Page 21 of Her Rogue of a Duke
“I… I don’t want to stop,” she murmured softly.
Joshua held her gaze for a long moment. “Are you certain? You do realize what you are saying, yes?”
She nodded. “Yes… yes, I think.”
That was all the confirmation Joshua needed. He closed the gap between them, swooping in on her and capturing her lips in a fierce kiss, his body pressing hers firmly against the bookshelf.
Francesca could not understand the sudden rush of emotions that overtook her, but she knew one thing: she didn't want the Duke to stop. She wanted more of his caresses, more of his lips.
She simply wantedmore.
As he pinned her body between his and the bookshelf, she felt heat exploding deep within her belly. It quickly spread, warming her blood and melting her entirely into his embrace.
With one hand, her hips were claimed entirely by his fingernails, branding her soft skin. His other tenderly cradled her cheek, guiding her through the kiss.
His lips slanted over hers and she wrapped her arms around the nape of his neck, clinging to him for dear life. The blanket around her shoulders fell away, and she felt the one wrapped around her body begin to loosen. Before she could make a move to react, it became untucked entirely and slipped to the floor.
In an instant, Francesca found herself bared before him, and her first instinct was to cover herself with her arms. But it clashed with the desire to not break her fervent kiss with the Duke. The feel of his cool fingers gliding up and down her exposed skin sent shivers down her spine and elicited soft moans from her lips. The Duke paused, lifting his head to behold her unveiled form.
His eyes drank in her bare body. Francesca’s cheeks warmed, embarrassed, but she grew heated underneath his hungry gaze.
“You are exquisite,” he whispered, his voice a deep, resonant murmur. “Sculpted to pure perfection.”
She blinked, feeling a flush of pleasure at his words. “Do you truly believe so?”
The Duke raised his eyes to meet hers. “You are a vision, and your body a temptation that could very well become an all-consuming passion.”
Her breath caught at his bold declaration, a thrill of excitement coursing through her at the intensity of his words.
He gazed at her a moment longer, then tenderly cupped her jaw, his thumb caressing her cheek. Leaning in, he bestowed a soft, reverent kiss upon her lips.
“Will you let me show you more?” he asked in a gentle tone.
Francesca nodded, heart pounding in anticipation.
To her astonishment, he suddenly scooped her up, cradling her effortlessly into his arms. Francesca wrapped her hands around his neck as he carried her over to the settee by the crackling fireplace. Gently, he seated himself, before arranging her knees onto either side of his lap, her breasts tingling from the heat of his body, and her back, from the heat of the hearth. His knuckles brushed softly along the line of her jaw before he captured her lips in a tender, exploratory kiss. He glided his hand down her neck, fingers tracing the delicate contours of her collarbone.
“Should you wish to stop, just tell me,” he murmured softly, his voice a caress in itself.
She nodded slowly, her lips still dancing with his.
“I want you to relax,” he instructed against her lips. “Do nothing… and just bask in it all.”
Swallowing, Francesca nodded once more, before surrendering to the sensations enveloping her. Though she was a little nervous, she was equally eager to experience what he wanted to show her.
His kiss deepened, and his hand ventured to her pale, round breasts. She whimpered, and the warmth in her core burned hotter. She had never been touched like this… had never even dared to imagine what it might feel like to have a man’s hands on her in such an intimate manner. She also would never have thought the Duke of Elmcroft would be the one doing this to her.
His kiss grew aggressive as he caressed her soft flesh, his palm flicking the sensitive peak of her pink nipples. Francesca let out a sharp gasp and squirmed in his lap, feeling something hard press against her womanhood and igniting another fire in her core impossible to quench. The Duke responded with a low, primal growl.
“Take care, my lady,” he hissed. “Such movements may awaken a hunger in me that is hard to tame.”
Francesca froze and gazed at him with wide eyes.
“I am sorry,” she whispered, with a hint of innocent confusion. “I did not mean to…”
“Don’t apologize,” he reassured her with a sly grin. “It is not unwelcome, but you must understand, I am clinging to restraint by a thread. Your teasing is testing my self-control.”
She gave him a bashful smile. “I am not teasing you.”