Chapter 15 #2
While they waited for the valet to respond to the summons, silence seemed to stretch in the room. There were so many things that remained unspoken between them, but she hesitated to say anything.
Richard strode toward the sideboard and poured two fingers of brandy into a glass. He gave it to Victoria. She surprised herself by taking it. By doing so, her fingers brushed with his, the contact sending a jolt through her.
The duchess believed that a small sip could ease her nerves, which had never been an issue with her. The fearless girl she used to be seemed to lie dormant in his presence.
The sip spread liquid fire through her. Instead of calming her, waves of emotion crashed inside her, and she barely registered how he poured himself a drink and watched her with quiet intensity.
Her breath hitched.
A knock at the door broke the tension.
“Good evening, Your Grace,” the valet greeted politely, bowing in Richard’s direction.
“Good evening, John. Apologies for calling you this late. I hope this will not take long. The Duchess requires someone to draw a bath scented with almond and lavender. After this final duty, you may retire for the night.”
“At once, Your Grace.”
Victoria could tell that the valet was accustomed to working efficiently, eliciting the assistance of two footmen to carry pails of water.
She stood by the fire, sipping daintily at her brandy.
She used to guzzle glasses with glee, at least among family members, much to her mother’s dismay and her sisters’ concern.
Her skin tingled from the awareness that he was watching her.
Silence stretched between them, juxtaposed with the servants’ quick footsteps and the pouring water in the background.
Once the servants had bowed for the night and the door locked, the couple had no choice but to focus on the beckoning scent of the bathwater.
Victoria stood by the window, inhaling the crisp air wafting through the small gap in the window. She liked it this way, although the room somehow remained warm. The fire had been stoked. Nobody was in danger of catching a chill, especially since she could feel him approaching her from the back.
His footsteps were slow and deliberate. Was this what a seduction was like?
When he was only a few inches away, he unpinned her hair, letting his fingers go through the strands, playing with them as if he had not seen them before.
Her blonde tresses fell on her shoulders, and his hands followed, resting there.
She rested against his chest, groaning a little.
She could feel the weariness of the day as her back cracked a little.
Marianne and Wilhelmina would tease her about going too soft. She was the wild child in the family, the one who climbed trees and ran through the forest. She could not possibly be feeling her muscles ache from going to the ball and taking care of a baby? She was still young.
“You look tired,” Richard commented, his voice dropping low.
She almost groaned at his comment. He had read her correctly. How much could he tell from her words and silences?
“I am,” she had no choice but to admit.
Confiding in him took away some of the burden. She leaned back into him. “I am tired of fighting with you. Of doubting you. Of fearing things without anyone to share them with.”
“Then, let us not fight,” he whispered, as he undressed her.
The way he slid her dress down to the floor was almost reverent.
There was no rush in his movements, and Victoria felt comfortable with him.
Even when she stood naked before him, she was not ashamed.
Her arms remained at her side. She would not cover her body from him.
She liked seeing his eyes roam her body when he turned her around to watch her face-to-face.
“I’m no longer pushing you away,” he murmured, his eyes carrying the look of adoration.
“I won’t,” she promised, shivering slightly in anticipation.
Richard followed through by stripping off his own coat and his waistcoat. He did everything efficiently, not slowly but not rushed, either. There was just enough time for her to admire his hard muscles: those strong arms, the defined chest, the capable thighs, the—
She gulped as both of them stood bare in front of each other.
He reached out to take her hand just like when she was descending from the carriage.
She took it, trembling, and followed him to the side of the bathtub.
He guided her into it. She gasped at the hot water, which was near scalding and smelled of lavender.
“Sit,” he commanded, and it made her knees weak that she obeyed quickly.
The discomfort from the heat turned into a soothing temperature that massaged the muscles of her back and arms. She moaned appreciatively, closing her eyes. When she opened them, she could see Richard watching her with an amused grin.
“What?”
“You look so relaxed,” he said softly.
“I have forgotten how it feels to be relaxed,” she admitted. “I also forgot—”
She faltered.
“What?” It was Richard’s turn to ask.
