Page 69 of When a Duke Loves a Woman
He moved slowly as though fearful she might bolt, might shove him down the stairs, kick him in his bad leg, react in a way to indicate she didn’t want what he was about to do. But she did want it, desperately. She had been thinking about it, dreaming about it, ever since he’d first kissed her, had feared he’d found it unappealing since he had refrained from kissing her again.
But now as his lips touched hers, his mouth settled in, his groan echoed around her, she realized he’d only been acting a gentleman because she’d been injured. And he was acting a gentleman no more.
She parted her lips on a sigh and it was the invitation he needed to take the kiss deeper, to sweep his tongue through her mouth, drag her onto his lap—the ease with which he did astounded her, as she’d obviously misjudged his strength and her willingness to be handled thus—hold her nearer until her breasts were flat against his chest. She wanted to push him down and lie along the entire wondrous length of him. She felt his hard cock pressing against her hip, astonished it had reacted to her nearness. No other man had ever given any indication she was in the least bit desirable. Although to be honest, she’d never wanted to be desired by a man—not until him, not until the duke had ended up in her bed.
She shoved aside all of Finn’s warnings. Even knowing she could never be more than a plaything to Thorne, she couldn’t help but believe that to have him for a little while would be better than to never have him at all. She didn’t want to die an old maid, never having known passion or desire.
He trailed his mouth over her chin and along the length of her throat. “You undo me,” he rasped. “Come to my estate and I’ll show you stars in the heavens and elsewhere.”
His words made no sense to her when he was showing her stars now. “I beg your pardon?”
“You can’t see the stars tonight because of the fog. There is seldom fog at my estate. And it is truly quiet there. No occasional clop of a horse, no squeaky wheel, no scurrying vermin.”
“I’m not so very brave.”
He drew back, and she rather wished she’d kept that truth to herself. “Before I opened my tavern, I was terrified of making a mistake, of letting my family down, of misjudging my ability to manage things. I still worry that my success is a fluke. And the thought of leaving London frightens me as well.”
Combing his fingers through the strands at the side of her head, he carefully avoided her injury from the night before. “I wouldn’t allow any harm to come to you.”
“I know.” She wrapped one arm around his neck, while pressing her mouth to the underside of his jaw. Such strength there. How could a man be naught but strength and power anywhere she touched? “But I’m not yet ready to leave London, not even for a few hours.”
“Then let’s do something in London. Let’s take Robin to the zoological gardens, so he can see in person all the animals that fascinate him.”
Ah, clever man, to suggest something that if she refused would mean denying pleasure to someone else. Besides, Robin could serve as chaperone so they couldn’t get up to any naughtiness. Although she didn’t know how effective he might be or if he might be too late. She was incredibly tempted to invite Thorne into her flat, but she knew any invitation would involve more than merely stepping over a threshold. It would involve making their way into her bedchamber and into her bed. “Not tomorrow. I have something I have to do. The day after.”
With only his thumb and forefinger, he took hold of her chin and moved her face away from where she’d buried it against his neck, inhaling his marvelous fragrance. “The day after.” Then his mouth was back on hers, sealing the promise.
She scraped her hands up into his hair, grateful he wasn’t the one with a healing abrasion on his head. It was nice not to have to worry about causing him discomfort, at least there. She rather suspected his leg might be aching by now with her weight still on it. If it were, he gave no indication because he explored the confines of her mouth as though he’d never visited there before, so thoroughly, so intently, inviting her to return the favor. He tasted of the dark, rich whisky he’d nursed for most of the night. She was glad he wasn’t three sheets in the wind, that his actions weren’t spurred by the liberation that spirits tended to provide. She was grateful if any intoxication was taking place, being with her was providing it because being so near to him, having his mouth working its magic made her light-headed, as though she’d indulged in the finest of liquors.
Warmth sluiced through her, and her body tingled in private places, all the places her mum had warned her men fancied, all the spots she’d carefully guarded. If she could have sealed them off behind iron doors with locks, she would have. Yet even as she had the thought, she knew he possessed the key that would have sprung every door free, even the one to her heart, and that terrified her most of all.
She feared it was already his for the taking.
He drew back, and she nearly followed, nearly latched her mouth back onto his. “I should leave, while I’m still able.”
She nodded. “I’ll see you the day after tomorrow.”
“I shall count the minutes.”
She very nearly laughed. The aristocracy could be so charming in the way they spoke. It was little wonder people adored them.
Together, they helped each other to their feet. He walked her the short distance to her flat. Reaching into her pocket, she removed her key, surprised when he took it from her, and unlocked her door.
“Not because I don’t think you can do it for yourself,” he said, “but because I enjoy doing small things for you. Inside with you. I won’t leave until I hear the lock turn.”
“Good night, Thorne.”
“Sleep well, princess.”
She walked over the threshold, closed the door, and leaned against it, tempted beyond reason to invite him in. Her body was thrumming with needs, needs she knew he alone could satisfy. With a trembling hand, she turned the lock. With an aching heart she listened to his footsteps as he left.
Chapter 18
“Caw, Gillie, ye got bubbies!” Robin exclaimed as she walked into the kitchen through the backdoor close to the time for them to open.
“You don’t say that to a lady, Robin,” she stated tartly.
“Where’d they come from?”
