Page 79 of Claiming his Cursed Duchess

“Very well, man, you have your orders. Under no circumstances must you be caught. Is that understood?”

“Understood.”

Adam watched Silas leave, the blood coursing through his being as his desire returned, his eyes flicking upward to the ceiling.

Now, I must see to my wife.

Chapter Twenty-Six

“Finally,” Adam shut the door to the bedroom and pulled Rosaline in closer as soon as she approached him.

She allowed herself to be pulled into him. Never before had he kissed her so passionately.

“All to myself,” he murmured between kisses.

Swiftly, he pressed her against the wall, pinning her with hands and hips.

When she reached up to pull him closer, he grabbed her hands, pinning them above her head before kissing her more deeply still.

“Keep them there,” he said darkly, his eyes twin pools of lust.

She obeyed, staying still as his hands roamed her body, tracing over the seams of her dress. He just barely brushed his fingers across the bits of exposed skin where fabric met flesh, at her bosom, her neck, her wrists, until she could hardly keep still anymore.

“If you are having difficulty figuring out how best to take off my gown,” she said, making her tone as sweet as possible, “I am certain I would be happy to give you some help.”

His eyes darkened even further at that. “I will manage just fine,” he replied, before all but tearing the fabric off of her.

Layer by layer, dress and stays and shift alike, his dexterous hands nimbly untied and undid and lifted off of her body with such hunger, she found herself almost shaking with desire from the slight brushes of his hand alone.

“There,” he said, a wolfish smirk spreading over his face, “that is much, much better.”

The air was cool against her newly bared skin. She longed to do the same to him, but remained mindful of his order to keep her hands above her on the wall.

Rosaline looked up at him through her lashes. “This seems rather unfair,” she said. “Quite unequal. Am I not to be allowed to return the favor?”

“You thought that was a favor to you?” he said. “No, my dear: it was entirely selfish. I want to enjoy the sight of my ravishingly tempting wife, after a long and difficult day of being denied such a sight.”

“Oh, such a long and difficult day,” she cooed. “Was it really? Was the powerful Duke of Oldstone tortured by the mere presence of one woman?”

“You underestimate your own power, sweetheart,” he said.

“Not at all, husband,” she began almost arrogantly, but sucked in a sharp inhale as he ran his hand up along her thighs, stroking up towards that most sensitive of places.

“Were you going to say something?” Adam asked, his smirk triumphant.

God, but his hand felt good between her legs.

“No?” he taunted and she shook her head.

Within a few moments, she found her thighs beginning to tremble; but every time she bucked slightly into his fingers, his other hand pressed against her hips, holding her in place against the wall.

Above her head, her fingers twitched.

“You look so pretty. All flushed from pleasure. I want to keep you looking like this all day and night, wife,” he whispered into her ear, his velvety voice caressing her head, sending even more shivers down her spine.

When he finally kissed her again, it was a great relief to be able to touch him at all. They mouthed at each other hungrily, lips and tongue exploring those of the other. Combined with the steady rhythm of his hand against her sex, it was only a matter of time before she was moaning, writhing against him, approaching that edge.

“Yes, that’s it, darling,” Adam mumbled into her collarbone.