“To be seen as who I am. Victoria. My sisters always saw me as the troublesome little sister. The half of a twin. The ton views me as a minx who needs discipline, and my mother always thought of me as someone to tame. But today, with you, I … I feel like I can be myself.”
“There’s nothing greater than you being yourself, my dear,” confirmed Richard, stepping into the tub behind her.
As soon as he did, the water rose, reaching the rim. If they moved a little more, water would splash onto the rugs on the floor, but she didn’t care.
The duke pulled her back against his chest, his muscular thighs framing her legs. She admired the contrast between them, her pale curves and his tanned and hard lines.
“Thank you,” she said softly.”
Richard massaged her back, making her moan. He unfurled the invisible knots at the base of her skull and her shoulder blades. She heard the cricks. They were satisfying. She let him explore and remove the pain.
When his hand rested on her thigh, her breath hitched. She already knew how expert those rough fingers were, and how they seemed to know how and where to touch her.
“You have so much fire within you, Victoria. I can’t think of a reason anyone would see you any other way,” he whispered against the nape of her neck.
His hand slipped to the meeting of her thighs, getting closer and closer to where she wanted him. He let his fingers dangle so that the tips could touch her mound.
“Please,” she breathed, her hands gripping his strong forearms.
He had just touched and tasted her in the carriage. Surely, he didn’t want to do it to her once more? What about him? She was certain he had not gotten the release he needed. At the moment, his rigid length pressed against her back, almost urgently. But so far, he had been patient with her.
He started pleasuring her with his fingers, slipping one in as if to test her, but she knew he’d find her wet. She had been since that conversation in the carriage, the conversation that had become a reason for him to lick her to orgasm.
One more finger joined the other, pressing in and out of her core. He had found the rhythm that made her see stars. His other hand held her at the throat, and she could feel her heart pulsing through her neck and into his hot palm.
“Do you like this?” he panted, curling a finger to touch a nerve that had her hip shooting up.
“Y-yes.”
He had managed to intensify the pleasure just by finding that little spot that she did not know existed.
“Good. That’s what I want my wife to feel. I want you to feel good all night long,” he grunted, as he quickened his speed.
His hips moved beneath her, as well as his heavy erection. She wanted to touch him, but at the moment she was still in the throes of her own passion, as his fingers continued their rhythmic assault on her.
Victoria was never a selfish woman. She reached beneath the water and found Richard’s erection. Her touch was bold, her fingers wrapping around his girth. He was hard and velvety at the same time. She could imagine touching him for hours and never getting tired.
The duke gasped at the sensation of her moving her fist up and down his length, but his fingers were relentless with their invasion.
“Come for me, Victoria,” he spluttered, almost begging.
The water was splashing down the rim of the bathtub, and neither cared. Steam swirled, and the warmth of their bodies matched the warmth of the water.
Victoria was almost there. She could feel the knot inside of her getting tighter and tighter, ready to explode.
When his hand reached for her full breast to squeeze, she felt the descent.
Then, he started squeezing her nipple rhythmically as if mimicking the sensation of sucking.
It was then that her release finally claimed her.
“Richard!” she scrambled, her body arching up and then back on him.
Her grip on him remained throughout. With a little more coaxing from her hand, he followed after. She could feel the throbbing release as he exploded.
“T-that was something,” he admitted, chuckling a little, as they tried to catch their breath.
For a moment, they just stayed there, satiated and happy, with her head resting on his chest. However, the water was beginning to cool, and Richard had to give Victoria a little nudge before he slipped from her gently to climb out of the tub.
He reached down and easily lifted her from it.
He gently wrapped her in a robe and carried her into the room.
In the cozy warmth of the room, near the hearth, they dried each other. It was a moment of complete intimacy, bare to each other. There were no walls and pretenses. It made Victoria’s heart sing with happiness.
After dressing in their bedclothes, the couple headed for the four-poster bed. The sheets were fresh and inviting. They slid under the heavy duvet and were ready to sleep together for the first time. No walls would be between them for tonight.
As if they always slept next to each other, Victoria curled into Richard, her head resting on one bicep. He pulled her close against him, his heart beating against her back, comforting her.
“Stay with me, please.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
Soon, darkness claimed them both, followed by the most restful slumber she’d had in a long time.