Page 40 of Wedded to the Beastly Duke
Seven.
The final blow came as a shock, igniting her already tender flesh. His hand remained there, caressing her flaming skin for a moment as his other hand probed between her legs.
Then he scooped her back up and placed her against the silken sheets. Her bottom briefly protested, but the coolness of the sheets was soothing, and all thoughts left her head save for Adam.
He kissed her, smoothing the damp hair from her face. Everything about him now was tender as he stroked down her body, palms flat, the gesture reassuring.
“You took your punishment wonderfully, Emmeline,” he murmured against her neck, holding her close. “You’re a good girl.”
In any other scenario, Emmeline would have balked, but his voice was not patronizing, and the words soothed something inside her. Just for now, while they were in this bed and his hands were on her, she wanted to be his good girl. She wanted his tenderness, his praise.
“Touch me,” she managed to say through her swirling thoughts. She clutched at his waistcoat, wondering why he was wearing so many clothes. “Please, Adam.”
“As though I could ever deny you.” His voice was low and rough, and he spread her legs. She parted them willingly.
Now, all their barriers had gone, and the walls between them had fallen. Once they left the comfort of this bed and this intimacy, perhaps it would be different. But now—now there was nothing but pleasure and his hands.
“You’re so wet for me, love,” he murmured as he touched her there once more, stroking her most sensitive flesh. “Is that good? You must tell me what you like.”
“I don’t know.” She tossed her head. “I don’t know what I like, Adam. Don’t stop.”
“I won’t,” he promised, and she clung to that reassurance as he drew small circles around that bud of pleasure.
But there was something missing, something more she wanted, that she yearned for, and she arched her back. His other hand came to play with her breasts.
“I love these,” he said forcefully, bending to flick his tongue across her nipple. “You’re even better than I imagined.”
“You imagined me?”
“Frequently. I couldn’t stop myself.” His fingers slid lower, to her opening, and he pushed a finger inside. Slowly, slowly, slowly entering her and hooking his finger until she dissolved in a wash of overwhelming pleasure. “But in all my dreams, you were never this responsive. Lord, Emmeline.”
He groaned in response to her moan. She was making the sorts of noises she should be ashamed of, but no shame was forthcoming.
“You make me want to do things to you that would make any respectable lady blush.”
“I suspect,” she said as he pushed another finger inside her, the stretch exquisite. There was tension coiling inside her that made it hard to think, never mind speak. “I suspect I am not a respectable lady.”
“Not when you’re spread before me like this.” He made a noise of appreciation. “Are you close, love?”
“Close to what?”
“Your climax.”
“I don’t know.”
She tossed her head impatiently. The tension inside her was building, and she did feel as though she was closer to a peak. Everything was so new and unknown—and yet she never wanted to stop. She wanted to draw this moment out as long as possible.
“How should I know?”
“You’ll feel it.” He continued to hook his fingers inside her and moved his other hand to stroke her little nub of pleasure. “Let it happen. Don’t hold back.”
He was being so gentle yet so authoritative, and there was no way she could stop it now. Her body was out of her control, and he held the reins, commanding her into new depths of pleasure hitherto unknown.
When Emmeline came apart, it felt as though her soul splintered with it, a transcendent moment that had her calling out Adam’s name. He held her through it, the same hands that had punished her—though could it be called punishment when she had enjoyed it?—now holding her tight, drawing out every last drop of sensation until she shuddered, boneless, in his arms.
“There,” he said tenderly, smoothing the hair back from her face. “That was your climax, love.”
She stared up at him, noting the details of his face, which was fast becoming familiar to her. “That was…” Words failed her. “Wonderful.”
