Page 21

After a few moments Graham pulled away. “Did you enjoy that kiss?”

Beatrice’s eyes fluttered opened, her body felt as if it was floating in warm water, relaxed and at ease. “Mmhmm. Very much so.”

Graham nodded in appreciation. “Did you know there are other ways to kiss?”

Beatrice’s brows furrowed. “How do you mean?”

The Duke’s hands once again started their journey of pushing Beatrice’s skirt up her legs.

“Why don’t you sit back, relax, and I’ll show you. In fact,” he gestured over his shoulder. “Why don’t you pay attention to the opera. I’m sure someone will ask me about it, I need to know what to tell them.”

Before Beatrice could respond, Graham dipped his head under her skirts and placed his mouth over her sex. She gasped loudly. Her body froze with her hands covering her mouth. She squeezed her thighs against the Duke’s head, hoping to stop his movement..

This time her sound didn’t go unnoticed. However, thankfully, due to the darkened theater, the curious eyes couldn’t locate where it came from.

She relaxed into the chair, which caused Graham to continue his ministrations.

She tried sitting up to push him off but he grabbed her thighs to keep her from squirming away.

Beatrice grabbed at his head through her skirts to stop him when he flicked her clit causing electricity to shoot through her veins.

Her body melted into the chair as her blood turned into hot liquid, igniting tiny fires throughout her body.

His mouth rhythmically moved against her causing her hips to follow the melody he set. It was their own private dance. The heat grew within her as her hips pushed against his mouth for more friction.

He teased her with kisses before stealing her breath with tiny flicks and sucks that had her curling her toes in her shoes to stop from moaning.

She covered her mouth her hand to further aid in keeping herself quiet. Her mind quickly realized that if he kept going at his current rate she would lose the battle to keep herself quiet.

Her eyes tried to distract her mind by focusing on the actors.

The music was building, a woman was singing something about lost love, or lost privilege, or something lost. Beatrice shook her head.

No. She needed to concentrate. Perhaps if she focused on the performance she could stop her body from erupting.

Beatrice narrowed her eyes on the woman. She was singing about love and death. A beautiful aria that rang through the rafters. Between the woman’s voice and Graham’s tongue Beatrice was lost to a cacophony of sensations.

Her movements became more frantic as Graham’s tongue moved against her. It was as if he was also lost to the music and using it to guide his touch.

Heat bloomed across Beatrice’s body. Her hips gyrated against Graham and as one hand covered her own mouth, her other hand landed on Graham’s head, aiding him to angle his head in just a way that had her biting her hand.

She couldn’t keep quiet. How could she? Her body was being thrown into the stratosphere by this man being aided by the opera. Tension was building from deep within her, pushing against every fiber of her being.

His tongue raced along with the music, Beatrice felt herself climbing higher and higher. The woman’s voice hit the culminating high note just as Graham flicked her clit that sent Beatrice over the edge.

Her scream was drowned out by the applause from the crowd.

Beatrice’s vision blurred as she slumped back against the chair. Graham sat back on his haunches, readjusting her skirt. She watched as he, ever so nonchalantly, sat back in his chair, as if he didn’t just kiss her in the most intimate of places in a theater that held over two thousand people.

“You should hurry. The house lights will be on soon and I doubt I’ll be able to hide you. Unless I was correct earlier in thinking you want an audience.”

His comment woke her from her haze.

She looked to the stage to see the curtain starting to close from the wings. Beatrice looked to Graham who nodded to the back curtain and door. “Go.”

Her body wanted to stay but the thought of her mother and the whole opera house catching her in the Duke’s box unchaperoned was too much of a motivator to leave.

She hurried out of the box, down the hallway and raced down the steps to the lobby.

When she got to the bottom she found a bench to sit on. Just as she sat down she heard the doors open and the lobby was filled with people within minutes.

