Page 39 of When the Duke Met His Match

Odette breathed slowly through the pain and sat up little by little. “The ride here has made me incredibly sore.”

“I can help with that,” he murmured, eyeing her simply as he waited for her approval.

Hesitant for only a moment, she nodded as best as she could and shuffled herself forward. Wordlessly, he perched behind her and reached for the lacing on her dress.

“Must you remove my dress?” she asked, looking back at him hesitantly with a blush on her face.

“I only intend to loosen it a little. It will be easier for me to reach the painful spots that way,” he explained.

Nodding her assent, she pulled her hair over one shoulder to keep it out of the way and tilted her head, awaiting the skill of his hands. When her dress was loosened enough to offer him the space he needed to work, she held the front against her body and closed her eyes.

His hands glided up her back and sent a shiver down her body before he had even begun. He carefully pinched and kneaded at her tender shoulders, massaging like he knew the exact places that needed it the most.

Odette sighed with relief as he found the worst knot of all, working it until the muscle felt loosened and relaxed. He slowly worked his way up to massage her neck, finding all the tense points.

By then, her whole body drooped with relaxation, mouth parted. She couldn’t help the small, breathy moans that tumbled out each time he rubbed in all the right places.

She knew it was improper and sensual, but it felt good beyond her comprehension, and she didn’t have the mind to stop it.

He massaged silently and diligently, but once she felt better, Odette turned to look at him with a warm smile, dazed by how helpful it truly was.

Before she could thank him properly, she paused at the bemused gleam in his eyes. He swallowed hard and studied her closely, face softening. Their proximity allowed her to see just how long and dark his lashes were each time he blinked back at her silently.

His gaze made her feel like she was the only woman left in the world and that she could do no wrong. The careful pressure of his palm against her shoulder didn’t go away. The warmth of his touch soothed her even more.

As if he had crumbled beneath her stare, Theophilus smiled and brought his hand to her chin, where he held it between his fingers. He maintained that powerful eye contact with her as he moved closer, eliminating the space between them.

His lips came down on hers, stunning Odette at once. That familiar spark of pleasure moved through her, making her mouth give in to him. She relaxed beneath him and brought a hand up to clutch at his clothing.

He sighed into her lips, dropping her chin to secure an arm around her waist.

Her whole world seemed to spin, completely mesmerized by the intensity of his kiss and how easily she turned to mush for him.

The ghost of his hand moving up her back sent a thrill through her body, and she melded into him, pressed against his chest. She couldn’t help but curl into him, silently pleading to feel more of his touch.

Odette had never felt so consumed by anyone before—her senses were filled wholly by him, from the newly-familiar smell of him, the sound of his beating heart, to the sensation of his warm skin against hers.

Theophilus, Theophilus, Theophilus, she chanted inside her mind, unable to cleanse herself of him.

And yet, she didn’t want to be free of him. Rather, she wanted to bathe in the richness of his touch, to never go a day without feeling his affection. There was no greater place to be than within his arms.

To her surprise, he wrapped his strong hands around her thighs and pulled her toward him so she could perch in his lap. Color dusted her cheeks again, and she panted when she broke the kiss.

A gasp caught in her throat as she felt him beneath her, roused within his trousers. There was no denying the excitement that lingered beneath the fabric she so wished to tear away.

A small, hazy grin appeared on his face as he carefully inched Odette forward, causing them both to sigh.

Her eyes squeezed shut as pleasure rippled through her body and had her wanting more. She didn’t know it was possible to feel so lightheaded and consumed by the burning inside her belly. It made the want in her core fester, desiring only what Theophilus could offer her.

He cursed under his breath and tipped his head back in that sitting position, cheeks pink from how hot the room had become. His grip on her thighs tightened as he repeated the same motion.

When Odette realized how he wanted more of it, she picked up on the hint and carefully moved her hips as he had, pulling a breathy moan from him. This captured her interest, and with curiosity in her eyes, she repeated it.

Bliss coursed through her as it seemed to for him, able to lose herself in how wonderful it all felt. A wanton smile settled on her lips before a guttural sound came from his chest.

A gasp tore from her throat the moment Theophilus tucked a hand against her back and flipped her over so his muscular body could shelter her. She looked up at him in disbelief, startled by the darkening of his eyes while he took her in with one sweep of his gaze.

She swallowed hard at the sight, noting how it made warmth enter her belly.