Page 13 of The Duke and the Hellion Bride (Duchesses of Convenience #7)

Chapter Thirteen

T he kiss was explosive in ways that Diana might have expected but could never have imagined. Knowing now that Magnus wasn’t going to turn and run, she gave herself over to it, accepting him completely, wanting him to push it further because moments like this needed to be taken advantage of.

His tongue was inside her mouth. His teeth nibbling her lips. The hand that he held against her face found its way to the base of her neck, gripping it firmly but not too tight. She gasped as he pulled away, and then moaned as his tongue licked her ear and then down her neck.

For only a few seconds, although it might have been minutes, they stood in the middle of the room, wrapped around one another, kissing as if their lives depended on it.

But a kiss would not be enough, and both seemed to sense it.

Now that she had given Magnus permission, she could feel from the way he devoured her that it would take the hand of God to stop him. Both hands grabbed her waist and held her. Through the front of her dress, she could feel his manhood pressed against her. Panic suddenly struck her, a realization that she did not know what she was doing and that maybe she was in over her head...

“Magnus...” She pulled away, but he simply moved his lips to the nape of her neck. Soft, wet kisses that sent prickles all over her body. “Perhaps we should...”

“Should what?” he purred between kisses.

“We are married but... but... I do not know if...” She wasn’t even sure what she was trying to say! She wanted this. Oh, how I do . But five minutes ago she had convinced herself she hated this man, that this marriage was doomed to failure. It was a marriage of convenience and that was all! Clearly, things had changed.

Magnus pulled back, a hunger in his eyes that fought with confusion because her protests had clearly caught him by surprise. “Oh... do you not...”

“No -- I mean, yes – I mean...” She grimaced. “It is just that, I am rather new to this...” I could die of embarrassment! Her entire body turned red, and not from arousal. “And I have not had a chance to think about... about what it is that...”

To that, Magnus smiled coyly. “I would not expect anything of you, Diana. And as I said, I would never force myself on you. But perhaps...” There was a sparkle in his eyes that she did not understand but that made her heart hammer. “Perhaps if we take this one step at a time?”

“R - really? You do not mind?”

“I am in no rush.”

She felt relief wash over her, and disappointment also. A part of her almost hoped he would ignore her trepidation and take the lead. “That is... thank you.”

“However...” His hands remained around her waist. The hunger was still in his eyes. “I am also thinking that I have not treated you very well since this marriage began. If you would like, I very much wish to make it up to you.”

She frowned; her chest tight at the implication. “Make it up how...?”

Magnus did not speak. Rather, he took her hand and led her to the bed. She thought to resist, knowing she did not want to because in that moment she trusted him completely. Unimaginably turned on, craving his touch as if it was oxygen, Diana chose to let Magnus take the lead in ways he was no doubt experienced in.

He sat her down on the bed.

He then fell to his knees before her.

She gasped as his hands slowly moved to her ankles, lifting the skirt of her dress while at the same time he held her stare and licked his lips and let her see what he was going to do without having to say anything.

“Magnus...” She stammered, while spreading her legs as she knew he wanted; her thighs quivered, and she could feel the wetness between them.

“Trust me,” he said, her skirt now at her thighs. “If it is convenient for you.”

One hand moved up and pressed against her chest, forcing her onto her back. She gasped again as she lay down, her heart racing so that it hurt. Then her body began to shake as his kisses found the inside of her thighs, gentle and wet, rising higher... higher... her legs shook... her body began to writhe... she could feel how wet she had become... his tongue licked around her womanhood... she moaned... she gasped... and then she screamed.

His mouth wrapped itself around her lips and began to suck. His tongue pressed against the tip of her pleasure center. It was wet. It was messy. And dammit, it was good.

“Magnus!” she cried out as he continued to suck her. “Don’t... please... do not stop!”

“Do stop?” Magnus snapped his head up, his lips soaking wet, his eyes as hungry as ever as he drank her in.

“Wha --?” She gasped as she sat up and looked at him. “Why did you stop?”

“You asked it of me, no?”

“I did not! I said do not stop!”

“And who said that you can tell me what to do?”

She balked, thinking at first that he was being serious. “I… I am sorry. I did not mean… why are you smiling?”

“Diana,” he purred as his fingers traced up her thighs. They sent prickles of pleasure across her skin, making her shake so that she nearly fell back once more. “You may try and tell me what to do, but you must know that when we are here, I am the one who is in control.”

“Is that right?” she asked coyly, sensing now what he was doing.

“It is…” His fingers slid inside of her and she groaned, body seized by pleasure. “And so long as I am, do not dare to try and tell me what I can and cannot do.”

“And if…” She moaned as his fingers played with her. “And if I do…”

“Then I might have to stand up and leave…” He half made as if to walk away.

“No!” she cried out, then gasped because his fingers pressed inside of her. “Please…”

“Beg me…” His fingers continued to work her.

“Please,” she begged him. “Do not… do not… do not go.”

“Do you wish for me to finish?”

“Yes…”

“Will it be convenient for you?”

“God…” She fell back as waves of pleasure rolled through her. “So convenient. Please!”

“As you wish.” And then he dove his head back between her thighs.

