Page 77 of Madcap with a Marquess
“No, Rupert.” This was it, her only chance. She wished he would look at her, but she wouldn’t push him in this. She could not muck this up. She rubbed her thumb over his cheekbone, still discolored from the night at the tavern. “You arenothinglike the Earl. You do not hurt me out of spite or anger or evil.”
She kissed softly over his closed eyelids, and a deep rumble vibrated in his throat. She smiled. Her beast. The one that hid underneath a perfectly starched exterior.
“I…the change in you when your composure breaks, the complete contradiction to how you compose yourself day to day. It is overwhelming in the best way, Rupert. It makes me feel as if you want to devour me.”
She paused, her vulnerability rising to the surface. “It makes me believe you might want me.”
His eyes flew open, stark black, sinister black, saturated with the headiest of sentiments.
“Do you want me, Rupert? Not because you had to marry me. Not because you are obligated and are polite and courteous.” She swallowed past her tightening throat. “Do you truly want me?” she whispered.
“More than anything.”
“Then have me. Have me any way you want me.” She squeezed his jaw lightly and let her hands fall away. “I want it, too.”
He grazed her jaw with the backs of his knuckles. His throat worked, and she could see the turmoil in the ticking muscles of his face. And then he nodded. “First, I want to make it clear that the most important part of my fantasy isyour pleasure.”
His eyes sank closed. She waited. Allowed him time to work past his barriers.
“I want to…catch you,” he managed tightly. “I want you to fight me.” His words came out forced and covered in shame. He let out a shaky breath. “I crave”—he swallowed—“the struggle.” His eyes flew open, dark and penetrating. “Overpowering you. Knowing that you are at my mercy and that, even though you fight it, you cannot help but love every minute of it.” His nostrils flared, his breaths coming faster, and panic pulled the muscles of his face taut, like it was determined to turn him to stone.
She didn’t say it aloud, because she didn’t wantherintruding here. But she thought Rupert’s fantasy… She thought it made quite a bit of sense based on how he was raised. He fantasized about control. About breaking free. No longer repressed. And he wanted to retaliate. Franny was happy to let him retaliate against her.
“Have I disgusted you?” he whispered.
She shook her head emphatically. “No.” She reached up and cradled his face.“I want to fight you. I want the battle. It is…God, it isexciting. Trying to stop you, yet knowing I can’t win.” She shivered. “That you will subdue me, have me, no matter how fervently I resist. I am powerless against your want of me.”
Her breath escalated, short and quick, and she rocked her hips into him, into the hard length of him. “I haveneverbeen wanted, Rupert.” She stared into his darkening gaze and said breathlessly, “I don’t have words for how thrilling the thought of being at your mercy is. Ilongfor it.”
His lids lowered, his breath turning harsh as his chest expanded against hers. “Fuck, Franny. You are bloody perfect.”
A laugh burst from her. “Oh dear, I am perfect now, am I? I never thought I’d live to see the day when Pompous Perty declared me, Miss Hoyden, perfect.”
His mouth hooked up in a half-smile. “Yes, well, Pompous Perty also happens to be a tad pea-brained.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh, Rupert, that is a great one! Pea-brained Perty!”
His body slumped against hers, and he shook his head at her. She was fairly certain she heard an exasperatedLord save me.
Despite the momentary distraction, she couldn’t ignore the hard ridge of him pressing into her. Enough talk. She finally had her husband tossing aside his barriers, and she wasn’t going to waste the opportunity. She coasted her thigh up to his hip and ground against him, pulling a low hum from deep in her throat.
He growled, and his entire body tensed. “What if I hurt you? How will I know if it’s too much?”
She rested her head against the cool stone wall. It was a fair point. She wasn’t sure how far her husband would take things. Nor what she could handle. “Well, I’ll simply tell you to stop.”
He worried his lip, and his features tightened. She recognized the tension; it was shame again.
“What is it, Rupert?”
He squeezed his eyes shut. “I-I want you to tell me to stop. To tell me no. But…”
Oh. She bounced lightly on her toes, wiggling their frames. “How fun! So, I can hurl any and all insults at you, fight you with every ounce of my wildness.” Her eyes narrowed slyly. She could notwaitfor this. “But you’ll stillhave me, your prize.” A thrill coursed through her, thrumming beneath her skin.
Rupert stared down at her, eyebrows lifted, a bewildered smile on his lips. “I feel as though I should have known, with our interactions growing up, you would be excited about this. Granted, Ineverthought you would be all right with losing.”
A coy smile curved her lips, and her voice dropped huskily. “Oh, but, Rupert. I don’t truly lose in this situation. I get to torment you just like then. But this time. Oh, the consequence is so, so much more delicious.”
His gaze heated, and her lips split into a grin.
