Page 18 of I Never Forget a Duke (The Night Fire Club #1)

She’d never seen a naked man before, but what she could see of Hugh was already striking.

He had wide shoulders and a torso that narrowed like an inverted triangle.

The rounded muscles of his arms seemed to flex as he moved.

She liked everything she saw, from the hair on his chest to the shape of his bare ankles and she wanted to touch him everywhere.

But right now, all she could think about was what was under his breeches.

She resisted the urge to touch herself and instead focused on his hands as he undid those buttons. The act probably took a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity as her heart sped up watching him slide each button through its corresponding buttonhole.

And then he moved and pushed his breeches down his legs and stood before her in all his glory. He did not look entirely as expected, but she felt flush everywhere as she gazed on him.

He climbed onto the bed with her. She was almost glad that they were no longer displaying themselves for each other. She looped her arms around his neck and kissed him, and she felt him smile against her lips.

“Does this… make you happy.”

“Immensely,” he said. “You are still sure about this?”

“Even more than I was before. But I do not know what to do.”

“Let me show you.”

He slid his hands over her body, a leisurely exploration of her curves and planes.

She was somewhat surprised when he planted kisses all over her chest and then took one of her nipples into his mouth.

She’d never expected a grown man to do something like that, but it felt so good she didn’t care.

She pushed her fingers into his hair and was surprised by how soft it was.

She was reminded that he’d given her permission to touch him wherever she wanted, so she did, feeling whatever skin she could reach.

His body was a little slick with sweat, but she was surprised again by how soft his skin felt against his hard muscle.

“How did you achieve the body of an athlete?” she asked.

He lifted his head and smiled at her. “I’m afraid I do not remember. Through any number of gentlemanly pursuits, I expect. Riding. Boxing.” He shrugged.

“I like it,” she said. “You are so strong. I feel safe with you.”

“I am very glad of that. You will always be safe with me.”

Adele put her arms around him and hugged him close to her. She did trust him. She knew he’d never do anything to deliberately hurt her; that just wasn’t in his nature. But she did not trust that her heart was safe with him. He would leave tomorrow and take her heart with him.

But that was why this moment was so important. She kissed him and was not shy about it. She touched him where she wanted to touch him. She took what she could while he was here, while he was hers.

He slid his fingers between her legs and groaned. “You are already wet.”

“Is that bad?”

“No, my dear, it is very, very good. It shows that you want me. And it will… ease the way. Here, touch me.”

He took her hand and brought it to his… member. She wrapped her hand around it and felt his warm skin there. “It is so hard,” she said.

“That is how much I want you.”

They kissed and she stroked him, tentatively at first and then with more pressure, and the tingle of her skin, the warmth in her chest, and the arousal between her legs that was so intense it bordered on pain all continued to grow.

“I cannot bear this much longer,” she said.

“Me either. Let me show you what happens next.”

She parted her thighs almost by instinct and he settled between them. They kissed and she pressed her chest against his, and then she felt the blunt head of his cock at the entrance to her body.

“Please tell me you are still certain,” he said. “Because once I push forward I cannot take it back.”

“If you do not push forward, I think I shall die.”

He laughed softly. “Yes, I know a little about that. But if you should find yourself with child…”

“There are ways to prevent that, are they not?”

“There… yes. There are.”

“I trust you.”

He began to slide inside her. He groaned as he did it. There was a brief moment of searing pain and she cried out, but her body quickly adjusted.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

Her heart cracked a little whenever he asked her if she was certain or all right. She was and she wanted this, but it touched her that he was leaving so much up to her. She felt powerful, like she was in charge, and this was on her terms. She could never regret anything they did for that reason.

“I am very all right. It feels strange but good.”

“Good. I will make it feel even better.”

He began to move, sliding in and out of her body, slowly at first and then with increasing speed. It felt like everything in her body was rushing to the space where their bodies connected.

As he moved, she touched him. She moved her hips up to meet his.

She loved the sounds he made in reaction to her.

He practically yipped when she pinched one of his nipples, but didn’t say to stop, so she reasoned he liked it.

They kissed, and with every kiss, she felt herself growing closer to him, like they were coming together to create a kind of magic.

As they moved together, she felt something building in her. She wasn’t completely sure what it was, but it was like she was moving inexorably toward some conclusion. She gasped as the pleasure spread through her body.

“Surrender to it,” Hugh whispered. “Let go.”

