Chapter Four #3
In fact, the dratted man kept her poised on the razor’s edge, pinning her there again and again with every penetrating stroke of his tongue, each calculated nibble, every new torment of suction on that swollen button until she squirmed in his hold and prayed for some sort of relief.
And it was the most glorious thing she’d ever experienced, made her forget all sorts of things… if only for that moment.
“Oh, oh, oh…” Her body shook; the relentless pressure in her lower belly built and coiled and stacked. Fearing she would break apart, Eloise squirmed, but he gripped her thighs tighter to keep her in place.
When he chuckled against her flesh, it was almost the end of her, but he kept on as if his only mission in life was to send her flying.
“Your Grace!” Eloise shook as tears of pleasure and wonder rolled down her cheeks. Her back arched of its own accord, which put her deeper into his care. “I am going to break.”
“That is the purpose of this exercise.” Then he followed the comment with a particularly strong bit of suction.
“Ah!” A half-muffled scream left her throat, for it was so incredibly glorious.
When she shattered, it felt as if her whole world had been shaken, fractured, and then fell in pieces upon the floor to be put back together later when she was sane.
That release was her first and it took her by such surprise that she continued to cry for a multitude of reasons.
The duke glanced at her, found her gaze, but she was barely aware as she floated in a realm beyond Earth. “Why do I feel as though this is uncharted territory for you?” When she didn’t answer—couldn’t—he chuckled. “I’m selfish, so I demand that you come again for me.”
That took a bit of the edge from the waves washing over her. “You can’t control me like that.”
“Ha. I can do what I like.” Despite the fact her body shook as if she’d shoot right off the bed and into the heavens, James lowered her to the bed then continued to worry her swollen, hypersensitive nubbin.
“Let’s see how else you respond to me.” When he inserted two fingers into her convulsing passage, pumping them in and out, she bucked against his hand while imagining those fingers were his length spearing into her.
“Dear God,” she managed to gasp out as she tugged on her bonds. “How…?”
“I have an instinct.” Then he twisted those digits to massage a spot on her spasming flesh that completely separated her soul from her body.
Truly, she assumed she would expire right there.
“James!” The word was long and drawn out in a keening wail that was probably audible to any servant passing in the corridor.
Thinking was beyond her as Eloise hurtled over the edge where her breath stalled, and she was rendered temporarily unable to move.
Her thighs trembled in time to her racing pulse, while over and over flutters ran riot through her core as strong contractions rocked through her.
Finally, the duke withdrew his fingers and pulled away.
She could do nothing else but collapse against the pillows, wilting with her wrists secured above her head.
“I adore responsive women, haven’t had one in a long time.” There was no mistaking the smugness in his voice, the approval even. “Too many women are taught not to make any noise during carnal play.”
“I…” She tossed her head, tried to summon her anger against him once more. Sweat dampened her brow and upper lip. There was no energy form thoughts let alone words.
“This has been an interesting and productive introduction.” Once more he straddled her waist. She assumed he’d make her suck him off, for the outline of his impressive and quite hard erection was visible even against the navy breeches, but he didn’t demand anything else from her.
He merely untied her then removed himself from her person.
Forcing herself into action, Eloise scrambled from the bed putting it between them even as her legs had the strength of cooked porridge.
Yes, that session was beyond anything she could have hoped for, and she was annoyed that her body had betrayed her, but something like this couldn’t be allowed to happen again.
Not with this man who exuded power and danger with an edge of vulnerability and loneliness that she had to harden herself against. She did not want them to have anything in common.
“I despise you.”
“Good. I’m not fond of you either.” When he raked his gaze up and down her body to linger on her breasts that still hung out of her torn bodice, his eyes darkened.
A muscle in his cheek ticced, and his voice was a growl as he came around the bed and cornered her against the wall once more.
What had happened in his life to make him like this?
“I’m glad to hear it. There is no need for us to find a friendship.” Being in his immediate presence again made her breathless. Trembles played her spine anew.
“Friendship, no, but carnal relationship? To share a mutual fuck now and again? Absolutely.”
“Pig.” When Eloise lifted a hand to slap him, for that was a direct insult, he caught her wrist. Once she struggled, he yanked her forward away from the wall and wrenched her arms behind her back.
“Let me go.” Why did the scrape of her sensitive nipples against his lawn shirt make her crave his touch all over again?
“Not likely. We are engaged, did you forget?” Anger shadowed his eyes, but there was something else there she refused to acknowledge, for then she might have to recognize it in herself as well.
“That was for show and you know it.”
He shook his head. “I can’t return to London until that gossip dies down, but society expects me to wed you.”
She snorted. Though she struggled in his hold, there was something… freeing about being held captive. It focused her thoughts, didn’t allow room for excuses. “You don’t seem like the type of man who cares one whit about society.”
“I don’t, and until yesterday, I wished to leave this mortal coil.
” He brought her closer to his body. “However, you have proved an unexpected distraction, and I wish to know why.” Before she could respond, he claimed her lips with his in an intense, demanding kiss, no doubt to force her into submission.
And oddly, she desperately wanted to give him that. At the back of her mind, deeply stuck in instinct, she knew he would protect her. But she fought against the kiss because that is what she expected of herself, what she should do with any man, because they couldn’t be trusted.
Except the duke was talented in kissing.
She tasted herself on his lips and it was queerly titillating.
Add to that, she was curious about why he wished to kill himself.
Besides, there was a certain longing in his eyes she couldn’t puzzle out, a vulnerability about him as if he was silently asking for help even if he didn’t know it.
Could such a man have truly killed Jean-Claude? Suddenly, there was doubt where there had never been before.
Yet she needed to show him that she wouldn’t let him boss her, engaged or not. Quickly surging to her toes, Eloise bit his bottom lip.
Immediately, Blackhawke softened his approach as well as his hold on her wrists, and it was so breathtaking she could easily lose herself in that kiss, but until she could figure out if he’d truly killed Jean-Claude, they needed to remain enemies.
With a small grunt, she drove a knee into the soft organ between his legs.
When he groaned and then doubled over clutching himself, she pushed him away from her.
“I will not be a kept woman or a prisoner or a plaything. Once you realize that and can be a gentleman, you can request my companionship again.”
“You are not to give me orders!” he managed to roar as he stumbled to the door and wrenched it open. “I’m a duke, damn it!”
“Then you know what is at stake.” Eloise shrugged.
“If you want me, you’ll find a way to control your beastly side.
Until then, take yourself in hand because you won’t touch me again without meeting a blade or a ball.
I can promise you that.” Shaking with reaction, she slammed the door and promptly dissolved into tears.
What now?