Page 29 of Her Rogue of a Duke

"Divine..." she confessed, her words escaping in a breathless rush. "I feel so full… so alive."

"Perfect," Joshua murmured. "Now, let's see if we can make you feel even more alive."

With that, Joshua shifted his hips, aligning his hardness against the slick folds of her sex. He began to grind against her, each movement sending delicious friction throughout their bodies. Francesca gasped at the contact, her hands clutching at his sculpted thighs beneath the water.

Soon, she felt that familiar tightening begin to take hold deep in her belly. She knew she was getting closer to that release she was growing so desperate for. She wanted it… wanted to experience that blinding bliss again. At the same time, though, she did not want this to end so soon. She did not want to lose Joshua’s touch or the heat of his body against hers.

Francesca found herself wishing this intimate moment would stretch on endlessly. She longed for more – more of Joshua and his exhilarating touch, and more of the tender aftercare, the sweet nothings whispered in the aftermath. It was so strange. Not long ago, she could hardly stand the sight of the man, yetnow she was coming to crave him in ways she did not yet fully understand.

“Joshua,” she moaned again, her body clinging to his with one arm. “I… I feel like…”

“What is it?” he urged in a hushed tone. “Tell me what you feel.”

“Like I am about to come undone…” she breathed.

“Are you afraid?”

Afraid?Why would she be? Francesca was far beyond fear, lost in a sea of sensation. “No,” she whispered back. “No, I am not afraid.”

“Why not?”

Another strange question.What was he trying to get her to say?

“Why are you asking me this?” she gasped, as he quickened his pace, both his arms wrapping around her torso.

“Because you are being honest,” he answered with a groan. “More honest than you would usually be with me.”

She did not want him to keep asking her questions. He was only distracting her. Francesca tilted her head and pressed her lips to his, kissing him to keep him from saying anything else.He kissed her back, but he nipped at her bottom lip as if in retaliation for dodging his question. She grinned and gave him a quick squeeze, causing him to hiss out a breath.

“Vixen,” he growled. She might have giggled if she had been able to breathe properly.

His hand moved even faster and she followed suit. Soon, she was rushing toward her peak, the pleasure so great, she arched her back and released a low cry, trying, with little avail, to stifle the noise from her throat before it could escape. Light exploded behind her eyelids and her body shook and trembled as wave after wave of ecstasy crashed through her.

Joshua was not far behind her. He released a harsh snarl and jerked his hips up beneath her. Francesca let out a gasp as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight against his chest, his body shuddering.

Silence settled between them for several moments and Francesca listened to the steady beat of his heart. It began to lull her and relax her. Soon, her eyelids grew heavy. She was on the verge of falling asleep right there, in the wash tub, in Joshua's arms.

As if he could read her mind, Joshua whispered, “It is all right. Rest. I will make sure nothing happens to you.”

It was a little strange how much comfort she took in his words. There was a little voice in the back of her head telling her to get up and get away. What they were doing was too risky. Theyhad already pushed their luck far enough, and if they lingered any longer, their chances of getting caught would only increase exponentially. However, she simply could not make her body care. It was far too relaxed. Far too content. It simply did not wish to move, and she did not have the strength, nor desire, to force it.

With a soft exhale, she gave in to Joshua's words and her own body's compliance and let her eyes fall close. Soon enough, she felt the pull of sleep come over her, and she did not resist it this time.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Joshua was jolted awake, unaware of having dozed off with Francesca in the tub. He paused, not certain what it was that had woken him so suddenly, but the next moment, he heard a loud knock. It was coming from the outermost door of the bedchamber, and a realization dawned on him just then—it was not locked. Anyone could walk into the room at any moment, and he had left the bath chamber door wide open.

A third knock roused Francesca from her slumber. She blinked up at him, momentarily confused, but then her eyes widened with realization and alarm.

“It must be the maid!” she hissed, pushing off his chest, causing water to splash everywhere. “She cannot catch us like this!”

She scrambled to get out of the tub. Joshua noticed her wince as she put weight on her left foot and recalled her ankle injury from the park. Was it still hurting her? He sat up, concern mounting in him. He reached out to offer her support, but shemoved too swiftly. Before he could catch her, she was out of reach. Gathering a nearby towel, she wrapped it around herself in haste.

Turning to him, she snapped, “Stay here and don’t make a sound. I will go take care of this.”

Before Joshua could respond, she was already out of the door, shutting it behind her frantically. He quietly exited the bath, taking care not to make any noise. He dried himself with another towel and picking his clothes up from the floor, he began to dress.

When he was decent, he took a moment to straighten out the blue gown he had brought for Francesca, shaking the skirts to smooth out the creases. Alone, he had time to think about all that had happened between them. He had not intended for their… relationship to escalate again. He was not sure what had possessed him to enter the bath chamber, but he had expected her to scream and chase him out.