So she did, and it felt like her body exploded. The tingly sensation between her legs ran through her whole body and she stopped seeing or feeling anything but Hugh for a very long moment.

As her senses returned, she felt him jerk suddenly, and then he slid out of her. She felt something warm on her abdomen and looked to see him spending on her belly. She shivered, excited by the sight of that.

Hugh rolled onto his back, out of breath. But he reached for a handkerchief on the night table and gently cleaned her up.

Adele’s heart still pounded as he settled in bed beside her and pulled her into his arms.

“Did you… that is…” she started to ask.

“It was marvelous,” said Hugh. “You are marvelous.”

“I feel marvelous.”

He chuckled softly. “I hope I have not disappointed you.”

“You have not. I will remember this for a long time. Thank you, Hugh.”

“Thank you .”

She yawned, feeling sleep pulling at her. “I should return to my room.”

“Please stay a little longer. If you fall asleep, I’ll be sure to wake you before the servants do their rounds.”

She put a hand on his chest, feeling proud and brave for what she’d done.

She’d been right; this was something she needed to experience.

She often worried life was passing her by and she was missing essential experiences, but now she at least had this.

How she would live the rest of her days without experiencing it again, she did not know, but she supposed she’d have to manage.

Now, though, his warmth and his scent and the safety of his arms were lulling her to sleep, so she closed her eyes and succumbed to it.

*

Hugh felt the moment when Adele surrendered to sleep.

He’d felt it when she’d surrendered to him , too.

Lark had said Hugh hadn’t been eager to marry in his previous life, but perhaps that was because he’d never met anyone he wanted to marry.

It was true that he had not known Adele very long, but he could feel that she had depths worth exploring should they spend more time together.

And if nights with her were like this… he could still feel her tentative hands exploring his body, could feel the moment when her curiosity got the better of her and she touched him with confidence.

Something in him wanted to hold her, care for her. She’d said she felt safe with him, and pride warmed his chest. He wanted her to feel safe; he wanted to keep her safe.

Perhaps these were the thoughts of a besotted fool, but he didn’t care. He was besotted. Why shouldn’t he offer for Adele?

On the other hand, he still had not regained his memories. He had snatches, but no clear picture of who he’d been before someone had struck him on the head. Maybe he owed it to himself, to Adele, to recover his memories before he made any decisions that would impact the rest of his life.

If he could recover his memories.

She had long tresses of shining blond hair that were now splayed across his chest and pillows.

He touched the ends now, careful not to do anything to wake her.

He loved her hair, had loved running his hands through it as they’d kissed.

He loved her body, love its softness, loved the pink undertones of her skin.

He’d loved the earnest expression on her face as he’d asked him to be with her tonight, and he’d loved the ecstasy on that same face as she’d come apart in his arms.

He’d been with women before. Clearly he had. But nothing rattling around in his mind now told him he’d ever been with a woman like this . The fact that she’d come to him almost seemed remarkable.

And he’d wanted to say no. He knew it was wrong to bed a lady who might someday marry another man.

It was wrong of him to have ruined her as he had.

But he hadn’t been able to resist her, not when she’d had that earnest, pleading look on her face, not when he’d seen traces of her beautiful body below that flimsy shift and dressing gown.

It had taken every bit of strength he had to pull away from her body at the critical moment, because he’d wanted to bury himself in her and lose himself there.

She seemed certain they would not see each other after tomorrow.

So he could not risk them conceiving a child.

Nor did he want this to be the last time they lay together, because this night had been a taste but he wanted a full meal.

But did he want to marry her?

His instinct said yes, but also that he should not make a decision just yet.

He must have drifted off to sleep, because the next thing he knew, he was in bed alone. He acutely missed the feel of Adele’s body against his, but as he roused, he saw that she’d left a note on the pillow beside him.

It said: Thank you. I shall never forget this.–A

Hugh folded the note, got out of bed, and tucked the note into an inside pocket of the formal coat he’d been wearing when he arrived at this house. That seemed the safest place for it.

He looked out the window. The sun was high enough in the sky that Hugh guessed the time to be about seven in the morning.

He was excited to be going home and looking forward to seeing his mother.

He was hopeful being back in his home would help him recover his memories.

But he could not overcome the sinking feeling that he would not be seeing Adele again, and that this —this moment, this week, this woman—was perhaps the memory he needed to cling to most fervently.