Page 51 of A Duke Makes a Deal
The strap of her chemise slid down her arms, as the fabric slowly exposed her breasts, then her stomach and finally her legs, leaving her only wearing a pair of silk stockings. Except something caught his eye, just above her knee.
A thin, blue ribbon was tied around her leg.
Silas was motionless for a moment. His dark gaze moved slowly up and she felt her body begin to tremble with trepidation.
“I… I don’t know why I…”
She shook her head, unable to finish her train of thought. Lord knows why she had tied the silly ribbon around her knee every day since that night in Vauxhall Gardens, but she had. There had been a draw to do it, a nameless power that had called for her to obey and she secretly relished it.
Her awareness of it at random moments throughout her day had sent a shiver up her spine. She hadn’t even meant for him to see it, but she had become tied to the idea, for lack of a better term. The daily secret, a low stakes reminder of him had made her feel daring and slightly wicked.
The heat in his stare made her apprehensive however. Had it been a foolish thing to do? She assumed she would have died of embarrassment at this moment, to be so fully naked before a man, but somehow she was still alive. More than just alive, she washappy.Because she felt revered beneath the admiring warmth of his gaze.
“Clara,” he whispered, his tone one of genuine surprise as his eyes roamed over her naked body. “You’re beautiful.”
A paralyzed part of her wanted to laugh at his words, as she had rarely ever been described as such. Strangely lovely, or bizarrely attractive, maybe. She had never simply been described as singularly beautiful, but she wanted to believe him.
“Kiss me,” he said.
Clara knew he wasn’t particularly interested in anything but friendship with her, but she could almost swear she heard a desperate note in his voice. Consummation of a marriage was the final task for their union needed in order to be legitimized. While it was more a duty than anything, Clara was finding it hard to separate her feelings from the practicality of it all. Itdidn’tfeellike this was just another duty to him. She decided to kiss him wholly and with every feeling she felt in that moment, even aware that he might chastise her for being too eager.
Her hands went to his shoulders and pulled him towards her as she pressed her mouth to his. An arm wrapped tightly around her back, pressing her against him and she felt like he was consuming her. Clara sought out the heat of his body as she pressed herself closer. The soft, fine fabric of his clothes against her bare skin was a tantalizing experience. She had never once imagined what the sensation of a wool suit would feel like against her nude body and she was almost scandalized at how much she liked it. She leaned closer to him still, eager to be held by his powerful grip.
In an instant he turned his back to the bed as he gently but firmly pressed her down atop the cool silk sheets. She let out a surprised sound as he stood over her and finished undressing. Clara should have averted her eyes, but her curiosity was too much for her and she stared at him as he removed his unbuttoned vest and untucked his shirtsleeves, pulling it over his head and tossing it on the ground.
Clara’s eyes travelled down the hard planes and contours of his large, muscular chest, visually tracing the fine dark spattering of hair that trailed down his stomach. Her mouth went dry as her eyes drifted lower, watching as his hand unbuttoned the front panel of his trousers. Hooking his thumbs into the waistband, he pushed them down, his eyes never leaving hers.
Clara’s cheeks must have turned red as he kicked away the last of his clothing. She could feel how hot her face had grown—and yet she couldn’t bring herself to look away. The hard length of him sprung up from dark curls as he stood back up, seemingly unfazed by his naked state. He reminded Clara of a stature shehad once seen in a museum, only he was darker, larger and his member was not at all like it had been depicted in the artwork.
Her breath hitched as he slowly leaned forward and pressed his mouth against her abdomen. Her legs flinched involuntarily, but Silas only moved his hands up her thighs, as if to soothe her body’s nervous energy. He kissed her stomach gently and Clara felt her brow pucker, unsure about the purpose of such an act. He moved upwards, pressing a trail of kisses up to her sternum. Clara was practically shaking from excitement and trepidation as he licked between the valley of her breasts. She was sure she might cry out when he moved to her left breast and began nipping and sucking on her nipple.
Clara’s entire body shook from pleasure as something overpowering swept over her body. She started to convulse as sheer ecstasy enveloped her.
Silas pulled back and watched her writhe with wonder.
“My god,” he said, his words hot against her skin. “You’re sensitive.”
Clara couldn’t speak, couldn’t think as his mouth dropped back to her skin. He moved lower, back down over her abdomen and lower still, until he was positioned between her legs. She was barely aware of his intentions as the hazy afterglow of pleasure fogged her mind. It wasn’t until she felt his warm tongue lap at the center of her that she let out a choked cry.
Clara tried to sit up.
“Silas.”
“Hush,” he murmured inside of her as his hands snaked up her torso and gently pressed her back. “Don’t move.”
She shivered at his words, vibrating within her like some sort of magic spell. He kissed and licked at her in a way she was sure would send them both to hell, but she couldn’t bring herself to protest. Not when another devastating crush of pleasure claimed her. It rose within her, slowly at first, until it was bubbling at thesurface and then spilled over like a kettle too filled of water over a fire.
Silas’s hand came up to hold her inner thigh in an iron grip. Clara moaned as it slowly slid upward and this thumb pressed into her, just below where his tongue had been. Her eyes closed tightly as it entered her, moving in a gentle rhythm as she felt the pleasure crest, breaking over her like a lightning strike. Soon, Silas’s body was over hers, kissing her mouth and cheek as she shook. He leaned forward and spoke in her ear.
“Hold onto me,” he said roughly as she felt him position his length at her entrance.
She reached up and held onto his wide shoulders as he moved forward in a single, swift movement.
“Aug!”
A pained cry ripped from Clara’s mouth as he paused within her. She felt herself stretch and ache as she settled around his invasion, accommodating him as best as she could. He was motionless for a long moment, and she could feel the tension of his body vibrate beneath her touch. His hand came up and moved against her face, holding her head as she stared at him.
“Easy,” he said as he began to move.
