Page 22 of Wedded to the Duke of Seduction (Dukes of Passion #3)

CHAPTER 22

“ L ord Durching seems to have caught your wife’s interest,” Noah remarked casually, sipping his champagne as he followed Leo’s gaze across the ballroom. “They’ve been in deep conversation for quite some time now.”

Leo didn’t respond, his jaw tightening as he watched Marina laugh at something the Viscount said. The man stood entirely too close to her, his fair head bent attentively toward her upturned face.

“She’s merely being polite,” Leo finally replied though his tone lacked conviction.

“Of course,” Noah agreed, too readily. “Though I must say, politeness rarely involves quite so much animated discussion or… ah, now he’s asking her to dance.”

Leo’s fingers clenched around his glass as he watched Marina accept Durching’s invitation, allowing the man to lead her onto the dance floor for a country dance. The casual way the Viscount’s hand settled at her waist sent a surge of possessive anger through Leo that caught him entirely off guard.

“You might want to loosen your grip before you shatter that glass,” Noah suggested mildly. “Though I must say, jealousy becomes you. Adds color to your complexion.”

“I’m not jealous,” Leo snapped, tearing his eyes away from the dancing couple. “Marina is free to talk with whomever she pleases.”

“Of course,” Noah agreed again, his eyes twinkling. “Though perhaps not to dance with them, judging by your expression.”

Leo scowled at his friend. “Don’t you have some debutante to charm?”

“None that is half so entertaining as watching you glower at poor Durching,” Noah replied cheerfully. “If looks could kill, Lady Clarkshire would be short of one cousin.”

As the music ended, Leo set his empty glass on a passing servant’s tray with more force than necessary. “Excuse me.”

He strode across the ballroom, ignoring the curious glances that followed him. Marina and Durching were still conversing, her expression animated as the Viscount gestured enthusiastically about something.

“Marina,” Leo interrupted without preamble. “Come with me, please.”

Durching looked startled at the abrupt interruption. “Your Grace, we were just discussing the latest?—”

“How fascinating,” Leo interrupted, not even bothering to glance at the other man as he extended his arm toward Marina. “If you’ll excuse us.”

Marina’s eyes widened slightly, startled, but she placed her hand lightly on his arm and offered the Viscount a polite nod. “Thank you for the dance, Lord Durching. Perhaps we can finish our conversation later.”

Leo steered Marina firmly through the crowded ballroom, his hand resting possessively on the small of her back.

She shot him questioning looks, but he ignored them until they reached a small, quiet room just off the hallway. He glanced inside, confirmed it was empty, and quickly ushered her in, shutting the door behind them.

“That was rude,” Marina said immediately, her cheeks flushed—whether from anger or embarrassment, Leo couldn’t quite tell. “Lord Durching is Caroline’s cousin.”

Leo shook his head impatiently. “I don’t care if he’s related to the King himself. What exactly did you think you were doing out there?”

Marina blinked, clearly bewildered. “Doing? We were having a perfectly ordinary conversation about literature.”

“You were dancing with him,” Leo said, his voice sharp with tension as he stepped closer.

“Well, yes, that’s typically what happens when someone asks you to dance.” Irritation crept into Marina’s voice. “You can’t possibly expect me to reject everyone who isn’t you.”

“That’s exactly what I expect,” Leo snapped, surprising even himself with how intense he sounded. “No man should lay his hands on you.”

Marina’s eyes widened further in shock. “Why not?”

“Because you’re mine,” Leo growled, the words slipping out raw and possessive before he could stop them.

Marina lifted her chin defiantly, a familiar stubbornness sparking in her eyes that drove him mad and drew him closer all at once. “I’m not yours. Our marriage might grant you certain rights, but I’m certainly not your possession.”

Leo moved forward again, backing her against the wall of the small room, his arms braced on either side of her head.

“Other men cannot dance with you,” he insisted, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “Cannot touch you. Cannot hold you in their arms.”

“You cannot tell me what to do,” Marina protested though her breathing had quickened at his proximity. “You have no right.”

