Page 47 of A Duke's Lustful Portrait
Suddenly, she felt vulnerable and on display, as if she were making a fool of herself, and she leapt off him, hugging her arms closely to her body.
“Good Lord,” she said, looking around in panic. “I’m sorry, Sebastian. Your Grace. I-I …”
She turned and went to the canvas, thinking to bury herself in the painting work to avoid her embarrassment. How had she gotten it all wrong?
“No!” he said quickly. He, too, jumped up, and he was behind her in a second, putting his arms around her and pulling her back into his body. She froze. He moved the hair from her neck and kissed it, breathing in her scent, her essence. “Of course, I want to, Arabella. More than anything.”
It felt good, having his body pressed against her back, his arms around her from behind. He held her so tightly that his manhood pressed into her lower back, and she held her breath, curious to explore it more. But she let out a sigh and turned her head a touch, half looking at him over her shoulder.
“Then what’s the matter?” she asked.
He put his hands on her arms and turned her so she faced him again. He looked as defenseless as she felt but as hungry, too.
“I just want to make sure you are certain this is what you want. It is easy to succumb to desire, my love, but—”
She kissed him, hoping that would suffice as her answer. Yes, she was certain. In truth, as soon as he had taken his shirt off, all her doubts had melted away, pushed aside for another day.
“I was certain I wanted nothing more to do with you,” she said softly, looking up into his beautiful green eyes. “I was certain you were just like the other members of the Lord’s Society and growing closer to my father by the day.”
“No.” He shook his head. “I have … reasons for wanting to keep your father close.”
She smiled warmly up at him. For the first time, she felt certain thatshewas the reason he was courting her father in such a manner.Shewas his true goal. Why, he’d arranged this night just for them, hadn’t he?
“I know,” she replied. “I understand your reasons. I would probably do the same.”
He blinked in surprise. “You do? You would?”
She giggled at his confused expression, the sudden tension in his body. “I’m not a silly little woman who doesn’t understand how the world works,” she said. On her tiptoes again, she kissed the corner of his mouth, then his cheek, his ear. “I understand that you must keep my father on side if you have any hopes of seeing me in any sort of capacity.”
The tension seeped from his body as quickly as it arrived, and he let out a relieved chuckle. “Oh, oh yes,” he said. “That’s exactly what I’m doing.”
She whispered into his ear, “And I am eternally grateful.” Slowly, gently, she stepped forward, her hands on his chest. He stumbled backwards in time to her movements. “But let’s not waste all that good work, Sebastian. I never thought I would be so bold, but the truth is,” she kissed him, pushing him backwards, “I want you. Ineedyou.”
Together, they tumbled once more onto the sofa, and any doubts that either of them had were buried beneath the blanket of passion that settled over them. Their hands roved over each other’s bodies, searching and desperate, no aim but to touch, to feel, to explore.
Arabella couldn’t—wouldn’t—think. She allowed her body to lead the way, her desire to control her movements as she felt the strength in his muscles and caressed the shape of his thighs, moving her hands closer, closer to that secret part of a man she so desperately longed to know.
“Stand up,” he said abruptly, into her ear and with such authority that she did as she was told, no questions asked.
When she stood in front of him, she saw his bravado had returned. He openly ogled her, looking her up and down with an expression that betrayed his own yearning. He licked his lips, and when his eyes finally returned to her face, he said, “Undress.”
“But—”
“Undress,” he repeated, not allowing her to answer.
Arabella’s chest rose and fell rapidly, and she found she wanted to obey him, to please and satisfy him. As she pulled off her robe, her eyes remained fixed on that place between his legs, bulging now for her.
“You will have to help me with my stays,” she said. “Unless you have a lady’s maid?”
He chuckled, then reached forward and turned her away from him. As he pulled on the laces of her stays, his fingertips barely touched her, but the tickle of sensation sent waves of shudders through her body, teasing her.
She let out a groan of frustration and anticipation as she turned back to him, entirely naked. She had never before been so on display, yet she had never felt so secure nor so certain in her life. She bit her bottom lip as he watched her, his excitement growing.
How long will he make me wait?
“You really are incredible,” he whispered, his breath coming in a quick, rapid beat. “I knew it, but this …” He opened his mouth to say more, but the words had escaped him, and Arabella had waited too long.
Unable to control herself any longer, she leaped onto him on the sofa, pushing him back and kissing him fiercely, roughly. She pushed her breasts against his chest so hard that they became misshapen, and his trousers brushing against her thighs made her slick with desire.
