Page 164 of His Grace, the Duke
“Never again,” he growled, giving her bottom a slap that had her squealing.
Tom and Burke came around the corner, climbing the stairs after them, wide grins on their faces.
James turned right at the top of the stairs, sweeping down the hall and stopping at a pair of double doors. Rosalie glanced around, looking for George’s portrait of the ugly knight with the uglier horse. But the painting on the opposite wall was one of forest nymphs.
“This isn’t the duke’s room,” she cried as he shoved open the door and carried her inside.
“No, those rooms are off limits until Burke can have them exorcised,” James replied, slinging her off his shoulder and setting her back on her feet.
She took in her new surroundings. It was a beautiful roomwith arching ceilings and lovely floral-patterned walls. A large bed sat along the longest wall, with a fireplace on the wall opposite. A happy fire blazed in the grate. A wall of curtained windows took up the narrow end of the room. “What room is this?”
“The duchess’ room,” he replied, shedding off his coat, his waistcoat, his cravat.
“But . . . your mother—”
“Has not lived in here since long before my father was even dead,” he replied, stepping forward to claim her with a kiss. She melted into him, needing the support of his arm around her waist to keep her on her feet. “This is your room now,” he said, breaking their kiss. “My duchess, my wife, my redeeming angel.”
She was already on edge from all the wonderful things they’d said downstairs. James’ every touch was fanning the flames. It was all she could do to unbutton her pelisse before James was tearing it from her shoulders and casting it aside.
He spun her around with strong hands, working the back of her dress. As soon as he got it open, that joined her pelisse on the floor. She turned in his arms, desperate for his kiss. Leaning up on her toes, she pressed her lips to his. Together, their hands fumbled on the laces of her stays, shedding her of the garment. She tugged down her chemise as he pulled off his shirt, leaving him in his breeches and her naked. He dropped his mouth to her breast, teasing her nipple until she was arching into him, her hands holding tight to his hair.
The door opened and Burke and Tom entered.
As James let his hands drift down her sides, inching closer to her aching core, she reached out a hand. “Come,” she panted. “Come here.”
Burke and Tom stepped forward, taking their time as they shed themselves of their coats and waistcoats. She didn’t miss the way Burke winced. Tom joined them first, his calloused hand smoothing up her bare back as he did the same thing to James, dropping his mouth to claim her other breast, teasing and flicking her nipple, humming against her warm flesh when he got a response he liked. Then James’ fingers were pressing against her sex, opening her lips to slide through her wetness.
“Oh, God,” she moaned, tightening her grip on them both. Tom’s hand curled around to cup her bottom as James pressed in, claiming her with two fingers. Tom swallowed her cry with a kiss, owning her mouth as James pumped with his fingers, his thumb finding her aching bud.
With the two of them pleasuring her together, she let her first release crash through her. She clenched James’ fingers as she arched her back. Her knees quivered, losing the will to stay standing. They both wrapped an arm around her, holding her still as James finished her.
Panting, eyes wild with need, James pulled his fingers out of her and held them up to Tom. “Taste,” he growled. “Taste my wife.”
She sighed, her body already trembling again at the words. Then Tom was sucking James’ fingers into his mouth, and she was sure one touch would send her over the edge again. “Please. Oh, please...”
“Please what, angel?” James replied, dragging his fingers from Tom’s mouth to circle them around her pert nipple. “Tell us what you want.”
“I want more. Everything. All three of you. Now.”
James wrapped an arm around her, holding her tight against his front, his hard cock pressing against her bottom.He turned her to face Burke and Tom, who were both stripping down.
“Look at your men,” James said in her ear. “Look at how they want you. I mean to let them devour you. But first, you’re going to marry me. Right here, right now.”
She leaned against him, laying her head on his shoulder. “You’re going to marry me because I only feel alive in your arms,” he declared, grazing his lips up the curve of her neck. “Because your voice is my favorite sound. Because I breathe easier when you’re in the room. You’ll marry me because I love you. I’ve loved you almost from the first, I was just too stubborn to say it.”
“James...” She wrapped her hands around his arm at her waist.
“Say yes. Make me the happiest man alive and be my wife.”
“Yes,” she breathed. “Yes, I’ll marry you. James, I marry you. We’re married. I’m yours.”
He turned her face, smashing his lips against hers, his right hand sliding back down between her legs. He broke their kiss, taking a deep breath. “Burke, come here.”
Burke stepped forward, now completely naked, his gorgeous body gleaming in the firelight. She let her eyes trail up from his hard cock, up the dusting of black hair over his abdomen, to his handsomely defined chest. Her stomach fluttered as she took in the angry red welt on his shoulder, proof of his still-healing gunshot wound.
“Come here,” James said again, holding out his hand.
Burke took it with his good one, letting himself be reeled in. James claimed his first kiss and Rosalie watched, pressed between them. They teased and tasted, their deep groans fanning the flames of her passion even higher. She pressed her lips to Burke’s chest, savoring the warmth of his skin.
