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“You have a barbed tongue,” he said. “How lowering to a man’s vanity.”
“Be careful, I might lick you with it,” she retorted, shocking herself silly at that rejoinder. Theo felt as if she were wholly another creature. She did not flirt, nor did she taunt provocatively. This was not her, had never been her, yet something she had never known to be a part of herself purred deep inside, stretched, reaching for something…something this man owned. The awareness shook her.
With an enormous effort of will she held his stare which beheld her as if she were endlessly fascinating. His gaze traveled up to the large four poster bed hovering in their periphery amidst a masculine décor, and then back to her in leisurely invitation. “I believe you will make me an excellent bed partner.”
A sweet twisting ache stirred in her belly, and her heart quickened at the temptation lurking in his wicked stare. “I am not looking for a lover.”
Something flashed in the blue depths of his gaze. “Are you most certain, Lady Winfern?”
“I am.”
Genuine regret chased his face before his expression shuttered. “Ah, a pity that, it would have made our travelling much more pleasant.”
“I am much more than a pleasant diversion for any man, Your Grace.”
“Did I mention you would sweat, scream, rake me with your nails, and twist beneath me or on top of me from the agony of pleasure to be had from my fingers…tongue, and cock at least twice every night?”
Theo almost fainted at that provocative question which hit her in the belly like a bolt of heat. “Sounds like too much effort that, all that twisting.”
The duke chuckled, his eyes lighting with an indefinable emotion. “Youaremost interesting, Lady Winfern.”
A spurt of humor rushed through her. How unusual it all was. A week ago, she did not know this man, and now she was in his chamber, pinned beneath his bulk in the most scandalous fashion, hearing a most indiscreet proposal. And she wasn’t at all afraid he would ravish her. In truth, she found their bantering…titillating.To be the duke’s lover… The very idea set a path of fire down her throat and into her stomach. “You may call me Theodosia…or Theo.”
“Theodosia,” he murmured. The duke’s fingertips fluttered across her skin…downward over her lips, his touch lingering and arousing. “Let’s get this pesky curiosity out of the way shall we?”
Her chest lifted on a harsh breath. What idiocy was she indulging in, remaining sprawled beneath the duke, her thighs perfectly cradling his weight? She was a woman with woman needs and yearnings. Clearly her body and heart were tired of suppressing them.
He touched the corner of her mouth. “Has your curiosity dampened?”
She almost averted her gaze from his measuring scrutiny. “No,” she answered honestly.It had grown in unchecked leaps and bounds.
He dipped his head and passionately caught her mouth with his in a searing kiss. Theo’s heartbeat quickened. Tendrils of alarm and excitement speared through her stomach. He tasted her gently…sweetly.
It was so very unexpectedly wonderful—her very first kiss.
The tip of his tongue barely brushed hers before it withdrew. Theo moaned at the feel of his mouth against hers, at the taste of whisky. Hardly able to believe her wild recklessness, Theo bit into his lower lip, then licked the spot to soothe it. Sebastian slanted his mouth over hers, nipping at her bottom lips before licking the seam of her mouth. Need broke over her, warm, rich, stirring a tide of longing which had long been buried. She curled her hands around his neck, holding him close to her, as she passionately satisfied her curiosity.
* * *
The taste of Theodosia,wild and heady, flooded Sebastian’s senses with such wicked want and hunger. As he deepened the kiss, his tongue flicked at her lips for entry and she made a soft, hungry sound against his mouth, before parting her lips to his entreaty. Their kiss almost felt…artless. Her mouth beneath his moved with tentative passion, and it aroused his ardor to an astonishing degree.
Their tongues touched, she sighed, and he groaned. He swore the lady tasted sweet…and innocently carnal if there was such a thing. Sebastian was tempted to push up her petticoats and dress, tug her drawers to the side, and bury his aching cock into the wet tightness he suspected he’d find.He wanted her with an unfamiliar and disquieting urgency. He reached between them, trailing his fingers up the length of her leg and over her silken stockings. A hot gasp rushed from her mouth to his, and he swallowed it, sucking on her tongue with carnal greed, allowing his fingers to dance closer to her quim. He shifted his hands so that his knuckles brushed against her sex through her drawers.Fucking hell. She was damp, and heated, and with a little twist of her hips she opened her legs wider.
An invitation to touch…to perhaps slip a finger deep inside her body and test her readiness. Seb ran his knuckles over her drawers once more, this time pressing them firmer against her sex. The drawers got wetter and he groaned. She was sweetly responsive and hungry. Perfect, for he damn well felt as if he were about to spend in his trousers like an untried lad.
A violent shudder worked through her body and she pulled her mouth from his. “Stop,” she murmured.
It was a mere whisper of sound, but he pulled his hand away immediately, and rolled from her to lay beside her on the carpet. His heart pounded like he had run around the vast lawn of his estate. He very badly wanted to bed the woman beside him. Stunned at his unruly response, Seb cleared his throat. “I forgot myself for a moment. Forgive me.”
She was silent for several beats, then replied, “I…I believe our curiosity has been satisfied.”
Far from it. His cock was so painfully hard, he felt it would spill through his damn front fall. Sebastian almost felt embarrassed by his unchecked desires. He turned his head on the carpet not surprised to find she had done the same and was staring at him. Her lips glistened red and wet. They were swollen, proof of how thoroughly he had kissed her. Her lovely golden eyes, framed by incredibly long lashes, looked dismayed, even horrified, by the depth of her reactions to him.
Yes…you were wanton and eager for me as I were for you. Do not shy away from it. But you do not want a lover.Unexpectedly he felt like a cad and with a harsh breath he jerked into a sitting position. What the hell had he been thinking to kidnap her from a ball, force her to his house, and then into his private chambers?Bloody hell. He was conducting his search of Perdie with alarming indiscretion. Yet there was no complaint from Theodosia. She had borne his cavalier treatment with aplomb. A rush of admiration for her mettle filled him. Sebastian had truly departed of his good and honorable senses, which had guided him since his father died and entrusted so many precious things into his keeping.
“I will take you home,” he said abruptly, glancing down at her.
Her eyes widened and her chest lifted on a deep breath. “I…thank you, Your Grace. I believe that might be best.”
