Page 20 of Loved by a Duke

L ord Rex, Duke of Smythington

Eleanor and I entered the Stratham Hotel, the fabric of her cloak billowing as a stray wind blew the material. She’d been quiet since leaving Harry at Knutchester. My own feelings mimicked hers. Leaving my son behind had been heart-wrenching. We had strategically planned our outing with Flynn to take our minds off Harry. He was out in the world, and although we wanted to coddle him, there was no way we could guard him for the rest of his life.

Flynn waited for us in the lobby. My heart began to race with anticipation for the upcoming night. I clasped him on the shoulder in greeting, the heat of his body infiltrating my gloved hand. “I hope you haven’t been waiting long.”

“No, not at all. Our suite is ready. Shall we go up?” He led the way to the elevator without waiting for a response. With a smile, we followed him inside the lift. The operator nodded and closed the doors, the smell of oil and metal mingling with polished wood.

“Did you see Harry situated?” Flynn asked.

“Yes, he met his professors and his fellow dormitory mates.” The look on Harry’s face as we toured the school concerned me. I was overly protective of him for a reason. However, I couldn’t protect him forever. The school had teachers to watch out for the students, and Atticus was nearby in case of an issue. Eleanor and I had debated getting private rooms for Harry, but we wanted him to make friends. Locking himself away wouldn’t be conducive to a social life.

“I know it is difficult, but you needn’t fret about Harry. His brother will look out for him,” Flynn said, reading my mind. His dark hair was brushed from his wide forehead. Expectation rested in his eyes.

“Harry has already made a friend, some young chap named Lloyd,” I said. Between Flynn and Eleanor, it was a wonder I had any secrets. It came from years of proximity to both of them. I’d confided many secrets to Flynn throughout our friendship. As an earl and a duke, few of our peers understood the pressures we were under.

Eleanor nodded. “He seems a very agreeable boy.”

The elevator stopped with a jolt and we stepped into a well-appointed hallway. A liveried servant stood at the door to our left and opened it to reveal a handsome suite. “Welcome to the Stratham,” he said. He didn’t address us by our titles, which gave me confidence that the staff was discreet.

“Thank you.” Eleanor blushed and fiddled with the string of her reticle before entering with Flynn.

“What is your name, my good man?” By her reaction, I had to find out if this was the mysterious Guy. He was attractive enough I supposed, with his slicked back hair and blue eyes. My jealousy was unfounded, yet I had to know.

If he thought it was strange I asked, it didn’t show on his narrow face. “Withers. I will be your personal butler.”

Flynn offered me a curious glance, and I shrugged. “Thank you, Withers.”

Eleanor merely smiled, the lines around her mouth strained. I had hoped our encounter in the carriage would alleviate some of her tension. The air seemed to sizzle with expectation. I was anxious for the night to begin and could tell by the way Eleanor rushed into the room that she was of the same mind. The sooner we could lose ourselves in passion’s embrace, the quicker our minds would be otherwise occupied.

Withers gave us a tour of the suite, which had connecting rooms. Flynn’s mirrored ours, the bed draped with identical golden brocade. The bed was turned down, ready for us to slip into the welcoming softness. My breath quickened with the mere thought of what would soon transpire there.

“If you need anything, simply ring the bell.” Withers bowed his way out. The soft click of the lock was loud in the expectant silence.

My hand on the small of her back, I guided my wife to the fireplace where a warm fire roared in the grate. A bottle of champagne was on a side table in the sitting room, along with various cheeses and fruits. The weather had turned blustery. Inside, the room seemed warm and inviting. “Eleanor, a maid is waiting for you in the dressing room. The hotel boasts an updated water closet and courtesy toilet items for their guests.”

“I am curious to see what they have to offer.” She licked her lips, hesitancy in her stance. While she had been enthusiastic about our outing, this was all new to us.

“Before you go, I have one request.” I lifted her chin and stared deep into her eyes. “Within these four walls, you will try to put your uncertainties behind you. Nobody understands your worries more than I do. We deserve this.”

“Worries? What worries?” A flush brushed her cheeks, and a warm glow seemed to radiate from her. Like me, she was excited to experience more of the magic Flynn had wrought in the study. Hips swaying, she went through the dressing room door. She looked over her shoulder one last time, a sensual smile playing around her mouth. “I will return posthaste.”

Flynn turned to me as the door closed with a soft click. With a grin, he began helping me remove my coat, his mouth on my neck. “I will act as your manservant since I can’t wait to strip you down.”

“I can’t wait to be stripped down.” I exhaled and allowed my head to fall on his shoulder. A world of pressure waited for me. Tonight, I’d take my own advice. I had been anticipating our coupling since we first settled on a date, and didn’t want to ruin the experience.

