Page 98 of Taken By the Beastly Duke

"Victoria," he called as gently as possible, "what is wrong?"

"Nothing of import," she said in a small voice her hands busy straightening the bed clothes that were already perfectly laid. It was obvious she was doing it to calm some nervousness within her. Stretching out an arm he placed his hand on hers, stilling her movement

When she stopped, he used his other hand to lift her chin so she was forced to look at him

"Look at me, Vicky. I am your husband. You can tell me anything. Any problem at all. We could solve it together," he said in a reassuring tone.

Instead of calming her. Anthony watched with growing horror as tears gathered in her eyes before spilling over, trailing down her Perfect cheek.

"I am so sorry, Anthony that I had caused you pain. You already have so many scars and now because of me, you have even more. I am sorry for putting you in harm's way." She with a hitched sob.

The sound caused a sharp ache in his heart. Reaching out he cleaned up her tears with his fingers, caressing her face tenderly

"Vicky. I thought we have spoken about this. You mean the world to me and I would do almost anything to have you hale and hearty beside me because I cannot imagine living in the world without you in it. I have always viewed my scars as symbols for mockery for society but then I met a certain brown eyed lady," he said, smiling when that elicited a smile from Victoria accompanied by a tiny sneeze. Could she be anymore adorable? He wondered.

"This lady led me to believe that they are symbols of honor and overtime I came to believe it too and value them but this scar on my shoulder is by far the most precious and meaningful to me because forever it will remind me of the day I had fought for the safety of the love of my life and how we had emerged victorious. This should bring us joy not sorrow".

"Besides," he said, using one arm to draw her into his embrace and dropping his voice to a seductive growl he whispered. "I can think of better ways to spend our free time together. I have missed you," he said nuzzling the skin of her neck rousing the lust that lived just beneath their skin.

With his arm, he guided her backwards until the back of her thighs met the bed, pushing her to sit on the bed. The fires of desire burning in his eyes as he subjected her to his slow perusal

"Anthony," she said with a shaky laugh. "We have so much to do, I have to meet with the cook...." Her excuses were cut off when he simply bent his head over hers and proceeded to devour her mouth with single minded mission. The feel of his delicious lips laying waste to all her plans.

By the time, he pulled away to catch his breath, they were both panting and she was clutching his shirt in passion

When she noticed that, she released him.

He stepped back to pull his shirt over his head granting her the view of the play of rippling muscles under his skin that was only slightly marred by the pinkish skin at his shoulder that was from his healing stabbed wound. It didn't in anyway detract from his overall magnetism. Even now her fingers itched to trace the giant slab of muscles that was his chest.

As she watched, his hands went to his trousers, loosening the belt and peeled the material off his skin to reveal his rampant arousal. The man was simply magnificent and at first she was content to watch, admiring his magnificent body but over time she ached to run the tip of her finger along his skin. To feel the strength she could see leashed underneath his skin. The man put The sculpture of David she had seen one time, to shame.

Seeming to sense the urgency building within her. He stepped forward to take her mouth in another one of his drugging kisses, this time she didn't try to dissuade him, instead she encouraged him, twining her arms around his neck. Sinking her hand in the silky texture of his hair to pull him even closer. She traced his biceps with her hands moaning at the contrast between silky skin stretched over pure steel. Wriggling her hands between their bodies, she found his nipple plucking at it and was gratified by the pleased groan that escaped from Anthony's lips.

"Enough," he groaned catching her hand in his. "I run the danger of embarrassing myself if you continue. You are truly potent, love," he said his voice hoarse.

He pushed her gently so she was lying on the bed, then crawling over her, he took her lips in a drugging kiss. Breaking the kiss to trace the length of her body until he got to the junction of her thighs, stroking her and teasing get until she opened them allowing him access.

He caressed her through the thin cloth of her drawers, she writhed and whimpered with pleasure. When he pulled off the drawers allowing him to touch her bare center. Victoria let out a keen of pleasure

"Quiet, kitten. I am sure you wouldn't want to draw the attention of the family to what we are doing," he said in a silky whisper beside her ear.

Victoria slapped her palm over her mouth to muffle her moans while he strummed her hidden pearl driving her to insanity.

"Please..." she begged. "Please."

"What do you want. Tell me," he groaned, his breath coming in short pants.

" I want you!" she cried out.

Anthony lined himself with her entrance, sliding in slowly. The both of them groaning out their pleasure. Anthony waited a little for her to adjust to his possession before he started thrusting slowly then slowly increasing the tempo pounding into her as they chased their pleasure until the pressure broke and Victoria was crying out her pleasure into the pillow, Anthony joining her with a sharp masculine growl of pleasure..

Anthony remained collapsed over her for some moments after, only managing to push himself to lie beside her drawing her into his arms.

"That was amazing," he said, placing a kiss on her bare shoulder.

"Indeed," Victoria agreed, already filling the pull of sleep that usually followed such satisfactory encounters with her husband.

Just before sleep pulled her under, she realized that Anthony had in fact seduced her into forgetting her need to prevent him exerting himself. She didn't want to think about what it said about her, that she was not worried.

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