Page 27 of Her Rogue of a Duke

But then, there was the undeniable memory of his body, strong and unyielding, as he came to her rescue. How heavy and powerful his hand on her waist had felt. How possessive his touch had seemed. It all made her blush, and then, as if it were only natural, her mind was irresistibly drawn back to their stolen moments in the library.

With a sigh, she let the washcloth slip from her fingers into the water and covered her face with her hands, groaning infrustration. What was she doing, thinking about that? Thinking about Joshua at all?

He was nothing but a distraction… a tantalizing distraction. And an unwelcome one at that. She did not need him stealing her attention away from her goal of finding a husband. Every second she spent lost in fantasies about him was a moment wasted on which she could be thinking about how to pursue another man.

In the wake of their unfortunate encounter at Hyde Park, Francesca had made every effort to steer clear of the Duke. Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, he had scarcely been at home in the following days, so it was not a difficult task. Out of curiosity, she had asked Mr. Warren where the Duke was spending his time. The butler had not seemed to know, or at least did well in pretending not to. That had bothered Francesca more than it should have. It almost seemed as if it was Joshua who was avoidingherwhen she was the one who should have been avoidinghim.

The nerve of him, hiding away like a coward, Francesca thought indignantly as she sank deeper into her bath, the water lapping at her chin. She could not understand the pull Joshua seemed to exert over her. She was not herself when she was with him. He brought out a side of her that was impulsive and wild. It was startling, and she just knew that it was going to land her in trouble if she was not careful.

Yet, even as these thoughts were running through her mind, she could not help but wonder where Joshua was at this very moment. Was he out with Lady Susan? That thought stirred aknot of discomfort in her stomach and a tightness in her chest. She chided herself again – his affairs were none of her concern after all. Truly, if he found interest in another lady, that would be of benefit to her. He would leave her alone, which was precisely what she wanted.

Indeed.Preciselywhat she wanted.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the washroom door and it jolted her from her musings.

Assuming it was the maid returning to help her dry up, Francesca called out without a second thought, “Come in.”

But an unusual silence followed, deepening her frown

Sitting up straighter, she spoke in a louder voice, “It is all right, you may enter.”

At last, she heard the door creak open, followed by footsteps entering the washroom. When she turned, however, it was not the young maid who had helped her prepare the bath from earlier.

It was Joshua who stood in the doorway, eyes locked on hers. In his arms, he cradled some kind of silky garment.

For a suspended moment, Francesca could only stare at him in mortified silence. Her immediate instinct was to cover herself and scream at him to get out. Even wake the entire manor ifshe deemed it necessary. Yet, words failed her as she caught the fervent hunger in his eyes. He gazed at her, not with mere desire, but with a raw, almost predatory need. As if she were a feast set out before him, an answer to a deep, unspoken craving...

This brazen display of desire sparked something within her – a bold, daring side that wanted to challenge, to tease. Tormenting him to placate the last of her irritation towards him for what he had done to her in the park. And for deliberately going out of his way to avoid her for so long.

Curling her lips into a sultry smile, heart pounding almost loud enough for him to hear it from where he stood, Francesca languidly lifted one leg out of the water, draping it over the edge of the tub in a seductive display.

“Interrupting my bath time is rather uncouth,Your Grace, unless you are planning on joining me,” she purred, before lifting her hand coquettishly over her lips, “oh dear, but imagine the scandal if we were discovered...” Her words, laced with a daring invitation, hung in the steamy air.

Joshua’s response was a charged silence, his gaze narrowing slightly as it fixed on hers. Francesca’s heart soared as she waited with bated breath to see what he might do. She intended on deterring him, having him apologize and run out squealing. Yet, a part of her, a thrill-seeking part, knew all too well that Joshua was not one to back down from such tantalizing challenges.

And truth be told, the simmering possibility that he might not choose to leave, and might take control and assert his desires… exhilarated her, if only just a little…

A low, primal growl rumbled from his throat as he began to disrobe. The silk cravat was the first to go, smoothly unraveled and discarded. His waistcoat followed in quick succession, hastily unbuttoned to unveil broad shoulders. Impatience mounting, he did not bother with the buttons of his shirt, instead ripping it away in a swift, fervent motion, baring a tight chest carved from marble. Finally, he unbuckled his breeches and stepped free of them too. By the time he reached the edge of the bathtub, he was a breathtaking vision of unadorned, masculine allure, every inch of him sculpted to perfection.

Francesca felt a rush of heat flood her veins, her pulse quickening at the sight of him. The last time they had been intimate, she had been the only one stripped bare, merely being forced to touch and imagine the carved-to-perfection muscles that lay beneath his clothes. But now, beholding his chiseled physique in its entirety, she was awestruck. His chest was wide and adorned with a trail of dark hair, and his stomach looked sculpted from stone. The muscles of his arms rippled as he leaned down and gripped the edge of the tub, and when Francesca lowered her eyes a little more, she caught sight of his manhood hanging between his legs.

Her lips parted in shock and her cheeks flushed deeply, the heat unmistakable even to Joshua.

He smirked down at her. “Don’t grow shy on me now. You didn’t think you could tease me without consequence, did you?”

Before Francesca could fully comprehend what he was going to do, Joshua stepped into the tub, his body descending over hers like a mountain. She let out a gasp but he quickly swallowed the sound with his lips, kissing her hard and without mercy. Francesca wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him as she responded to his demanding kiss. Instinct took over entirely and her body yielded to his touch, moving against his as though it had been as starving for him as he had apparently been for her. Francesca knew they should not be doing this. Not only was it highly improper, but she was still expecting her maid to return, who might easily discover them.

As much as she tried to reason with herself though, Francesca found herself unable to muster the will to resist him. His hands broke the protective surface of the water, finding her hips and gripping them possessively. Abruptly, he lifted her, maneuvering his body beneath hers until she was seated atop his lap. Straddling his thighs, she steadied herself with hands on his slick shoulders, still reeling from the sudden shift.

“Joshua! What…?”

Without a word, he cupped the side of her face, drawing her down into another deep, consuming kiss. His free arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her flush against his body. The sensation of her breasts pressing against the solid plane of his chest elicited a soft, involuntary moan from her lips.

With that, Francesca felt the insistent throb of his arousal against her belly, a firm, demanding presence. She caught her breath at the realization of its length… the thought of such strength and vigor finding a place within her seemed both daunting and wildly thrilling all the same. Yet she knew, that could not happen with Joshua – no, the risk was far too great, it was a boundary she could never allow herself to cross...

But, that did not mean she could not indulge in the pleasure he offered up until that point. They had already crossed so many lines, surrendered to so many forbidden desires. In the heat of this moment, with their wet bodies entwined and passions flaring, what reason did she have to deny the continuance of their passionate exploration?

As if answering her mind’s thoughtless whirlings, he whispered in a deep, seductive rumble, “Don’t worry. “I will not steal what is rightfully your future husband’s. Just let yourself relax and enjoy all the other pleasures I can give you.”