Page 19 of The Duke's Treasure
“That’s better,” she said with a sigh, and Edward had to shift slightly so that she didn’t see what she was doing to him.
When she turned her head over her shoulder to look at him, there was an impish mischievousness in her eye, and she tilted her head back, leaning awfully close to him. All he had to do was incline his head ever so slightly and his lips would touch hers – but whether she wanted that or not was hard to say.
But when she leaned her back against his chest and her eyes remained locked on his, he took a chance and lifted a hand, allowing his fingers to lightly trail over her neck.
“Mariana,” he said softly, testing, waiting, and she closed her eyes for just a moment.
“Kiss me,” she whispered, and that was all Edward needed to hear as he bent his neck and his lips landed upon hers. As much as he wanted to take her with the fiery passion she usually met him with, he was slow, tender, until she lifted her hand and sank her fingers into his hair, pulling him closer.
That was when he lost any restraint he had started with.
Leaving behind the gentle and uncertain kiss, his tongue demanded entrance into her mouth, finding her tongue ready to tangle with his. He drank in the moan that emerged from her throat, his hand sliding up the softness of her shirt, brushing over her generous bosom before rising to hold her head against his, exploring every part of her mouth with his tongue before finally lifting and breaking away from her, meeting her stare, knowing, deep within him, that this was going to be more than some tryst that would never again be repeated.
She spoke to something within him, a place that he hadn’t known existed, but suddenly he wanted to explore it further.
“You’re exquisite,” he found himself muttering. “Is this what you want? I’m not sure I can take this slowly with you.”
Her lips curled up into a smile, her eyes dark and smoky. “I am not scared of you, Your Grace,” she said. “You have no need to be gentle. In fact, I’d rather you weren’t.”
He lifted her in his arms then, to which she responded with a gasp of delight, before he turned her around and had her lying back on the blanket beneath them. He removed his jacket, lifting her to place it beneath her back for softness, before lying her back down, shifting so that he was between her legs, which were now solidly wrapped around his waist. He held himself up above her, pausing, not kissing her but allowing their breaths to intermingle.
His fingers found her ankle, pushing back her skirts as they crept up her leg, until her dress was pooled around her waist, her body shaking again. But instead of her trembles being due to the cold, it seemed she was just as affected as he was.
Edward gazed down, finding her bare before him, and he groaned aloud before looking up at her instead, catching her eye as he slowly circled his thumb over her center. She moaned and he leaned in, capturing the sound with his mouth as he rubbedagainst her while she arched up into him in a rhythm that nearly had him replacing his fingers – but he couldn’t. Not yet. He wanted to make sure she was ready and sated first.
She tilted her head to the side and, understanding what she wanted, Edward rained kisses down over her neck, smiling as she continued to lift her hips up against him, seeking more. He squeezed her bottom between his hands, pulling her in, closer toward him, but not giving in just yet.
He followed the path he had kissed back up until he came to her ear, and when he nipped the lobe, she hissed, and he brought his lips to the shell of her ear.
“You are mine now,” he found himself growling, surprised at his own possession, but she wrinkled her nose at him as she shook her head, her eyes fierce.
“I am no man’s,” she countered, but he continued to play with her, showing her that wasn’t entirely true.
“You are mine in this moment,” he said. “Admit it.”
She kept her lips clamped shut, and he removed his hand, waiting for her to give in.
But of course, she didn’t. Instead, she held his gaze, her jaw firm, until she said, “Is that all you have to offer?”
Mariana knewshe was playing with fire. A man like the duke was used to getting what he wanted, and here she was, taunting him. But she would give in to no man, would never again allow herself to be possessed by another.
It seemed that her risk was worth it, for he paused only a moment before he growled and replaced his hand between her legs, as his other lifted her shirt from her skirt and trailed it upuntil it covered her breast, filling it as he caressed her nipple between his thumb and forefinger.
“Touch me again,” she commanded, and when he slipped one finger inside her, she had to reach out and clasp his shoulders to hold on to any control she had left.
“Fuck,” he groaned, before adding another finger inside, beginning to thrust into her, harder, faster. Mariana didn’t want this to be over yet, but never before had a man taken any time to ensure that she had her fill first. When his mouth came down upon hers once more, her world came apart, the pleasure that had built inside spilling over and spiralling out of control.
“Your—” she shouted, which he interrupted in a rough voice, “Edward. Call me Edward.”
“Edward,” she repeated, even as it caused her heart to turn over in her chest. As much as she had wanted this, a bit of worry began to creep in. Worry because as much as she knew this would be a one-time event, she couldn’t help but want to do it again, and knew that feelings for this man were invading her heart, feelings that she had promised herself would never enter her chest. But there they were, anyway.
His hand grazed over her cheek, bringing her attention back toward him, and she blinked, remembering where she was.
“Are you all right?” he asked, concern in his eyes. “I’m sorry if I?—”
“I am fine,” she said, smiling at him. “Wonderful, really.”
“Good,” he said, relief covering his face. “I must ask you something.”