“No right?” Leo’s voice was a dark whisper as he stepped in, his breath hot against her skin, his presence almost suffocating. “The truth, Marina? I need you. And every time I see another man’s hands on you, it’s like a brand of fire in my chest. You. Are. Mine.”

He watched as her eyes widened, her lips parting in surprise at his confession.

“I’ve been craving you all night,” he continued. “Wondering how your skin would feel beneath that silk dress. Imagining the sounds you’d make if I kissed you here.” His finger traced the delicate line of her collarbone, not quite touching her skin. “Or here.” His gaze dropped to the swell of her breasts above her neckline.

Marina’s blush deepened, and her breathing quickened. Leo could sense her response to his words. He could see her pulse fluttering rapidly at the base of her throat.

No man had ever spoken to her this way, he realized. He could almost guarantee that her first husband had never expressed such unbridled desire for her.

“I can feel your need, Marina,” he murmured as his mouth hovered near her ear. “It matches my own. Let me show you pleasure like you’ve never known. Let me worship you the way you deserve.” His lips brushed the edge of her ear as he spoke. “All you have to do is say yes.”

Marina stood frozen, clearly caught between desire and doubt. Leo could see the war being waged behind her eyes.

“The moment you get what you want, you’ll discard me,” she finally whispered. “That’s what you do, isn’t it? Take your pleasure and move on to the next willing body. I’ve heard how you operate, husband. It’s all about conquest for you. You’re entirely self-serving.”

Leo pulled back slightly and looked deep into her eyes. Something sparked within him at her accusation—not anger but determination.

“You think I’m self-serving?” A slow smile spread across his face. “Then let me prove otherwise. Tonight will be about your pleasure, not mine. Only yours.”

“I don’t believe you,” Marina replied though the slight tremor in her voice betrayed her uncertainty.

“I’m not asking you to believe me,” Leo countered. “I’m asking you to experience it for yourself. One night, Marina. Give me one night to show you how wrong you are.”

“And tomorrow? What then?” she challenged.

“Tomorrow, we decide what comes next,” he promised. “But tonight is only about your pleasure. Your desires. I swear it.”

Marina hesitated, indecision clear in her eyes. “I… I don’t know.”

“Your body knows,” Leo murmured, his fingers tracing the line of her jaw without quite touching her skin. “I can see it in your eyes, in the way you respond when I’m near. Let yourself feel, Marina. Just for tonight.”

“It might change everything between us,” she whispered.

“Perhaps it needs to change,” he replied. “This distance we’ve maintained isn’t working for either of us, is it?”

Marina’s eyes searched his face. She drew a shaky breath. “If I agree, it would be only for tonight. An experiment.”

“An experiment,” Leo agreed, hope and desire surging through him in equal measure. “Nothing more unless you decide otherwise.”

“And you promise it will be focused on my…” her voice faltered, embarrassment coloring her cheeks again.

“Your pleasure,” Leo finished for her. He kept his voice gentle despite the desire coursing through his veins. “Yes, I promise.”

Another long moment of hesitation, and then, almost imperceptibly, Marina nodded.

“Yes,” she whispered, the single word hanging between them.

That was all Leo needed. He turned and quickly locked the door behind them, ensuring no wandering guests could interrupt.

When he faced Marina again, the sight of her left him breathless—her lips parted, cheeks flushed, eyes wide with anticipation and uncertainty.

Desire hit him hard and fast.

He closed the distance between them in two swift steps and lifted her into his arms. She felt perfectly right against him, as though she belonged there.

“Leo!” Marina gasped, gripping his shoulders to steady herself.

Hearing his name from her lips, stripped of the usual formal title, stirred something deep inside him.

“I want to see you properly,” he said softly, carrying her toward the desk near the window.

Moonlight washed over them as he gently set her down on the smooth wooden surface.

Before she could speak, Leo kissed her.

This wasn’t like their hesitant encounter in the library. This kiss was confident, intense, an explicit statement of his intentions. A thrill ran through him when Marina responded immediately, her fingers tangling in his hair, pulling him closer.

