Page 33 of Maid for the Duke

‘You hardly know me.’ In some ways it was true, but despite their short acquaintance and the difference in their social status Amelie sometimes felt that he knew her better than anyone else in the world.

‘I know you, Amelie,’ he said, so quietly it was almost a whisper. ‘I see you.’

At those words, Amelie felt a rush of desire and craving so strong, it was impossible to ignore. She knew she would have to be the one to initiate something between them. For Will, the power imbalance was so great that he would worry that he was taking advantage of her. It was noble, and she would expect nothing less from him, given the kind of man she now knew him to be.

How bad could one moment of passion be? Surely no one would ever know, and they could return to contented companionship after they had satisfied their overwhelming desire? Even as she told herself this, Amelie knew it was a lie, yet it was a lie she was desperate to believe.

She slipped from her seat and joined him on his side, the rocking of the carriage throwing her onto him for a moment. This close, she could smell his intoxicating scent. She did not know what cologne water he used but it smelled delicious, subtle, deep and woody; it made her want to lean in closer.

‘You do not owe me anything, Amelie,’ he said, a note of pain in his voice. She could tellhe did not want her to feel beholden to him, to kiss him only because she thought she owed him.

‘I do,’ she said with a little smile. ‘But that is not what this is about.’ She slowly leaned in closer, feeling the warmth of his body. ‘This is what I want, and I think you want the same.’

Ever so gently, she brushed her lips against his, revelling in the sweet taste of him. She was taken back to the night in the garden, when she had sunk into his arms, giving herself fully to that moment. She wanted that again, to allow herself to think of nothing but physical pleasure, nothing but her own desires.

‘You do not know what you do to me, Amelie,’ he murmured in her ear before leaning forward and kissing her hard and deeply. She felt as though she were floating, weightless, unburdened, and as he laced his hands through her hair Amelie heard herself let out a little sigh of contentment. This was what she had been dreaming of these last few weeks: pure pleasure; giving in to her desires, allowing herself to forget all the reasons she should not act on her yearning and just do what made her happy in the moment.

Will’s hands dropped from her hair to her waist and he pulled her up onto his lap. She sat straddling him, her skirts caught up in the middle. It was a scandalous position, but Amelie did not care, and all thoughts of scandal fled as he leaned in again and kissed her.

‘Your skin is impossibly soft,’ he murmured as he brushed his lips over her cheek and down to her neck. Amelie shivered in anticipation, unable to think of anything but where his lips would move next, arching her neck to give him full, unfettered access. Slowly, as if he were savouring every moment, he trailed downwards until he came to the high collar of her dress that fastened at the base of her neck.

For a moment he pulled away, regarding the dress with a critical eye.

‘This is one of the ugliest dresses I have ever seen, but I do not think I have noticed, because you are always the one wearing it.’

‘It’s not ugly, just practical.’ It was ugly. Plain, grey and without much shape, it was designed to hide the body underneath rather than accentuate it.

His fingers worked deftly at the fastenings at the back of the dress, loosening it enough to allow his fingertips access to the skin below. Amelie wanted to rip the garment off, to tear the fabric at the seams, but it was the only dress she owned, and even in the heat of her desire she could not be completely reckless.

With ease he spun her round on his lap, pausing to kiss the exposed nape of her neck, making her hot with anticipation. And then the dress was loosened, falling down around her shoulders before he gripped hold of the material and lifted it over her head.

The curtains on the carriage were closed, but they were still in the outskirts of London, and Amelie felt a thrill run through her at being so exposed. No one could see them, but there were people walking in the street outside as she sat on Will’s lap clad only in her undergarments.

‘We can stop,’ he said, looking up into her eyes. She saw the desire there, but concern too.

‘I don’t want to stop.’ Her voice was quiet but resolute. She knew exactly where this was leading to; she was not naïve. If they continued down this path, she would give away her virtue, but even this thought was not enough to make her pause.

Will let out a groan that sounded as if it came from his very core and lifted his hands to her waist. Even through the layers of her chemise and petticoats, she could feel the heat of his skin, and she craved more.

He unlaced her chemise, allowing the front to fall open, and then lowered his mouth to her skin. Starting at the base of her throat, he kissed her again and again, moving downwards, agonisingly slowly. Amelie felt the wonderful torture of anticipation as his lips dipped lower and lower. She leaned back slightly, yearning for his touch, desperate to feel his touch on her breasts.

‘I think this needs to come off,’ he said, gripping the material of her chemise and lifting it over her head before she could even start to respond. Amelie gasped as his hands came up to her breasts, caressing her gently, taking his time but whipping her up into a frenzy all the same. His touch was almost rhythmic, and Amelie found her hips moving back and forth in time to his caresses. She could feel his hardness beneath her, constrained at the moment, and her hand moved down to touch him through his trousers.

‘I think you have bewitched me,’ Will said, pressing up into her, making her feel an ache deep inside that begged to be satisfied. He quickly took off her petticoats, lifting them over her head and discarding them on the other side of the carriage. Amelie felt that same illicit thrill she had felt a few moments earlier, revelling in his gaze, but all was forgotten as he pulled her back to him, his fingers reaching for her most private place.

The next minutes were a blur of pleasure as Will touched and caressed her, the tension building deep inside. Amelie closed her eyes and let go, losing herself to Will’s touch. She felt something building, something wonderful, her whole body tensing as the pleasure ripped through her.

Before she could regain any sense of control she felt Will’s hardness pressing against her again, and she fumbled to release his manhood from his trousers. Then he was inside her, moving slowly at first, letting her adjust to his size. Amelie felt more complete than she had ever felt before, and as he thrust into her she moved instinctively in rhythm. Again and again their bodies came together until she felt that wonderful tension building deep inside and the release that followed. Will tensed too, groaning as he came inside her.

Amelie collapsed forward, unable to move, her body pressed against Will’s, and for a long time they sat like that, unmoving.

Chapter Sixteen

As Amelie slipped from his lap, he saw her cheeks turn pink when she realised how exposed she was. In the confined space of the carriage her clothes had not been flung far, but he had divested her of everything.

A gentleman would have turned away as she got dressed to give her some privacy, but he could not tear his eyes off her. She was so beautiful, so perfect, he already wanted to ravish her again.

There was more than mere physical attraction, though. He felt real affection for Amelie. He wanted her to be happy. When he had seen her anguish at the terrible conditions her little family was living in, he had needed to step in—for the good of the children, but also for Amelie’s happiness.