Page 14 of Second Duke's the Charm

This man certainly knew what he was doing.

Little by little his kisses became more urgent, fusing them together, drawing her into a dizzying swirl of black and red. He pressed against her, heavy and hard, so overwhelmingly male that it thrilled her to her bones.

Tearing his lips from hers, he placed a scorching row of kisses down the side of her neck and across her collarbone, and Tess tilted her head back against the door to give him better access. The light, scratchy stubble on his cheeks raised goose bumps on her skin.

His low groan mirrored her own longing perfectly.

“God, Scarlet, tell me you want more than kissing.”

The roughness in his voice, his fervency, was her undoing. Tess struggled to catch her breath, to muster any semblance of sanity, but her entire body was clamoring for his touch, for more of the delicious heat he was kindling so effortlessly.

How was it possible for two strangers to be so attuned? For her body to react in such a way? It had never happened before, and it made absolutely no sense, but she didn’t care. If this was madness, then she was happily destined for Bedlam.

“More,” she whispered. “Please.”

He didn’t wait for further encouragement. His mouth slid to the top of her breasts, shamefully exposed by the outrageous dress, and she gasped as he gave her skin a playful bite, then soothed it with his tongue.

And then his hand slid inside the low bodice and her mouth fell open as he cupped her breast.

Dear Lord, what a sensation!His fingers gently squeezed her while his hot mouth feathered kisses lower and lower. And then her nipple wasin his mouth, and the swirling of his tongue and the faint suction of his lips made her belly quiver.

Oh, this was wicked!

“Touch me.” His rough demand pulled her from her dazed languor. “Put your hands on me. Please.”

Tess blinked. Touch him where? His face? His chest?

He caught her hand and drew it down between them, pressing her fingers to the front of his breeches, and she let out a shocked breath as she felt the rock-solid length of him beneath the cloth.

Touch him there?Oh, God, she hadn’t the faintest idea what to do.

But she wanted to.

Thankfully, he didn’t seem to notice her hesitation. Asshe tugged off her gloves, he unbuttoned his falls with unhurried dexterity. And then she felt him: hot, velvety flesh against her palm. Her fingers closed around him automatically, and he uttered a growl of pleasure against her neck.

“Yes, Scarlet. Exactly like that.”

Fascinated, aroused, Tess encircled him; her fingers only just touched.

With an impassioned curse he placed his hand over hers, molding her to his length, and her eyes widened in amazement as he began to move their joined hands up and down in a fiendish rhythm. His big body moved, hips rocking into her touch, as he released his grip to let her continue on her own.

Tess could scarcely believe what she was doing. She couldn’t see anything in the jumble of clothes between them, but she couldfeel: soft skin sliding over ridged muscle and a slippery wetness on her fingers. It was astonishing.

His hoarse moan was breathed against her lips. “That’s so good.”

A heady feeling of elation filled her. She felt like she’d just solved one of the great mysteries of the universe.Her touch was giving him pleasure! He liked this!

“Slow now. Slowly. That’s my girl.”

With a muffled groan he caught her hand again, guiding her, and with three more strokes his body convulsed against hers. His face pressed into her neck and his free hand gripped her hair almost painfully as he shuddered, jerking in her hands.

For one brief, delicious moment he leaned against her, utterly spent and oddly vulnerable. His breathing was harsh, as if he’d run a race, and she felt a surge of satisfaction that she’d produced such a result in such a man.

And then he hissed out a long, satisfied sigh.

“Bloody Hell, Scarlet. That was—” He swallowed, as if trying to find the right words. “Not what I’d planned, actually. But good. So good.” He pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder. “I apologize.” His gravelly voice held a rueful laugh as he tucked himself back into his breeches. “I never meant to do that alone. You got the better of me.”

Tess held back a laugh of delight. “No need to be sorry.”