“You have no idea how often I’ve imagined this,” Leo whispered against her mouth, the confession spilling out without thought. “How I’ve imagined kissing you, feeling you give in to me.”

He kissed a path along her jaw to the delicate spot just below her ear, smiling when she shivered beneath his touch. Her honest reaction thrilled him. It felt genuine and unguarded in a way their conversations never were.

“You’re even softer than I dreamed,” he murmured, inhaling her familiar, delicate scent.

Marina tilted her head back, allowing him better access to her throat. The slight gesture sent a fresh wave of desire rushing through him. Each kiss felt like both giving and receiving pleasure, her skin warm and smooth under his lips.

“You’re beautiful,” Leo whispered, cupping her face gently. Moonlight softened her expression, making her look vulnerable and utterly captivating. “Especially when you’re not fighting me—or yourself.”

He brushed her cheekbones with his thumbs, surprising himself with his own tenderness. He knew passion well, but this slow, careful exploration felt entirely new.

Leo kissed her again and drew her toward him until her body pressed firmly against his. Her softness ignited a fierce ache within him, challenging his promise to focus only on her pleasure.

“Tonight,” he promised quietly, between kisses, battling to control his growing need, “I’m going to worship every inch of you. Show you pleasures you’ve only imagined before.”

Marina trembled at his words, sending a rush of pride and satisfaction through him unlike anything he’d known before. This wasn’t about mere conquest. It was about breaking through her careful defenses and uncovering the passionate woman hiding beneath her careful exterior.

For the first time in ages, Leo found himself focused completely on someone else’s pleasure instead of his own. Every gasp, every subtle response from Marina felt more satisfying than any experience he’d ever had.

He kissed her ear and nobbled at the lobe. The scent of her skin filled his head. As he kissed down to the neckline of her gown, he drank in the warmer scent of her. He let his hands slide where his mouth had gone, over her neck and shoulders and down over the swell of her breasts.

When she let out a contented sigh, Leo loosened the ribbons at the neckline and drew it down to reveal two perfect breasts, but rather than touch them, he drew back and gazed at them.

As the nipples tightened, and she reached up to cover herself, Leo stopped her.

“Let me worship at your feet.” His throat tightened as he kneeled between her thighs.

“What are you—” she gasped.

Not giving her a moment to stop him, he lifted her skirts and bared her thighs and the triangle of curls between her thighs. He paused but only for a heartbeat before he moved her legs apart and kissed her taut bud. His tongue swirled and flicked over it, and she let out a whimper.

When her fingers threaded through his hair, he slipped his finger into the velvet tunnel. His tongue continued their ministrations as he slipped a second finger inside and moved it deeper.

She cried out—not words but a primitive sound he knew meant she was close to the edge.

“You feel that, darling? That’s all me. No one else can give you this,” he told her, and she gasped as he curled his fingers, applying just the right amount of pressure.

“Yes,” she moaned, “I-I feel it.”

Her legs quivered as his fingers quickened their pace inside of her.

“Do you like that, sweetheart?” he teased as she grasped his shoulders and then her whole body shook.

“Y-yes,” she responded breathlessly.

“You love this, don’t you? Being at my mercy, taking everything I give you,” he said, and when he saw a flash of defiance in her eyes, he sucked on her bud of pleasure.

She immediately whimpered, her eyes rolling back in her head.

“Say it,” he ordered and sucked her again.

“I—” her voice broke when he did a third time.

“Say it,” he growled, squeezing her thigh, holding her still as he devoured her, his tongue ruthless, his mouth taking exactly what he wanted.

“I-I love being at your mercy,” she panted, her eyes completely shut.

“Mmhm,” he purred against her wetness, “that’s my good girl. Now Give me every last drop of that pleasure.”

At last, she came with a sharp cry, her body convulsing as he held her down, refusing to let her escape the pleasure he wrung from her.

Leo didn’t stop; he drank in the sweetness of her, lavishing every last drop of his wife.