Page 72 of A Bride for the Forbidden Duke
Her moans spilled into the dark room, and she climaxed, only to feel the Duke do the same moments after.
“Veronica,” he gasped. “Heavens—Veronica.”
His climax spilled into her as she flooded his length, and they joined in pleasure that broke the night.
And when they were both finished, Henry pulled out and released her hands, his breaths loud and heavy in the night.
He rolled off her and collapsed next to Veronica in bed. She gazed up at the ceiling before slowly turning to him.
“Does it… Does it always feel… like that?” she asked, biting her lip, already achingly empty.
Her body shuddered with the aftermath of her climax, and she yearned to go to him, to be encased within those powerfully thick arms.
“What?” he asked, teasing.
“The… Act. It felt very intense, but not everybody describes it to such lengths.”
“It does not always feel… like that as you said,” he confirmed. “Was I too rough?”
“I loved it,” she whispered, her confession lingering between them.
He gazed back at her, and she him, before he leaned in to kiss her. His tongue tangled with hers in a hint of what their whole night might look like. However, too soon, Henry pulled away and sat on the end of the bed, reaching for his discarded breeches.
He glanced back at her, a slow smirk on his face.
“I shall not assume this allows me to take liberties,” he told her. “So, I shall retire to my own chambers and allow you sleep.”
“Sleep here,” she asked of him.
He only laughed as he buttoned his shirt. “If I stay here, I fear I shall not sleep at all. Not when my wife is so ravishing. We have a busy day tomorrow. There is the village fair, and we are to meet Mr. Worthington while we are out.”
Her heart fell. She could only hope he was not using their outings as a reason to escape her. Desire was one thing, but it did equal romantic feelings. Did he have those for her as well? He could crave her body, but did he crave her heart?
She swallowed and nodded.
“I do not think I would mind,” she said, “if I lose sleep because of a thing like this.”
Henry laughed and leaned over to kiss her once, chastely. “Sleep, Duchess. I shall break my fast with you tomorrow at dawn.”
Chapter Twenty
“You are late.”
Veronica’s voice came from the breakfast table as she cupped her face with her palm, looking out at Henry as he walked into the breakfast hall.
“My wife kept me awake late into the night,” he said. “Apologies.”
“Your wife would have enjoyed sleeping next to you, so you could wake up together.”
He hesitated. That had felt far too intimate, and Henry knew he had already broken down so many of his own boundaries. Letting Veronica become complacent would hurt them both. He had already fought hard not to give into his desire for her, had avoided her, resisted her, only to submit to it last night.
And in return, she had submitted to him.
The way her body had looked encased in the bedcovers had been nothing short of a beautiful delight. Henry swallowed as he looked at her now. Utterly presentable, not a hair out of place, and that delectable body covered up. He wished to tear her clothes from her frame once again.
“Again,” he said, “apologies.”
Taking his seat opposite her, he reached for a slice of toast.
