Page 5 of Claiming His Lost Duchess
“It is getting late,” he noted suddenly, pulling his hand away from hers and slipping on his ring. “ Please, let me walk ye tae yer room. It's no' safe for ye tae wander aboot, especially when ye're clearly no' used tae the drinkin'.”
He rose to his feet and waited for her to follow suit before leaning forward to whisper in her ear,
“ Ye seem like a very prim an' proper English wumman, so it wouldnae surprise me ye're no used tae drinkin' ale. A precious lass like yersel' has likely only ever tasted champagne.”
Joan's heart grew unsettled, and she worried that he might have recognized her from back in London, but he merely pulled away and said,
“Ensure that ye are careful tonight. Lock yer door as soon as I leave, all right?”
It took her a moment to express that she had not yet booked a room, and he quickly took her to the innkeeper to do so. Then he walked her to her room, offering to carry her bag for her.
He relented when she declined, and his lack of a vile reaction only made her feel even more puzzled by this man. She did not understand why he was so different from the other men she had met, much calmer and kinder. Besides that, she did not find him repulsive as she did others.
His touch has been warm, almost reassuring, and she couldn't help but wish they would not part ways.
“Here we are,” he announced, opening the door for her and stepping aside so she could go inside. “Remember my words tae ye; see that yer door's locked the hale nicht. Dinna open it unless ye're goin' oot.”
He handed her the key and waited, instead of leaving. It took her a moment to realize that he was waiting for her to leave and close the door before he left, and that only fueled her bravery.
“Would you… Like to come in?”
CHAPTER TWO
The light in his eyes flickered out, and he asked her carefully,
“Do ye know what yer invitation means?”
Did she really? Perhaps, but what she knew was that tonight marked the beginning of her new life away from all the pain she had known. She wanted to do this. She wanted… him.
Such notions had never occurred to her before and it was almost daunting how overwhelmed she felt by the strange heat brewing within her at the mere sight of him.
He had suggested that she stay safe during her time in the inn, and what could be safer than having this man spend the night as well?
The excuse was weak, but she was willing to give it if it was needed. All she knew is that she wanted him to embrace her,she desired to let him erase all of the thoughts that had haunted her for days now, even the whispers of her past that were much further back than that.
“Yes, I do,” she replied eventually.
The words were barely past her lips before his lips were on hers, kissing her deeply. Joan felt his hands rest on her hips and stepped backwards as he nudged her back slightly, his lips never leaving hers, even as he slammed the door shut behind them.
He continued to kiss her, nibbling her lower lip and drinking in all the sounds she made as she melted in his arms. She has never been touched like this, never imagined it would feel this good. Joan clung to him desperately, digging her fingertips into the fabric of his cloak as he cornered her into a wall.
With what seemed like great difficulty, he pulled away, not going far, and mumbling softly in question,
“Is this something ye do a lot? Invite men into your room?”
Joan panted, wanting to kiss him again, to drink up the lingering taste of ale on his lips. It is a lot harder to think of answering his questions when he latches his lips to her neck, kissing and sucking at the skin there.
Vaguely, she knew she wanted to tell him the truth. For some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to lie to him.
“Ah… I’ve never done this before,” she replied quietly. “And I am more nervous about it all than I seem.”
Almost immediately, she noticed a change of pace. He pulled back even further, but his hands were still gripping the skirts of her dress, lightly feeling for her body beneath the fabric.
“This is yer… are ye serious? And… are ye certain you want this? Here and now?” he hesitated before adding, “Me?”
Joan had never imagined she would have ever get to this point. Far from her uncle's clutches, so close to freedom she could taste it. She had never even imagined being in this sort of situation, with a stranger no less, and she knew that if she was caught later, she would never get a chance to experience this ever again.
She would never get to fully know what the burn in her stomach that seemed to drip down to her core was, but she wanted to explore it. She wanted to know why this man ignited her insides with only his touch and look. She wanted to understand this bubbling need within her.
