Page 26 of Good Duke Gone Cold

She blushed, but he could see her push back her shoulders, shrug the plait to her back, and glide slowly into the room. The glide pulled her closer and closer to the spot near the bookshelf where two nights ago he had guided her into satiating her desire, like a magnet for pleasure.

Cautiously, he pushed himself out of his chair. He wanted to lunge at her and pick up where they left off. He wanted to rip off her atrociously concealing nightwear and prop her stomach up and bend her over his desk so he could thrust into her from behind.

He wasn’t sure anymore if even that would scare her off, but that fact didn’t weigh into his deliberations. Tonight he was surprised. Surprised she was here. Surprised at how badly he wanted her here. And surprised that he didn’t want to scare her away to arms’ length. The only consideration he weighed in his mind at the moment was how to maximize her pleasure.

He knew she had desires. Though not spoken of to any extent of excess, he had gleaned overheard nuggets of her expressing desire for a future with a family, a home, and a place for her plays. He also knew how hard she worked to suppress her desires. Well, before two nights ago at least.

In fact, if he thought about it, it was the last few months that she had finally opened herself up to following some of her desires, and it had started with her working so hard on this last play.

This new Mary, the one open to exploring and pursuing pleasure, the one not suppressing all her dreams and desires, this was the Mary that beckoned to him.

She answered his forgotten question sotto voce, “You.” Her cheeks were flushed and she could barely meet his eyes.

She continued toward the books, perusing them with no end goal of reading one he was sure. “I think…”

Gregory wanted to let the pause hang in the air until she filled it, but he couldn’t bear the weight of the silence. “What do you think, Mary?”

“I think I may need another book to help me sleep tonight.”

The breath leaked out of his body. He didn’t realize he’d been holding his breath and waiting for her to invite him closer.

“I can’t stop thinking…” she continued but then stopped abruptly.

“Merely thinking?”

She turned around. He could see the blush in her cheeks and wondered if it extended to the faint outline he could make of her breasts. Her bare toes were curling into the Aubusson carpet. “Yes. Only thinking.”

He raised his eyebrows to prompt her.

“I think I was waiting for you.”

“Were you waiting for me to come to your room? Even as you stay here as our family’s guest?” He smiled.

“Of course not,” she jutted out her chin. “I was waiting for what is next.”

“And what is next?” He walked toward her until they were a hands’ width apart. She couldn’t meet his eyes and instead stared at his neck while he approached.

“I’m not sure.” He sensed the goddess, the warrior, emerging. “I was hoping you could show me.”

Mary stood with her shoulders back, holding Gregory’s gaze. She was still finding herself, making herself, still trying to access the recesses of her spirit to draw out strength and courage. Two nights ago her world had opened up. She felt like a flower in spring, like the winter snow that was covering, hiding, laying dormant her desire was finally ebbing away to allow growth, color, desire, and warmth into her life.

Desire led her to Gregory. Trust kept bringing her back. If he could elicit such desire without touching her, she couldn’t imagine the depths he could take her, how far into the vast fields he would guide her, if she allowed him.

She wasn’t sure if she was ready for it, yet somehow she found herself asking him to show her more.

She could read the surprise in his eyes. And the pleasure. Being able to affect him, even in a small way, bespoke of a power she didn’t know she had, and she wanted to wield it.

She knew she was treading on dangerous ground. She wanted to unleash her desire, but she couldn’t turn her back on everything her governess had instilled in her. That’s why it took two days to come up with her rules.

“I just have two…rules.”

“Let’s hear.”

She held up her index finger. “Your lips cannot touch mine.” His eyebrows rose as his eyes slid down her body. Her body grew warm from the heat in his eyes. She knew if he kissed her again, like he did in the closet, she might lose control, and she needed to maintain some control, especially to adhere to her second rule.

She held up two fingers. “We cannot fully… go between the sheets.”

“We won’t even make it to a bedroom,” his sly grin caused her knees to buckle and she swayed into him.

---