Page 81 of To Dare a Duke

He laughed at that. “It will be a very long and painful night if you don’t.”

Tentatively she ran her fingers over the dark hair on his chest, finding it wiry and coarse. Trailing her hand downwards, she followed the path it led her on. His sex lay heavy and proud, twitching as her hand grew nearer. Hardly daring to breathe, and wondering at her own boldness, she touched the blunt head with a fingertip, and then dared to slide it down the length of him.

“I think your skin is softer than mine,” she marvelled as she turned to smile at him.

His eyes were dark now, his gaze intent and her breath caught, excitement simmering beneath her skin.

“Lay back,” he said, his voice rough and gentle at the same time.

She did, wondering at the look in his eyes, at the desire blazing there. Prue had never expected to see that, never expected that she could elicit such a response from a man. It was a powerful feeling, more so when she knew she could trust him. She’d given her heart, her soul, and her body to this man, and he would never misuse or abuse them. It was more than she’d ever believed possible.

They kissed, his hands roaming, caressing, gentle and warm, soothing any remaining nerves away. He toyed with the soft triangle of curls, dipping his fingers between her legs and seeking the little bud of her sex. With tenderness he stroked and teased the silken nub and Prue could do nothing but breathe, captivated by the eyes that stared down at her, the green full of heat and longing. His clever fingers parted her delicate folds, exploring gently and finding her wet and aching for his touch.

Prue fought back a surge of shyness at his discovery, but he just smiled and kissed her, one finger moving inside her.

“You’re so beautiful, so soft. I can’t wait to be inside you. It’s all I’ve thought of since that day in the carriage. You and me together, like this.”

There was no way to hide in the face of such honesty and she didn’t try, arching as his finger moved deeper, sliding and caressing her, stretching her intimate flesh.

“I’ve thought of it too,” she whispered. “At night, when I’m alone. I’ve dreamed of you.”

Robert gave a soft moan and moved over her, kissing her lips, her jaw, her neck, hot, tantalising kisses and nips as he moved lower. His mouth tickled over her stomach, making her laugh with nerves and delight. The trail was fire and ice, the damp little path cooling as he moved on, moved lower. He nuzzled the delicate skin that formed the crease between thigh and torso and her breath caught in her throat at his proximity to the part of her that ached for him.

“I want to kiss you here,” he said, pressing his mouth to the inside of her thigh and then looking up at her. He wasn’t speaking about her thigh, she realised, and her cheeks blazed with the knowledge.

“Is… is that… n-normal?” she queried, shocked, though mostly by the discovery that she very much hoped the answer was yes.

“Yes, love,” he said, smiling at her.

“Oh.” Good heavens. “Do you want to?” she added, finding that a more pertinent question.

“God, yes,” he murmured on the back of a heavy sigh. The warmth of his breath fanned over her most private skin and Prue gave up on any possibility of keeping her dignity intact. She suspected that dignity was something that needed setting aside in the bedroom, where honesty was far more rewarding.

His lips moved just a little closer to their goal, soft and warm and so inviting. “Well?” he asked, his expression curious but not insistent.

“Yes,” she said in a rush. “Yes, please.”

To her consternation he didn’t hurry, and she shivered as his tongue licked a barely there path along the crease of her thigh. Settling more comfortably between her legs, he parted the fragile folds and then teased her further with delicate strokes that were never quite firm enough, never quite where she wanted them. It was torment of the most delicious kind as her blood coursed through her, her breath catching as she closed her eyes and simply… submitted. There seemed little point or value in being coy or embarrassed, Robert certainly wasn’t. Indeed, from the approving growls and murmurs he made, he seemed as pleased by her as she was by him and his devilish tongue.

Soon she was clutching at the sheet beneath her, writhing as he held her in place, chuckling when she tried to arch towards that infuriating, delicious tongue.

“Patience.” He chuckled, his hot breath adding to the torment. “I’ll give you what you want, but waiting is a part of the pleasure,” he said, illustrating his words with a brief swipe of his tongue that had her crying out. “The anticipation of what’s coming will make everything far more rewarding.”

Prue opened her mouth to tell him that anything more intense would probably kill her, when he gave in and closed his mouth over her, suckling and tugging gently.

She arched beneath him, words and explanations no longer required as pleasure pulsed through her in fierce, heated waves. Robert stayed where he was, the touch of his tongue softer now, gentling her through the pulses of her climax when the intensity became almost unbearable.

Prue lay back against the mattress, wondering if she might dissolve into the fabric. She felt boneless, sated and replete, like a cat lazing in the sun.

A sigh escaped her as she returned to herself, dimly aware of Robert moving over her until she opened her eyes to find him staring down at her, equal parts smug male pride and concern. A rueful smile curved over her lips as she blinked up at him, hazy and happy.

“I liked that,” she said helpfully.

The smug expression grew, all traces of concern gone in an instant, as he leant down to nip at her earlobe. “You don’t say,” he murmured.

“Oh, but I do say,” Prue replied, adamant now. “I’ll keep saying it if you want me to.”

A rumble of laughter moved through him as he settled between her thighs and Prue gasped at the sensation of his aroused body, silken and hot, sliding against her still throbbing flesh.