Page 34 of A Duke in Pursuit of Passion
The fact that he was wearing his own bed garments, pyjamas, and a robe, did not help matters. In fact, they only made her heartbeat faster.
"I was wondering if I might have a word?" he said, looking directly at Ella from where he still stood in the hallway, seeming as though he had barely even noticed Alice.
"Yes, of course." Gesturing him in with a wave of her hand, she turned to Alice and added, "You may go. I've kept you up long enough."
The knowing look upon Alice's face suggested she knew very well their need for privacy. The maid was no stranger to the pain Ella had suffered during his absence; having been the daughter of one of the previous maids in the household, she had seen it all. And likely, she saw all that was going on now. Ella could only hope that she could trust her as much as she believed she could.
"Of course, My Lady. Do not be afraid to ring if you have need of anything." With that, Alice curtseyed first to Lord Rolfe and then to Ella before hurrying from the room and shutting the door firmly behind her.
"What did you wish to speak with me about?" Ella asked as soon as she was gone. Instead of responding, Lord Rolfe crossed the room, shoving his hand into the pocket of his robe to produce something from inside.
"My earring!" Ella exclaimed, reaching up with both hands to feel her ears. It was immediately clear that she had lost the left one. "How did you come by it?"
Lord Rolfe shrugged and smiled as he handed it back to her. "It must have fallen loose while we were … kissing."
Ella shivered at that. She did not need any reminder of what had happened on the patio. It was still at the forefront of her mind.
As though it was on his, too, he reached up and brushed the hair away from her face where Alice had already unpinned it. He cupped her cheek for a moment and stroked her cheekbone with his thumb, looking at her longingly. And just when she believed he might kiss her again, he said, "Allow me."
Ella's breath caught in her throat as he began to unpin the rest of her hair. It was such a mundane yet affectionate action that it made the breath catch in Ella's throat, and she found herself edging closer to him.
The pins dropped from Lord Rolfe's hands with a clattering on the floor, forgotten as he ran his fingers through her now loose hair. With her hands on his chest and enjoying the sensation of his fingertips in the roots of her hair, Ella closed her eyes and tilted her head back into his grip.
And that was when he kissed her. It took her so by surprise that, for a moment, she stiffened up. But with every second longer that he kissed her, she felt herself relaxing back into his arms, his hands stroking down the length of her back before they came to pull her tightly to him by the small of her back.
"You are so beautiful," he whispered against her lips, and it was then that she felt the very last of her resolve fading away. Feeling his gaze upon her face, she opened her eyes and pulled away from him. The disappointment in his gaze quickly shifted to shock as she reached for the tie around her waist and removed it, shrugging out of her robe to leave it in a pool around her feet.
"Ella, what are you …"
"I forgive you," she announced, stepping back into his arms and cupping his face to pull his lips back down to hers. She did not want him to speak; she did not want to come to her senses. For once, all she wanted was to be with him.
Lowering a hand from his face, she gripped hold of his hand and pulled it up to hold against her breast. Even through the sheer material of her chemise, his touch made her quiver. The growl of desire that rumbled in his throat told her all she needed to know, and instinctively, she reached for the tie around his waist.
The next thing she knew, he was naked before her, and she before him, her chemise coming up all too easily over her head. And together they looked at each other as though they were seeing the adults they had become for the first time.
The hungry look in his gaze warmed her entire body and set her veins alight with desire, and unable to take another moment of it without feeling him, she threw herself at him again. At the same moment, he did the same, pulling her up into his arms and carrying her over to the bed.
The silken sheets were cool against her feverish flesh, but she barely felt them as he landed on top of her. Their bodies melted together, a tangle of limbs and other body parts as he reached down between them and guided his manhood gently inside her.
For a second, Ella gasped at the sheer and sudden size of him inside her. Her entire body tensing, she gripped tightly to his shoulders, digging her nails into his flesh. He grew still as though he did not wish to hurt her and did not begin to thrust until she started to relax beneath him again.
He made love to her softly, kissing her lips, throat, and breasts, moving so slowly that it was almost infuriating. But with every thrust, Ella felt a strange sensation tightening in her stomach. It grew stronger and stronger until it was almost painful. And just when she thought she might have to tell him to stop, she felt an explosion of pleasure the likes of which she had never felt before.
Over and over again, it happened until she had to press her face into his shoulder to stop herself from screaming out with it. And just when she began to feel as though she might not be able to take anymore, he suddenly removed himself from her, reaching down to grip hold of the tip of his manhood. If not for the groan of pleasure she heard from him, Ella might have been worried.
Instead of speaking, she rolled onto her side behind him, where he rested with his back to her, rinsing his hand in the basin of water left beside the bed. Stroking her fingertips up his spine, she kissed him affectionately on the shoulder and smiled warmly when he turned back to face her.
Though his hand was still damp, Ella welcomed it on her hip as he pulled her back to him, kissing her as though he had not yet had enough of her.
"Nate, there's something I must tell you," Ella admitted through gritted teeth, closing her eyes as she felt guilt at not having already told him before they just made love.
"It is a little late to tell me you did not wish to invite me to bed," he joked, stroking her hair behind her ear as though he was too happy to take anything seriously. Ella bit her lip, wondering whether this was the right time after all.
Then she exclaimed, "I saw Mr Giles tonight."
Nate's body tensed against hers, and though the fear of his anger threatened to consume her, she opened her eyes.
"Why did you not tell me?" His gaze was more hurt than angry.
