Page 48 of An Accidental Bride for the Duke
“Nor should you.”
“At most I can…” He laughed as if something silly was said. “The most I can do is try not to let anger be my first response. That is unless it is warranted.”
She laughed also. “Which even I will admit that it can be at times.”
Every time they spoke, she could feel them making progress. Now that Iris knew why Philip acted the way that he did, she wasn’t nearly as inclined to hold his hostile temperament against him. She saw it instead for what it was, a natural inclination to protect. The anger he spewed aimed at himself because he hated when he could not do so.
Bit by bit, this marriage is turning into something real.
“On that note…” Philip pulled himself from Iris’ grasp and turned around. The anger was gone from behind his eyes, replaced now by a look that she knew well. A look that sent a warmth spreading quickly through her body. “When I saw youand Percy return, my first thought was that you needed to be punished.”
She raised an eyebrow as if daring him. “Is that so?”
“Oh yes…” He stepped into her, both hands taking hers and holding them as he met her eyes. “As is always the case, I assumed you were doing it to frustrate me. That what you needed most was discipline.”
Her heart leapt through her chest. “I… I still might…”
He flashed his eyes with hunger. “Only now, I can’t help but think that perhaps I was too harsh on you. After all, for once you weren’t trying to upset me.”
“I… but what if I was?” There was an edge of desperation in her voice, because she wanted the discipline. She wanted the punishment.
“No.” He shook his head. “You did nothing wrong, I know that. But by my mind, all that means is that instead of a punishment, you should be rewarded. For forgiving me because, like you said, you are good like that. Are you not?”
Her heart started to race at the implication. Iris liked the punishment. She liked being treated as a bad girl in need of a firm hand. But it wasn’t the same if she did not deserve it, if it was not earned. And also, just as she liked being punished, she knew too how much she liked to be rewarded for good behavior.
Body trembling, she held Philip’s hungry eyes so that he could see exactly what was on her mind. “It was rather good of me, wasn’t it?”
“So very good.” Releasing one hand, he reached up and gently touched under her chin. His thumb stroked it and she moaned at his touch. “My good girl.”
Then, Philip leaned in and planted a kiss on her lips.
Iris accepted the kiss without hesitation. She breathed it in as if the kiss filled her with life. It was a soft kiss, gentle and tender, and it told her exactly how much Philip cared for her and how desperate he was to show it.
They kissed for some time. It wasn’t overly passionate. It wasn’t devouring and messy. Lips parted. Tongues lapped and played. Philip kept a hold of her hand and squeezed as if he never wanted to let go. And Iris’ heart swelled inside her chest. Such a simple kiss, but it felt resounding.
When he pulled away, she gasped as if a piece of her had been torn off.
Philip wore a smirk when he saw her reaction. “Don’t fret, we are not done just yet. Not by far.”
“My… my reward?” she stuttered, trying to keep her excitement hidden. “You are not going to deny it to me this time, are you.”
“I would not dream of it,” he agreed. Still holding her by the hand, he led her across the room and toward the bed. “I can’t help but feel that I owe you. After last time, how we were interrupted…” He clicked his tongue. “A good girl like you shouldn’t be left wanting like that.”
“I shouldn’t be,” she agreed.
He flashed his eyes wickedly. “Now, do you remember where we were exactly…” Those same eyes glanced at the bed.
Iris’ heart hammered in her chest. Her knees shook. And where she was nervous and unsure, she knew exactly what to do. What Philip wanted of her.
Without questioning it, she walked to the end of the bed and slowly bent forward over the bed..
“Good girl,” Philip purred as he came closer.
She could hardly breathe as she felt him kneel behind her. And she caught her breath in her throat when his hands took the skirt of her dress and started to lift it above the back of her thighs and over her backside so her cheeks were left exposed and bare. She was trembling. Thighs tingling. Already moist and she knew it was just the beginning.
Philip moaned as his hands began to massage her exposed backside. He took it with both hands, squeezing and grabbing and she could hear his breath rattling in his chest.
“This is…” He groaned further. “Tell me one more time. Do you think that you deserve this?”
