Chapter Eleven #2
His eyes darkened to deep sapphire. “Seeking to soothe my aches by sending you through your paces.” As he spoke, he yanked down the bodice of her dress. Seconds later, the underclothes were manipulated enough that he easily freed her breasts. “Unless you are not of the same mind?”
Dear God, how could she not be, when half her thoughts revolved around having his hands on her person and his body heaving against hers? “I would enjoy that very much, actually.”
“Excellent, for every time you speak of that damned book, I find myself wanting you even more than usual.”
“Oh!” Tingles shot through her core. He was quite potent even after a tumble down a portion of the stairs. “If you think you can manage pleasuring a woman after your fall, then I look forward to it.” She again glanced at him. “When will you begin your seduction?”
“Immediately, of course, or could you not already guess that?” Barr nuzzled the crook of her shoulder and at the same time, he lightly danced his fingers over her breasts, slowly, oh so slowly, bringing her nipples into tight buds.
“Don’t be an arse, Your Grace.” The words sneaked out upon the wings of a moan. Her back arched of its own accord, which put her bosom more firmly into his hands.
He chuckled. Using his palms, he caressed those sensitive buds, brought them into a frenzy that had pleasure zipping between them and her core.
Need pulsed at the apex of her thighs, and no matter how much she wanted him to take her in a firmer grip, he never did.
Merely continued to tease with the lightest of touches.
As he worked, he hummed a series of notes from a popular waltz, and he continued to concentrate on bringing her to the brink of pleasure through her breasts alone.
“You are going to toss me over just like this, aren’t you?”
“If I can manage it.” His low-pitched laughter sent gooseflesh rippling over her skin. With his lips at her nape, Barr teased her breasts, her nipples all over again, and this time, the friction and roughness from the callouses on his fingers added another layer of bliss to the play.
“Oh, oh!” Cate let her eyes shutter closed, and once more her back arched.
Need throbbed through her body while her breath came in shallow pants.
Blissful sensations darted over her skin.
Fires lit in her blood. Remarkably, she was nearly at that edge, hovering, waiting, seconds away from flying; it was as if his hands were magic.
“More,” she gasped out and lifted a hand to wrap around his nape, encourage his head closer to hers. “Give me more.”
“Like that, do you?”
Before she could comment on the tinge of arrogance in his voice, he drew up her skirts and then his hand was between her thighs, his fingers burrowing through her curls.
Always skilled, he strummed those talented digits along her flesh, back and forth, and when she whimpered, put a hand over his to guide him to where she needed him to be most, he found her swollen button, encouraged it out of hiding, and then applied friction to that nubbin as if that was his only purpose in life.
Perhaps it was in this moment.
Shivery sensations raced along her spine, pushed into every nerve ending.
She held his hand tight to her pearl, clutched his nape with her other hand.
He kissed her neck but didn’t leave off with his frenzied friction, glided his lips over her cheek, and when he bit her earlobe, streaks of need slammed through her core to heighten the feelings already crashing through her body.
This was a more intense version of the duke, and she rather enjoyed it.
So much so that she squirmed in her position between his splayed legs.
The hard ridge of his arousal pressed against her bottom.
“I’m nearly there…” Oh, she couldn’t concentrate on words, and if he didn’t finish her, she’d melt into a puddle.
“Then let me help you over.” The dratted man pinched her nipple, rolled that hardened tip.
The pleasure-pain sent her hurtling toward that glimmering edge.
His chuckle was all too satisfied as he increased the pressure.
“Don’t fight it, Catherine. Let me see you come undone, watch your face as you find pleasure. ”
Those words made her shatter, and the more she relaxed into his care, the greater the wave of bliss smacked into her, picked her up, and then carried her into that void where sound and light didn’t exist. Cate cried out her bliss since they were alone.
She writhed against him, held his hand tighter to her button while familiar contractions pulsed through her core.
Eventually, she came back to herself with only enough strength to slump against him. “Your potency from two days ago wasn’t a fluke.”
“That is good to know.” He nuzzled the crook of her shoulder again before he eased her off his lap. “But I’m not nearly done with you.”
“What does that mean?” As much as she wanted to give into the lethargy setting into her limbs, she wanted him to finish her by coupling. “I’d hoped you would continue.”
“Oh, I will. Don’t worry there.” He gained his feet while manipulating the buttons of his front falls. “I want to try one of the positions from the book.”
“What?” Anticipation spiraled through her belly to mix with the desire and hungry longing he’d already awoken. “Which one?”
“Nothing too insane or dangerous.” When his engorged length tumbled out of his breeches, she couldn’t help but stare and moisten her lips. What was it about his man that made her throw caution to the wind and abandon all common sense?
“How about I just tease you with my mouth?”
“Not right now.” Batting away her hands, the duke encouraged her onto her hands and knees facing the back of the sofa.
“Put your hands on the frame. Pretend it’s a bamboo screen and that we are in the heart of Egypt inside a pharaoh’s palace and that we can be discovered at any moment.
” His hands were everywhere. “Spread your legs and stick your arse out.” Then he assisted her into the position and shoved her skirts up to her waist. “You’ve tempted me beyond reason.
” The command in his graveled voice sent shivers down her spine.
“But I haven’t done anything.”