“Beatrice!” Charlotte’s voice carried over the din of people. “You look just as flushed as before. Perhaps we should go?” Charlotte brought a hand up to her daughter’s forehead. “You feel a bit warm as well. Let me find an attendant to call for the carriage..”

Beatrice couldn’t have been more relieved. She didn’t think she would be able to form words after what she just experienced. She was craving some time to herself to process what she just lived through.

“Ah, Your Grace, how nice it is to see you and Lady Beatrice tonight.”

Beatrice’s legs gave out at the sound of his voice, causing her mother to reach for her in alarm. “Beatrice! Are you all right? Please sit!” Charlotte’s voice rang out, causing other to look on in curiosity.

“Here, let me help.” Graham’s hand touched Beatrice’s arms causing her body to ignite once more. Her eyes widened as she looked up to find his displaying concern with a hint of humor.

“Your Grace,” Charlotte dipped her head. “Thank you for your help. As you can see we won’t be staying. It seems Beatrice is unwell.”

Beatrice inwardly cringed. If there was one thing she learned about Graham during her time with him was that he never shied away from a conversation that could embarrass her.

“Oh that’s unfortunate.”

Beatrice couldn’t help but notice the attention they were drawing. “I’m fine. Really. But we should get going, Mama.” She glanced quickly at Graham as she forced her legs to hold her as she stood. “Thank you, Your Grace, for your help.”

Graham’s eyes lit with a devilish grin.

“You know, now that I look at her, she does seem flush. It was as if she were just running.”

Beatrice narrowed her eyes toward the Duke. “I wasn’t running, Your Grace.” She lifted a shoulder. “I was simply just sitting here.”

Graham’s smile widened and she groaned. “Just sitting you say? How odd that just sitting could make your body react as if it were just running a race. I agree with your mother, you should go home and be taken to bed at once.” He purred.

Beatrice’s stomach dropped as her legs clenched underneath her skirt. The cursed man knew how to get a reaction out of her.

Charlotte nodded in agreement. “He’s right. You should go straight to bed.”

Graham nodded solemnly. “It’s exactly what I would do with her.”

Beatrice and Charlotte both looked at Graham. Charlotte with confusion, Beatrice with derision.

“I mean, if she were in my charge and she appeared to be ill” Graham offered simply. “I would put her to bed to make sure she gets the adequate rest. I think I would even take her books away.” He leaned into Charlotte. “Don’t want her getting too excited.”

Charlotte nodded. “Yes. I think you’re right. She does get too excited when she reads too much.” Charlotte looked to Beatrice. “No reading tonight, love. Straight to bed.”

Graham smiled victoriously. “I hear most of what young women read is rubbish. Giving them unfortunate ideas that have no ground in reality. I’ve often found living life and experiencing all it has to offer is much more beneficial.”

Charlotte agreed as she waved to an attendant.

Beatrice rolled her lips. If she could she would smack that smarmy smile off his face.

With Charlotte’s focus on the attendant Graham winked at Beatrice.

For as much as she wanted this conversation to be over she had to acknowledge his ability to think quickly on his feet with his words was interesting.

Intelligence was always something she considered when deciding if someone was worth her time or not.

And while he irritated her to no end, she was finding more reasons to want to be in his company than not. If she wasn’t careful she might accidentally develop true feelings for him and where would that leave her future?

“Your Grace,” an attendant interrupted. “Your carriage is ready.”

Charlotte thanked the attendant before returning her attention to the Duke, “Thank you for your help. Your Grace. I hope you enjoy the rest of the show.”

Graham’s eyes landed on Beatrice as he frowned. “Doubtful. The first act was phenomenal, I’m not sure the second act could possibly top it.”

Beatrice’s didn’t think her eyes could get any bigger as she pulled her mother. “Come, Mama. I need to get home.”

Graham dipped his head. “Rest up, Lady Beatrice.”

Beatrice couldn’t help but take his parting words as a threat, and a delicious one at that.