Page 78 of A Duchess Bound
“Beautiful,” he breathed. “Magnificent.”
Gerard was the first man to ever see her like this, so open and exposed. It was really for the best that he take her, for it would be a terrible shame if this exquisite lady never experienced the pleasures of having a man inside her.
She shivered and curled her toes into the bed linens. Dorothy gazed at him, her expression shy and curious. “Will you make love to me now?” she whispered.
His manhood ached. He knew that she must feel as though her body was engulfed in flames, and Gerard burned with her. “Just one more thing,” he said deliberately. “Then, I will.”
Gerard strode leisurely to an old chest that he kept across the bedchamber, aware of Dorothy’s gaze following his every step. He opened the chest and withdrew the familiar silk ties, four of them. They were pale blue, the same color as Dorothy’s eyes.
When he turned to her, she inhaled sharply. “What are you going to do with that?”
Gerard grinned wolfishly. “I am going to tie you to the bed, of course. Just as I promised.”
CHAPTER 27
“Are you certain that you want this?” Gerard asked.
Dorothy’s eyes lingered over the pale blue ties held in his hand. “Yes,” she said. “I want all of you. All your wildness and dominance, all your promises and depravity.Please. I have waited for so long for you to take me properly.”
“So you have.” His voice was low and sultry, promising to do all manner of dark and delicious things to her. “You have been so very good.”
He took her right ankle in his hand and kissed her calf. His fingers traced over her skin, so lightly that it set her senses ablaze. He tied the length of silk around her ankle and knotted it. Then, he fixed it to the bedpost. She was tied firmly, but not uncomfortably. Dorothy flexed her ankle, testing the bond. She could not move her feet more than a couple of inches.
“If this experience becomes too intense or if you wish to stop for any reason, you have only to say so, and I shall.”
She nodded, but her core pulsed with need.
He moved to her left leg, caressing her calf all the way down to the sole of her foot. Then, he tied the silk around her ankle and fastened it to the bedpost. She was spread open and unable to close her thighs. Her breath gave an anxious hitch, and the ache between her legs curled so tightly that it seemed impossible for her to endure it for much longer.
He reached for her left wrist, stroking the delicate underside of it. Gerard kissed her knuckles and pressed his cheek against the back of her hand. He inhaled deeply. Dorothy tensed as Gerard tied the length of silk about her wrist and bound it to the headboard.
“Nearly finished,” Gerard said, smiling. “Oh, how lovely you look! I enjoy the sight of you all tied down and at my mercy.”
Dorothy forced down the lump that rose in her throat. Her heart hammered against her ribs, like a caged bird desperate for escape. Gerard seized her right wrist. His eyes gleamed as he bound her wrist to the bed. Then, he stood back, as if admiring his work.
Dorothy’s eyes drifted down, her breath catching in her chest when she spied the bulge between his thighs. He wanted her as much as she wanted him.
“I seem to recall saying that I would punish you again,” he mused, crossing his arms. “And youdidchastise me earlier for not keeping my promises.”
“But you…”
He chuckled. “Do not make the situation worse, my sweet.”
Gerard slowly removed his jacket and cast it to the floor. Dorothy inhaled sharply, hungrily tracing the line of his broad shoulders with her eyes. Next, Gerard’s fingers went to his waistcoat. He seemed to move with agonizing slowness. She was certain that he had removed her own clothing with far more efficiency!
Gerard reached for his shirt and pulled it slowly over his head, revealing tantalizing glimpses of his muscled stomach and chest. He was wonderfully built, like some great marble statue. Now, Dorothy understood how and why this man was a rake. Gerard was absurdly handsome. Of course, women fell for his charms.
After an eternity had passed, Gerard removed his boots and stockings. Dorothy squirmed on the bed, pulling instinctively against the bonds. Her core twitched, burning with need. She had never seen a man in such a state of undress before.
His hands unfastened his trousers, and Gerard’s manhood sprang forth. She gasped. He seemed impossibly large. Perhaps, he had been right to caution her, for he was massive. Were all men quite so well-endowed?
“Do you want this?” Gerard asked, once he was entirely nude.
“Yes,” she rasped.
Gerard chuckled and climbed into the bed. He took his manhood in his hand and rubbed his tip against her entrance, through the small mass of curls. Dorothy whimpered. Her thighs instinctively tried to press together, but the bindings prevented it.
“Oh, you want this so much. I might be mistaken,” Gerard said. “How can you be a good girl? You have such wicked thoughts.”
