Page 29 of A Scandalous Love for the Enticing Duke
She didn’t finish her words before he captured her lips with his, plunging in before she could recover from the assault. Everything else stopped to matter. She could only concentrate on this man. His lips, his tongue. Oh goodness! Her hands found their way to his neck and twined themselves around it. She drew him closer, needing more of him.
Their kiss deepened, eroding her senses. Her pulse quickened as she began to lose her breath, but it did not matter. She would survive on the air Alan shared with her in this very moment; she would survive. His hand soon left her face and began to wander. First, to the lower part of her back, then to her side. In her breeches, her form was more outlined, so he brushed his hands over her hips. When he moved them to her inner thighs and lightly stroked, she shivered, a gasp escaping her lips, granting him further entrance. She was yet to recover from the sensation his touch had just given her when he began to move his hand again. He travelled to her ribcage, just beneath her breast. Anticipation built in her so much that the moment he stroked her bosom with his thumb, her nibbles pebbled. Unwittingly, she snuggled closer to him, wanting nothing between them. He had other plans.
His other hand joined the wanderer and together, they worked on ridding her coat of its buttons. As soon as that came undone, he cupped her breasts with both hands, and a pleasure cry sounded. It wasn’t until he growled that she realised the moan had come from her. Her body suddenly felt languid, as though only liquid remained. He tore his mouth away from hers and kissed his way to her ear. He tucked her earlobe and nibbled. It felt ticklish, making her sizzle with pleasure. Then he did the damnedest thing – he snuck his tongue into her ear and began to lave.
Another moan escaped her, louder this time as her eyes rolled to the back of her head. She could think of nothing else; she had no sense about what time it was, or where they were. As her pleasure began to pool, finding its way to her belly and down below, she arched into him.
He halted his administration in her ears and trailed kisses down her face, to her exposed neck, then to her chest which was also now exposed. When did the buttons of her shirt come off?
That thought too was stolen as she felt the cool night air against her naked breasts. The right was soon covered by his hand, while his mouth swallowed the left.
“Bloody hell! Alan!”
His response was to tug at her nipple and drag it between his teeth. Her eyes rolled again, and she found herself arching further into his touch, into his mouth. The hand that was now free, resumed its wandering. As it skimmed past her belly, she drew in a sharp intake of breath. She had never felt such sensitivity in that area but then, everywhere Alan touched, burned. She had been set afire. A flame burning from inside her skin, in her bloodstream, and she didn’t want it to stop.
His hands hovered over the band of her breeches, and she heard herself say,“Alan, please.” She knew not what she pleaded for – all that she knew was that there was more to this, and she wanted it all. The furthest they had ever gone was her bosom, and he only ever fondled it, never this. Never this. How come he was only giving her this wonder now?
His mouth moved to the neglected twin, and she became so focused on that sensation that she didn’t feel the rope of breeches, loosen. Only when he slipped his hands in, and she felt their coolness against that place where no one had ever touched.
Her knees weakened, and she almost crumbled, but he held her up and led her back to the chair, not moving his mouth, or his hand. Just the one which guided her back. Her buttocks settled on the bench, and she felt grateful for the support.
Slowly, he reached for her delicate folds. A form of shyness overtook her, and she moved to stop him, but he held her hands in place. She was wet down there. She felt it. Felt the throbbing in her core. She was not naive. She knew this meant she was aroused but reading and hearing about something was quite different from experiencing it. So this was what the ruined ladies felt? Oh, but she would gladly be ruined!
His fingers went further until it found the nub which crowned her jewels. Then pushing in, he cupped her folds. She gasped out very loudly, and he left her breast and crushed her mouth in a deep kiss. She shut her eyes tight, her feelings scattered all over. His tongue on hers, his hand now on her breast squeezing, kneading, his fingers against her slick folds, parting, stretching, rubbing.
She felt something begin to build in her. Something she could never hope to explain. Just when she felt she could not take anymore, she felt his finger push at her moist, warm entrance.
Her breath held, and the moment he slipped in, she threw her head backward in a cry. It hurt, then it didn’t. Especially when he began to move. Tremors shot through her spine, making her shiver. Oh, goodness.
“Alan, what is this you’re doing to me? Tell me. I cannot bear it anymore.” Something in her was pushing to break free. That which had begun building was almost reaching its peak. She could feel it, and she knew this unbearable, intensified pleasure would feel better, so much better on its release.
“It’s pleasure, let me love you, Agnes. Come on, let go for me. Let me give you this as my parting gift.”
One more thrust, and she tipped over the edge of her climax. She came falling down as her wave of release washed over her! As she descended from her peak, his voice rang in her head, bringing her to her senses.
A parting gift! She was to be a married woman, and here she was frolicking with a man who would never be her husband, who would never fight for her. Suddenly able to think clearly, she wrenched herself away from his arms and shot up to her feet. Ashamed and heartbroken, she turned around and began to right her clothing.
How could she have made such a silly mistake? She was ruined! Utterly ruined! A treasure she had kept all these years, gone in one night. Given, she always wanted Alan to be her first, but not this way, not after his rejection. Now she was promised, and her body belonged to someone else.
As she finished putting herself in order, she raised her hand to her hair and a sparkle caught her eyes. Her ring!
Furious at herself, she turned to look at him.
“I find it amusing how you find it beneath you to elope with me, but you did not find it beneath you to touch another man’s wife.”
Before he would say anything else, she broke into a run. She did not turn back when he called her; she did not stop. She knew she would not be able to remain strong if she looked at him for too long, if she remained with him for too long. The deed had been done. Now, she could only hope that Nicholas would be forgiving and accepting of a woman who had been touched by another.
Chapter 20
Victoria Birmingham had just returned from her visit to Madam Rosette’s shop with the girls when Louis came to her with news. The chief maid had stayed behind to supervise the weekly cleaning of their townhouse, and for that, missed the visit to the seamstress’s place. It was just as well because the news she had managed to get in her madam’s absence was as good as gold.
“There is news? Well then, out with it. What is it you want to tell me?” Victoria asked as soon as Louis informed her. The chief maid shuffled on her feet and glanced at the girls. It was all the indication Victoria needed to know that whatever had to be said, could not be said to the hearing of her daughters. She gave a small nod and turned to address them.
“Girls, you must excuse us. I am afraid whatever Louis has to say is a private matter. Moreover, I am certain you all are exhausted from today’s spree. If you would please, have the servants send up your bath and freshen up. Dinner will be ready very soon, I presume?’’ She returned her attention to Louis who nodded in affirmation, and with that, she dismissed the girls with a flicker of her hand.
“Well then, you are excused.”
Eleanor had not joined them for she had complained about feeling out of sorts. It made Williams worry, but Victoria was certain it wasn’t anything dreadful, and she would be over it in no time. No one said a word until the girls got to the top of the staircase and took a turn to their right. Then she pivoted to address Louis. When the chief maid would have begun to speak, she raised her hand in the air, halting her.
