Page 79 of Madcap with a Marquess
His pulse picked up, and so did his pace. It was fitting, having her in the ruins. Storming a castle, slaughtering the men, carrying off Franny as his bounty. It was an archaic thought. And it fueled the heat coursing through him. His heart pounded against his ribs like a warrior’s fist against armor.
He was nearly on her now. She burst into the meadow. He was only a few paces behind. She flew through the archway and chanced a look back. Mistake. She tripped, stumbled. Her arms windmilled, tried to right herself, but it was no use. In a flurry of curse words, she crashed to the ground. She immediately started crawling, shuffling forward on her forearms.
A heady thrill navigated its way up his spine, and he lunged, his hand snaking around her calf. He yanked her feet from under her. She collapsed back to the ground with awhoosh.Her hands scrambled for purchase in the grass as he pulled her toward him. But she found nothing. Blood rushed to his cock.
Mine.
He jerked her over to her back. Breaths exploded from her, her breasts straining the fabric of her thin lawn shirt. His gaze fell to her hips, to her core. His tongue slid across his lips, and she squirmed beneath him, like she could feel the movement between her legs.
Want.
Franny kicked at him, but he dragged her toward him, under him, pinning her to the ground. She shoved at his chest, and he laughed at her ineffectualness. Her eyes flashed fire, and excitement flew through his veins. Bracing for the fight. Because he knew his woman. And now she wouldneedto prove to him he couldn’t dominate her.
She growled and bared her teeth. “Get off me, you brute!”
Ah, there she was.
She spit curses at him, hissed and clawed at him, her body jerking and thrusting as she frantically tried to make her escape. She bucked hard, and a bolt of lust shot through his groin. A groan rumbled from his chest, and he pressed her thrashing form harder into the ground.
And then she made a subtle movement, barely discernable. But he knew her too well, knew what she was going to do before she even moved. She lunged for him, ready to latch onto him with her teeth. But he gripped her hair, wrenching her neck back, and she froze, her rough breaths puffing over his skin.
“Color,” he murmured against the shell of her ear, drawing it into his mouth and giving a small tug.
“Gr-reen,” she said on a hitched breath.
He fell on her with a groan, burying his head in her neck. He ground his aching length into her, into the center of her. Her whimper floated around them. Oh, now that was a pretty sound.
He trailed his mouth down the column of her neck, and her pulse beat erratic against his lips and tongue. She was all sweet sweat and woman. Raw. His free hand slid up her body, cupping her breast. She ceased in her struggle, her body going rigid. Like she realized her fight was fruitless.
“W-what are you going to do to me?” she whispered, her words shaking. Her body trembled beneath him.
Fuck. He knew he’d love her fight. But he hadn’t realized how much he’d like the fear. The knowledge she was at his mercy. Helpless.
His.
And then he was met with a face full of wet earth and grass. He sputtered. Franny drove her hips upward, and he toppled sideways. She scurried backward, a victorious glint shining in her wicked green eyes. The little termagant! He let out a roar and hurled himself at her, grabbed onto her boots. Stare never leaving hers, he spat out a chunk of loamy, gritty dirt. She would pay for that.
The venom reflected at him was palpable. She flaunted an arched brow, then wrenched her legs back. Her feet popped free of her boots with a sharp tug. He blinked, shock sweeping over him, and before he could fully register what had happened, she sprang to her feet and bolted.
Rupert lurched to his feet and took off after her. She didn’t stand a chance, even with those long legs of hers. He caught up to her at the cylindrical tower, and his arm latched around her wrist, tugging her so she collapsed back into his chest, a grunt falling from her. He threw her into the tower, and she fell to the dirt on hands and knees. Franny hurriedly flipped over and scrambled back, pressing against the stone wall.
Their coarse breaths exploded around them, echoing sharply off the grey stone, as they watched each other. Her warily. He anticipatory. She couldn’t escape him here.
He ran his tongue over his teeth, gritty earth scraping against his gums. She was good. He’d give her that. “You’re going to answer for that little stunt you pulled.”
Her lips flattened, and her knuckles went white where she dug her fingers into the ground. He couldfeelher glare, the sting of the disdain for her captor. His captive. Oh, he liked that. A devilish grin split his face.
Rupert advanced on her. She was oddly still. Like she’d given up. His footsteps faltered a few inches from her, disappointment settling in his gut. Then she shot up and darted around him. A snarl ripped from him, and his hand shot out, grabbing a fistful of her hair. She rebounded back into his grip. Her cry filled the small tower, music to his ears.
He trapped her against the wall with his body, holding her neck stretched. Her hands scrabbled, pushing, shoving, nails digging into him. His cock throbbed as her nails scored him even through his lawn shirt. His low groan echoed around them, surrounding them as he pressed harder into her, trapping her hands between them, leaving her only able to rock futilely against him.
His hand snuck up to her chin, and he softly caressed her neck. Bloody hell, she had a beautiful neck. It made his mouth wet with want. He inhaled, slow and deep. Inhaled his desire, his fantasy, his Franny.
“Well, well, well, what do we have here? A raven-haired beauty…” His thumb coasted just below her bottom lip. “A cherry ripe for the picking.”
He slowly brushed over her plump lip, and she tried to jerk away, but his fist in her hair still held her immobile. His dark chuckle rang around them, harsh and sinister. The fantasy seared the blood in his veins, lust burning hot within him. He leaned forward and trailed the tip of his tongue over the expanse of her neck to her shoulder. She sucked in a breath, her entire body trembling.
“I find I have an appetite for cherries.”
