of yours. Do not tempt me to lose my patience, Lady Inverhall.”
“Then lose it,” she shot back, fire blazing in her gaze, “and see what comes of yer folly.”
His eyes flickered, and before she could step away, his hands gripped her wrists, pulling her flush against his warm chest. His control was absolute, yet beneath it lurked an urgency that matched her own.
“You maddening woman,” he growled.
And then his lips claimed hers with fierce hunger.
Elspeth’s stubborn defiance melted away beneath the storm of desire. Caught between fury and longing, she gave in.
He felt more like a mountain than a man, his hard, ripped muscles hidden beneath his clothing.
She savored the feeling as she felt his full lips move in time with her own, each kiss more intense than the previous one. She began to pant; she could hardly breathe.
This man has stolen me away from me home, and now he has stolen the breath straight from me lungs. Heavens, I am as pulled to him as I am repulsed by him. What is this feelin’?
There was no gentleness here, no coaxing. Only raw need, fierce and unrestrained. She wanted it all, no matter how wild or dangerous.
His tongue traced her mouth, exploring with a hunger that set her skin on fire. His arms tightened around her, pressing her so close that she could feel the hard planes of his chest, the taut strength of his thighs beneath her.
His hands slid down to cup her hips, pulling her impossibly closer despite their height difference. Fingers tangled in her curls, drawing her face back to his, deepening the kiss until the world beyond ceased to exist.
“I knew these lips of yours weren’t made just to defy me,” he whispered in her ear, his voice husky. “Soon enough, they’ll be begging me instead.”
A gasp escaped her, but he swallowed it. Her hands rose instinctively, clutching the lapels of his coat. Her fingers dug into the fine fabric as if seeking the strength beneath.
She dared a quick kiss to the hollow at the base of his throat, only for him to pull her back, tilting her chin up so she would meet his crooked smile.
“Look at you. So eager, desperate to give in, aren’t you, little minx?” he breathed.
Their lips met again, fiercer still, then he broke away just enough to brush his nose against hers.
This feeling… it defies all reason. It is like magic.
A deep pull tugged at her insides, undeniable and urgent. Her body ached to close the gap between them, to claim what he offered. She pressed her body against his, desperate to feel the heat of him.
But he stepped back, releasing her with deliberate restraint.
The sudden absence left her unsteady, breathless, as if some vital part of her had been wrenched away.
He stood before her, his chest heaving, his eyes dark and unreadable, yet burning with fierce, quiet need. A vein throbbed at his temple.
Yer body betrays ye, as mine does me.
“Go to your chambers,” he said quietly, his voice low but firm, every inch the Duke commanding his domain.
Her lips parted in protest, a question, a demand, yet no sound came. She was rooted to the spot, trembling, heat and frustration warring beneath her skin.
He watched her, unwavering, and his voice softened just enough to hold her fast. “Now, Elspeth.”
The authority in his tone left no room for argument.
She swallowed hard and stepped back, her heart pounding with want and resistance, knowing this was far from the last word between them.
Rejected. I have been rejected. Again.
The word echoed sharply in her mind, cold and unforgiving as she snapped herself back to reality.