“Before we get too far lost, I have news I wanted to share with you.” Flynn’s jaw hardened and his eyes turned from sultry to chips of ice. “I heard from the board at the conservatory, and they have rejected Eleanor’s application.”

All thoughts of seduction left me, and I turned to look at him. Perhaps it was na?ve to think our troubles could be ignored for long.

“Did they give a reason why?” I asked.

“She exceeds the age limit for students to enroll.” He unbuttoned his coat, the black material accenting his broad frame. Grim lines creased his brow. “I am sorry.”

I glanced at the door while removing my own coat, my stomach sinking. Eleanor would be back at any moment, and I wanted this conversation to be behind us. I wanted to protect her from the news. She’d had a hard enough time as it was today with leaving Harry at school. “That’s preposterous. She is so talented.”

“She is, and after I spoke to them, I asked if there was anything I could do to change their mind.” He began to pull the shirttails from his trousers, exposing the line of his belly where a dark trail of hair trailed to his cock. “They said they were willing to allow her to be an honorary student at the school, not an actual student. They also want a generous donation and the ability to use her name while fundraising.”

“She won’t like that answer.” I gripped the back of my neck, unable to fathom what I would tell Eleanor. My first inclination was to say yes. I also recalled how adamant she was that I not fix her problems. I debated the best course of action. She had been quiet and withdrawn before finally telling me about applying to the conservatory. Since then, her demeanor had much improved. “I think you should agree. She’ll never find out. If she does, she might initially be upset. I wholeheartedly believe she belongs there.” Flynn removed his shirt to expose his wide chest. He skimmed a finger down my jaw, his eyes turning a sultry brown. “I don’t think you have a choice. You’ve admitted she’s been miserable. With Anne, Atticus, and Harry gone, it might get worse.”

Eleanor returned in a blue kimono with the hotel logo embossed on the lapel. Her ginger hair fell in a riot of curls over her shoulders, the color bringing out her eyes. She never looked more stunning, but she carried an air of sadness around her.

Flynn was right. I had to do this for her. Lowering my voice, I said, “Fine, make it happen. She can’t know she’s only an honorary student. It must appear as if she is a regular student.” I might regret overstepping my bounds later, but I would do anything to make her smile again.

“I will.” Flynn swept his mouth across mine before turning to look at Eleanor. “You look stunning.”

“Thank you. This kimono is quite lovely and very decadent.” She skimmed her gaze over Flynn’s naked chest and licked her lips. Delicate fingers ran down the rich silk, her skin pale against the opulent color. “Is that champagne?”

“It is. I ordered the bottle since Eleanor doesn’t drink strong spirits.” Flynn uncorked the bottle, the muscles of his forearms flexing. The champagne overflowed from the pressure, running down his hand and arm. Over the years I had seen him shirtless on numerous occasions. Flynn wasn’t the modest sort. Nor had I ever admitted to him or myself that I admired the breadth of his chest. Responsibility and grief had blurred that time in my life. It wasn’t until I married that things became stable. Our night crossed my mind. It never stayed far from it.

Eleanor laughed and grabbed the cloth from the nearby table. To see her smiling was heartening. She helped him clean up the wine dripping down the bottle, their hands touching. The two of them standing together ignited my blood. He leaned in and kissed her smiling mouth before pulling reluctantly away. “Rex will pour the champagne. I have something I need to take care of quickly.”

“You are leaving?” she asked with a frown.

“Only for a few minutes. I have to grab something from my room.” He cast a pointed look in my direction.

I nodded at his silent message. For Eleanor’s happiness, he would send a response to the board to expedite her enrollment. “I will pour the champagne. Don’t dawdle,” I teased so I wouldn’t trigger Eleanor’s suspicions further on why he had to leave suddenly.

“I promise to return posthaste.” Flynn offered a wry wink and sauntered out of the room.

“Would you like a glass of champagne?” I turned to Eleanor and traced a fingertip down the vee in her kimono that exposed her smooth skin. She had forgone a night rail, the gown unnecessary for our plans for the evening.

She shook her head, her palm gliding down my belly to the waistband of my trousers. “I would like a kiss.”

“I think I can accommodate that.” With a sultry grin, I slid my arm around her waist and brought her tight against my torso. Angling my chin, I swept my lips across hers in a gentle dance of seduction. We were in no rush, and I planned to savor every moment with her.

My hands moving down her smooth back, I cupped her bottom. I hadn’t been given the privilege of touching her at my whim. She curled into me, her hips flush with mine. I wanted to bed her, yet I wanted to pleasure her more. I moved my lips to the underside of her jaw, intending to work my way down her body.