From that moment on, he said nothing, keeping his lips on her, keeping his tongue busy, sucking and licking as her breathing rose in intensity and her body began to shake. It was unlike anything she had ever felt, any sensation she knew existed. Untold pleasure rippled down her body and washed through her so that it felt like she was on fire.

It did not take long, either.

Before she knew it, she felt... it was hard to describe. A flower blooming? A fire growing? Her insides contracting and then expanding at the same time so that her entire body felt as if it was about to burst.

“Magnus... what... what... what is.... oh, God!” She screamed again. Loudly. Eyes closed. Body spasming. Diana screamed until her throat was hoarse and then she screamed some more.

And all the while, Magnus continued to devour her. This, she thought to herself, is quite the apology indeed.

* * *

“... my mother is not as bad as you might think,” Diana said honestly.

“You do not know what I think,” Magnus laughed.

“I know what most people do,” Diana pointed out. “So, it is safe to assume you are the same.” She raised an eyebrow at him, daring him to argue. When he did not, she continued. “It has not been easy on her, having to raise so many daughters – you know what is expected, and the stress that causes.”

“Only too well,” Magnus chuckled.

“She just wants what is best,” Diana sighed. “And truly, we my fight at times... and more often than that,” she giggled. “But I do love her, and I hope she knows it.”

“Have you told her?” Magnus asked.

Diana frowned. “No... I do not think I ever have.”

“You best do so tomorrow then,” he said. “I am certain she will appreciate it. And if at the same time you wish to put in a good word for me...” He shrugged casually. “I will not mind that either.”

She laughed and slapped him playfully on the chest. He grinned at the gesture and then scooped his arm in under her. She allowed herself to be pulled in beside him, snuggling in close in a way that just an hour ago would have been unthinkable.

How quickly things change. Not that I am complaining.

It had been a strange afternoon, of that there was no doubt. When Magnus had come to the room to find Diana writing her letter to her mother and cousin, she had been certain that a fight was coming. Most strangely, he had apologized instead, had admitted fault, and most importantly had asked for a second chance.

Their marriage of convenience had gotten off to a rotten start but thanks to that singular conversation, Diana had found new hopes for it in ways that she had never imagined. What would it mean for them in the future? She still could not say. She was not even certain what she wanted. But she and the duke were being honest for the first time and that, she decided, was a good enough start.

And besides, if there was more of this afternoon in store for her... I suppose I could very much get used to it.

“What of you?” Diana asked.

“What of me?”

She rolled her eyes. “I realize that I know little of your upbringing... or much about you at all.”

Magnus shifted uncomfortably. “That is because there is not much to tell. Truly, a very boring tale.”

“Oh... well... I rather enjoy boring tales.”

“I doubt you would like this one.” Again, he shifted uncomfortably, a clear sign that this was a topic he did not wish to discuss.

Ordinarily, Diana would not push. They had come so far this afternoon that there should not have been a need. They lay together in her bed, fully clothed but still wrapped in one another’s arms. The day was young, they had so much time and their moods were piqued, why take the risk and insist that he open up?

But that was just Diana. Stubborn to a fault. Wanting to learn more about her husband. Again, neither seemed to fully understand what they expected from this marriage, and she just knew that learning more about her husband was the right place to start.

“Were you...” She hesitated. “Were you close with your father?”

Magnus stiffened. “Not particularly.”

“And your mother?”

She could feel him pulling away. “In a fashion.”

“You moved to the Americas when you were twenty, yes? I am curious, why the move? It is not every day that a duke in waiting gives up his title to travel as you did.”

He did not speak right away. Lying on his back, he stared at the ceiling, lost in a memory that she could see in his eyes brought him tremendous amounts of pain. And when she saw this in him, Diana wished she had followed her first instinct and said nothing. Still, she was learning about her husband, and this right here was a brand-new lesson.

“I think it is time we seize the day, don’t you?” Magnus pulled his arm out from under her. “Lest the staff begin to worry.”

“Magnus...” She sat up as he stood from the bed. “I am sorry. I did not mean to push.”

“Push?” He frowned at her as if he had no idea what she was talking about. “You did not such thing. I just think we best show our faces. We do not want rumor to spread,” he then added with a wink.

He was hiding something. Or running from it. Despite how far they had come, and how open she had been with him, he was clearly not ready to share with her secrets from his past. Was it because he did not trust her? Was it because he did not think she was worthy of knowing? Or was there another reason, a darker reason that she couldn’t guess at because he refused to share? If only she knew.

“I best see to the girls,” Magnus said as he strode across the room, leaving her on the bed. “Perhaps it is best if you...” He reached the door, turned back and smiled. “A bath. And that’s not to say you are dirty,” he added quickly. “Just a little sweaty. Although I take some blame for that.”

Her smile was soft. “I think you are right. Will I see you later?”

“I do not see why not.” He smiled once more and stepped through the door, closing it behind him.

Diana remained on the bed, staring at the closed door, feeling a strange mix of emotions that moved between joy because she had finally connected with her husband to despair because despite all that had happened she still felt as if there was a gulf separating them and until that gulf closed then this marriage, whatever it might be, could not progress beyond where it was.

A marriage of convenience still. Albeit, with some much-needed spice. And it was about damn time.