Page 24 of A Duke's Sinful Bargain
“No,” she whispered, but it was not the kitten speaking. “Now…”
His lips curled into a grin. “As you wish…”
He slid into her, creating a perfect moment of closeness between them. Everything about it was pure perfection, pure bliss, as she felt him deep inside of her, thrusting his hips against her. His lips were pressed to hers, stifling any moans she might release. Her body was ready to explode yet again, as her fingers gripped at him, wanting to keep him even closer.
“Yes… oh…” she spoke softly against his lips, her heart pounding like mad, and at that moment, even more cataclysmic pleasure washed over her, expelling all the air out of her chest. She never knew such bliss could arise out of mere touch. It was as if he knew every inch of her body, every inch of her soul, provoking such incredible depth of sensation She had never known before.
She opened her eyes, locking her gaze with his. He was more handsome than ever before. Before she could ponder what to do with this realization, he pulled his manhood outside of her, spending on her thigh, while her own body was still shivering, only it was not from the cold. She was trying to compose herself, but that would not happen soon.
He slumped next to her on the bed, both of them breathless. She could not think. There was not a single coherent thought inside her mind. Not that she needed her mind right now. Only her body, her instinct… but hopefully, not her heart.
Chapter 12
Alexander had no idea how much time had passed. It could have been a minute just like it could have been a whole hour. He could not allow the quiet hours of the night to wane into the early hours of morning, despite the undeniable intensity of the connection they had just shared.
He couldn’t believe he had been so ravenous for a woman that neither of them had even managed to take off their clothes. It was not how he had imagined their first time together, but the desire was too overpowering, and all he could was yield.
He refused to turn to the side and look at her. He feared the sight of her at a vulnerable moment such as this one might stir even more confusing emotions, which were already thrilling and disquieting enough. His mind was a tempest of thoughts, none of them making much sense right now. However, one thing was clear. Their reputations were fragile, especially hers, and they needed to err on the side of caution.
Finally, he turned to her. She was still lying on the bed, her head resting on her bent elbow. Surprisingly, she was turned to him, as if she had been waiting for his attention to be bestowed upon her again. He smiled at her. Women were still somewhat of a mystery to him.
He had no time for them in his life, so of course, his knowledge on them was limited. His initial intention was to keep it that way. But with Anna, everything was different, new and unexpected. He didn’t know many things about women, but he knew a satisfied woman when he saw one.
“Lady Ravenscroft, I—”
“Anna,” she corrected him.
He was perplexed for a moment, but then he understood. She didn’t want them to revert back to their titles. Perhaps only when others were around. He was surprised that, of the two of them, she was the one to mention it. Yet another instance of how bold and unapologetic she was.
“Anna,” he repeated. The following monologue was something that was required, yet despite this, he felt as if he were forcing her out of his bed and out of his home. If he wanted to shield her from the judgmental eyes of society, she needed to leave when it was certain that she would not be noticed.
He would not forgive himself if her reputation were tarnished by the whispers of gossip that might follow her departure in broad daylight, for all the world to see.
“I believe it would be for the best for you to leave now,” he said, the words sounding even more clumsy aloud than inside his mind. “The night will provide you with a cover. You and I both know that the world can be unkind, and I wish to spare you the scrutiny that daylight might bring.”
She would understand the necessity for discretion even more than himself, but still, she met his gaze with a mixture of gratitude and resignation, almost as if she did not like his suggestion.
“Of course.” She nodded, getting up, and her gown slid down her lower body, concealing what he had, minutes ago, claimed as his own. “I know that we need to be cautious.” She turned to him again, now with a more tender tone. “The last thing I want is to bring any harm upon your name or mine.”
She walked over to the looking glass, her hand reaching for her hair. “Oh, I’m a mess,” she whispered to herself.
He watched her captivating silhouette as she adjusted her hair in the subtle reflection. Every once in a while, her silk gown would rustle, filling the silent void of shared secrets and forbidden passion between them. His admiring gaze lingered on her form, and he was unable to look away.
His eyes traced the delicate, swan-like curve of her neck, the way her gown caressed her small, perfectly round breasts, narrowing at the waist only to cascade in gentle folds. Curiosity burned inside of him.If you had been patient, you would have seen her without her clothes,that little voice inside of him said.But no, you had to rush everything.
He didn’t frown. In fact, he smiled, because this would not be the last time they met. It couldn’t be.
Still, in that fleeting moment, time stretched into eternity, aided by his desire to commit her image to his memory. He wanted to remember her flushing cheeks, her moans, the way she clutched at him as if she were clutching to her dear life.
“I’m ready,” she turned to him, her coiffure perfectly settled.
He got up and adjusted his own clothes, offering his arm to escort her to the door. She hesitated this time. It didn’t escape his attention. But eventually, she accepted it. Silently, they walked toward the front door, the click of her shoes echoing all around them.
She didn’t say anything. Neither did he. It was a moment suspended in time, a moment he didn’t want to live through. He wanted to be in bed, to have her there, her warm body writhing in his hands in pleasure. But it was dangerous to push past a certain line. They were already playing with fire.
As they reached the entrance, Anna paused, her gaze meeting his. The glow of the moonlight spilled over her face, giving her an unearthly appearance. The carriage, hidden in the shadows, stood waiting to take her back home, cloaked by the night.
It seemed as if she wanted to say something, but she changed her mind at the last moment. With a final lingering gaze, she released his arm, leaving him lingering still in the doorway.