“That is lovely,” she said, sifting her fingers through my hair. I kissed my way to her chest, the kimono gaping at the neck. With a gentle tug, it parted further, giving me access to a breast peeking out from the fabric. She moaned at the first sweep of my tongue across her nipple.

For twenty years I longed to explore my passions with her, and I was grateful she was allowing me the privilege. I opened the sash on the kimono. My love for her had been strong since the moment I laid eyes on her. The sultry scent of woman and roses would forever remind me of Eleanor. Dropping to one knee, I began to part her robe to reveal her belly when she stilled. She stared down at me, her bottom lip between her teeth. I forced myself to smile at her. Twenty years of repression wouldn’t leave in an evening. “Would you rather leave it on?”

“I, um, well.” She closed her eyes and shook her head. “I am no longer seventeen and I, well, I have scars.”

“This body gave me three wonderful children.” I pressed kisses to her belly, each faded scar a badge of honor. “An honor I don’t think I ever thanked you for. So here I am, kneeling before you, asking you to forgive me for my lapse.”

“You have thanked me a million times over.” A tear drifted down her cheek before she wiped it away, her smile wavering. She bent down and met my kiss halfway. “But I accept your gratitude.”

The sound of footsteps and the creaking of the door interrupted us. She stood, panic in her eyes, before Flynn entered wearing a grin of envy, his hands moving to his waistband. “I see you two started without me.”

“Indeed, please join us.” I turned back to the task of seducing my wife. I slipped one finger between her legs, the tip coming away wet with her need. Flynn moved beside her, his arms circling her waist. She turned her head to catch his mouth.

My nipples constricted, and I watched them with keen intent. She pulled away and glanced down at me uncertainly.

“Don’t stop on my account. This is what we are here for, to enjoy ourselves.”

Nodding, she laid her head on his shoulder, her mouth parting, head slanting to be closer to him.

Eager to see to her needs, I parted her slick folds with my thumbs, revealing her engorged cleft to my hungry gaze. While I had performed this service for her only once before, I was excited to do so again. She had been very responsive in the study and I wanted to hear her sweet moans. I slid my tongue along her slick skin, drawing it into my mouth. She bucked into me, her kiss with Flynn increasing in passion. From my vantage point, I could see their tongues intertwining. I applied myself with more vigor. Our anniversary was a turning point for us, and I was pleased that our fight had been resolved. She said she hadn’t felt needed, but I don’t think I could survive without her. I slid my finger into her body, her inner muscles clenching it.

Flynn cupped her breasts in his large hands, his thumbs pleasuring her while he continued kissing her with slow, heated kisses that fired my blood even more. The heat in the room seemed to swell with my ever-growing need, and I cursed the tightness of my trousers. I had wanted to remove all of my clothing but had refrained for Eleanor’s sake. Or perhaps my own. I wasn’t outgoing like Flynn or without inhibitions.

I continued to lick and suck on her nub, her hips moving with more speed. Flynn held her upright, the veins on his forearm standing out and his hair-roughened arm dark against her pale skin. With a strangled cry, Eleanor gripped his arm, her nails biting into his skin. Arching her back, she pushed her hips into my mouth. I continued my seduction until she sagged in Flynn’s arms.

Satisfied with the results of my efforts, I climbed to my feet. Heart racing and my cock throbbing with need, I met Flynn’s darkened stare before smiling at Eleanor, who looked drunk on passion.

“Shall we adjourn to the bedroom?” he asked, lifting her in his arms.

“Flynn,” she squeaked and threw her arms around his neck, her face and chest a rosy hue. With a throaty laugh, she nodded. “Rex, will you bring me a glass of champagne? I am parched from, well, from our activity.”

“Champagne sounds just the thing,” Flynn echoed. He turned on his heel and went into the bedroom. I poured three glasses, my body still on high alert. After drinking down mine, I refilled it. During our last row on the lake, I stressed the importance of being cognizant of her modesty to Flynn. Truth be told, I wasn’t completely confident myself. I had a cautious nature and reminded myself that losing one’s inhibitions didn’t simply happen overnight.

I had given in to my desires thus far, and promised Flynn to remain open-minded. At this juncture, I was willing to allow him to take the lead and rely on his greater expertise. Tonight, everything would change again, and we would be coming full circle from our Oxford days. Only this time, Eleanor was in the mix and we would forge new memories together.

Eleanor and I deserved this time to follow our passions without recriminations or constraints. The moment we crossed the threshold, I was no longer the Duke of Smythington. I was simply Rex, a man who wanted to explore his desires with those he loved.