“You have done much, merely by being you, and that makes this all the more confusing and arousing.”
“Oh!” Cate did as requested, but she glanced over her shoulder at him. “I rather like this forceful side of you.” It sent tingles between her thighs, brought her to the edge of bliss before he’d even manipulated any of her sensitive bits.
“You bring it out in me,” he all but growled. “Catch me against the edge until I have no choice but to act. In your company, I am no longer the man I was before, and as you drag me from every bit of security I’ve known, I’m not sure who I’ll ultimately grow into.”
“Is that a bad thing?” It felt all too lovely to know she’d been a catalyst into helping him change, even if he’d not wanted to.
“God, no. I should act the gentleman, but I find it’s impossible where you’re concerned.” He gripped her hips while she splayed her legs, and he fit his wide tip to her opening.
“Perhaps this is the man you should have been all along. Besides, I never said with conviction that I wanted a decent—Ah!”
He thrust into her passage with such authority and went so deeply they both groaned with appreciation.
Her eyes crossed as intense pleasure danced through her body.
“Oh, goodness,” she managed to gasp while shifting her stance into something more comfortable.
“What else have you got, Scarborough? Enough to challenge the young man in the Egyptian book?”
“Let’s see.” Every time he penetrated her channel, he went deep, oh so deep.
His shaft rubbed against the swollen nubbin at her center, enhancing the need he’d already invoked.
His hold on her hips was hard enough that he’d probably leave marks on her skin.
Oddly enough, she craved that souvenir. “This will go fast. I can’t sustain momentum. ”
She was lost to the madness he created. “Then make it unforgettable.” Her knuckles were white as she gripped the high-backed wooden frame of the sofa.
A low moan released from her when he slammed into her.
“This is… this is… Oh please, don’t be gentle.
I don’t want that from you right now.” At least then her thoughts surrounding him might solidify.
“But a gentleman should never—”
As if this was the stance of a gentleman! “For the love of everything holy, Barrington, claim me as if we’ve run out of time.” Then she went silent, biting her bottom lip, for his next push nearly hurtled her over the edge toward bliss.
“Fuck, there’s a part of me that really wants to make you beg.”
A new round of heat went through her for a far different reason. “Perhaps another time.” Would he not get on with it?
“A promise for certain.” But he soon found a rhythm, dug his fingers into her hips for greater purchase, and apparently set out to send her to the heights of pleasure with alacrity and conviction.
Over and over, he slammed into her, giving her exactly what she’d asked him for.
It was heady stuff, addicting as researching ancient worlds, perhaps even better, and she couldn’t have enough.
“I need more,” she gasped, lifting her head, and looking at him from over her shoulder.
Pure pleasure lined his face, and he was the most handsome man she’d ever seen.
“I want to feel all of you, unabandoned and without restraint.”
He renewed his grip on her hips, yanking her toward him, and she pushed back to feel the full effect of him inside her.
“Yes, Barr, yes!”
Deeper he stroked. Faster he moved while the thunder growled.
This coupling had nothing to do with emotions or thoughts of the future.
It was raw, real, and based only in mutual need and primal passion.
The sound of flesh hitting flesh echoed in her ears blending with the sound of the rain against the windows.
Her breasts bounced from the exercise. Heat engulfed her and still he thrust while she bucked her hips against him, meeting each one with her own power, which sent him ever deeper.
When he snaked his free hand around her hips to rub his fingers over her button, her control shattered. “Yes, hurry!”
“What the devil do you think I’m doing?” He followed the question by a series of deep, oh so impossibly deep and hard, teeth-shatteringly hard thrusts that sought to separate her soul from her body. “Cate, please…”
“I’m there.” White light moved up to meet her as she fell over the edge and tumbled, hurtled really, into an intense release.
A keening cry pulled from her throat, and she was so glad the servants weren’t in residence.
It was all she could do to hold onto the back of the sofa as he continued to spear into her.
Her core convulsed frantically around his member.
Seconds later, Barr hit release in spectacular fashion, for he shouted out her name, buried himself in her passage while tugging her tight to his body.
His shaft jerked and pulsed, and her body milked him dry.
Dear God, they couldn’t keep doing this, for there was most certainly a risk to her especially if they never took precautions, but oh, despite the worry she wouldn’t trade these moments for any sort of security.
“Bloody hell that was powerful, almost bordered on madness,” he whispered and wrapped his arms around her. His breathing was as ragged as hers. “I had no idea I could come that splendidly.”
Oh, he was adorable. So easily she could—Don’t even think it, Cate!
“Agreed. You nearly killed me.” She laughed, but it was a shaky affair.
Exhaustion clung to the sound. “It was quite wonderful, and I rather think you’ve spoiled me for anyone else.
” It was as close as she could go to admitting to feelings she couldn’t begin to puzzle out at the moment.
A soft growl issued from him. “Good, because I don’t believe I could share.
” The duke pulled away, severing their intimate connection.
Immediately, she missed his warmth, his solid form against hers.
Then he collapsed onto the sofa with her, arranging their bodies so that they laid next to each other.
Cate drooped beside him, curled into his body as residual tremors still flitted through her form. “Thank goodness it’s a Sunday.” As much as she enjoyed that coupling, there had to be more to her existence than sex and slaking carnal need with this man.
No matter how satisfying.
For both of them.