Page 69 of A Bride for the Forbidden Duke
He worked at the rest of the dress, not as rough, and soon had her in her corset, and he made quick work of that. His mouth pressed to the nape of her neck, tongue flicking out to lick her as his hands slid down her body.
“Climb onto the bed.”
“Climb?” Her voice trembled.
“On all fours,” he told her.
She shuddered. Her hands braced forward onto the bedcovers as she bent over, utterly exposed for him.
The orders shuddered through her as she crawled to the center of the bed, bearing herself.
Henry’s low noise of appreciation came from behind her, and when she glanced over her shoulder, she found his eyes on her, devouring her with that intense gaze as he tore at the buttons of his waistcoat and shirt.
Veronica swayed her hips back towards him, enticing him, and Henry could not undress himself fast enough. She noticed the tenting in his breeches, and he yanked them off before revealing the very length she had glimpsed through his clothes and witnessed hardening through fabric but never seen properly before.
Her breath came short as her eyes fell to his endowment.
“Surely I cannot?—”
“You will,” he told her. “And you can.”
The dark promise lingered, and pleasure curled through Veronica. Henry’s hand clasped his own length, and Veronica’s breath hitched. He watched her thoroughly, as if he was peeling every layer of her being off.
“Have you done this before?” he asked, cocking his head.
Her voice trembled when she said, “You must know already I have not.”
“Then I am honored to be the man to show you.” He smiled at her, a dark, indulgent thing. “In the way you have wreaked havoc on my mind, I shall wreak pleasure upon your body.”
He tipped his head up, looking at her from his height, and she felt so very small.
She loved it.
“Part your legs for me,” he told her.
Shaking, Veronica did, and then the Duke snatched up his cravat from the floor, and then he was over her, braced up on his knees. He cocked his head at her, holding up the silk cloth.
“You enjoyed this last time, did you not?”
Biting her lip, Veronica nodded.
“And you wanted rough, did you not?”
She nodded again.
The cravat snapped against her thigh, and she cried out. “I require words, Duchess.”
The way he said her title made her shiver—she knew she would not hear it in the same way again.
“You use the title as if to tease me,” she quivered.
“I do,” he said, smirking. “For you have such an honor in title by being my wife. But here you are, splayed out for me, ready to bend to my whims. It is rather fitting. I enjoy it.” He dipped his head at her. “I enjoyyou.”
“Then have me.” She paused. “And say my name.”
He drew back, momentarily stunned.
“Veronica,” he whispered, as if trying it out.
