Page 50 of A Virgin for the Cruel Duke

Elizabeth traced his jaw with a finger. “What does that mean?”

“I think you know,” he said, catching her hand and kissing it. “I think you feel the same.”

“I want to hear it.”

“I love you,” he said, not in a whisper but loudly, loud enough that she would know how fiercely he meant it. “I love you, Elizabeth. I have loved you for some time I think.”

Tears were streaming down her cheeks and she pressed her lips together and ducked her head to rest on his shoulder. “I love you too,” she said softly, muffled. “I loved you a little I think the first time you defended me from Dudley. I knew it for sure when I rested in your arms after our night together. I knew my heart was beating for you alone.”

“Oh my darling,” Stephen brought her face up and pressed his lips to hers, searing their mouths together in his desperation to show her how much she meant to him. She was his everything, hisworld.

She melted against him, her arms coming around him and her lips opening sweetly under his own. He tangled one hand in her hair, deepening the kiss and thrilling at the soft desperate noise she made below him. How had he ever gotten so lucky as to have the love of this woman? She was remarkable in every way.

His crip on her tightened and she hissed. He immediately drew back, panting. “My love, your arm -”

“It is but a flesh wound,” she said, her lips tilted upwards. “I need you, Stephen. I have been so scared for you, for us. I need you to show me that everything is all right. Please.”

Stephen found his mouth on hers before realizing he’d done so. It was natural, inevitable, like breathing. “I’m here my love,” he murmured against her lips. “You have me, as I have you.”

Elizabeth whimpered into him, her body arcing up against his seemingly of its own will. “Stephen,” she whispered, and kissed him. “Stephen, Stephen.” His hot mouth was on her neck and she let loose one of those embarrassing noises from the other night only to realize she wasn’t embarrassed. That she could never be embarrassed by anything that passed between them like this.

“Elizabeth,” he said rawly, looking at her with the wild eyes of a man who had had to physically tear himself away. “Elizabeth we can’t. You’re injured…”

“It’s just a graze,” she cut in. “It barely hurts. Please, I need you, please.”

Stephen groaned low in his throat “You are going to be the death of me.” But then his mouth was back on hers, and they were crashing together like waves on the beaches she’d only ever read about, losing themselves in the flood of need.

Removing her dress was quite impossible like this but Stephen pushed up her skirts, and she gasped as the air kissed her heated flesh. Stephen’s hand trailed up her leg, over stockingand ribboned garter to bare thigh and places more intimate yet. Elizabeth tossed back her head, another raw noise of need tearing its way free, and Stephen moaned as if she was the one with her hands on him and not his fingers driving her to distraction.

“I love you,” Stephen said, his voice so serious Elizabeth opened her eyes and looked at him. He was gazing down at her with a perfect storm of emotions in his blue eyes “You have changed everything for me, and now I find that I cannot do this without you. I cannot be the Duke without you as my Duchess. I need you Elizabeth.”

“I love you too,” she said, voice thick with the flood of emotions he had engendered in her. “You have changed everything for me too Stephen. I need you.”

Stephen smiled at her then, and leaned down to kiss her gently. “Against my better judgement,” he said. “I’m willing to give us what we both desire, but you must promise me that you will be as still as you can. I would not have you harm yourself for all the world, my love. Be still, and let me take care of you.”

Something about his words send a warm pulse of desire through her and she closed her eyes. “Yes, I can do that,” she said, and felt the shock of realization that it was true. She could let someone else, she could letStephentake care of her. His large, warm hands cupped her face and she could hear the smile in his voice as he said “good. Let me know if it hurts.”

Elizabeth opened her eyes and watched him as he freed himself from his breeches and carefully positioned himself above her. It seemed he had determined to keep his shirt on and when she pointed it out he laughed, a little ruefully.

“The doctor will be arriving soon my love, best not get entirely undressed and keep him waiting even longer when he does. Besides, tis only fair is it not? After all, your upper body remains covered.”

It was Elizabeth’s turn to laugh here, remembering how she’d chafed him about fairness and nudity that first time they’d made love. “Very fair, my love. Now,please, put us both out of our misery.”

It seemed that final please was the magic one because Stephen finally eased his way inside her, both of them groaning in mingled relief and pleasure. It felt just as good as the first time, better even, his body fitting into hers like they were made for each other, and when his hand slipped between them she writhed.

“Careful my love,” Stephen teased, his fingers slowly tracing circles that matched the gentle thrusts inside her. “You wouldn’t want me to have to stop, would you?”

Elizabeth made a noise that was half frustration, half pleasure. “Oh, you really are a very annoying man.”

Stephen laughed against her ear before his tongue snaked out to lick around the shell. “The most annoying. The worst. Perhaps Ishould remove myself from your presence. I’m sure aggravation can’t be good for your health right now.”

“Don’t you dare,” she growled, before another moan escaped her lips. “Don’t stop Stephen, don’t stop.”

“I won’t sweetheart,” he said, “Not unless you ask.”

The movement of him inside, his fingers stroking her so gently, so insistently made her breath catch in her chest. She felt herself rising to a peak of ecstasy driven with the flaming touches of his hands on her skin, his thrusting, the pressure of him on top of her - oh it was all so much, too much and she was holding herself so still for hm, just little gasps coming from her as he sped up so so carefully.

“Please -” she gasped out. “Love, my love, please. Please.”

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