Page 14 of My Dangerous Duke

“Every time I speak with you, you are an insufferable minx,” Xander was quick to explain, “But back there you were so kind and gentle.”

“Iamkind and gentle!” Eleanor gasped indignantly, making Xander laugh so suddenly that he nearly snorted. She shot him a dirty look as he tried to compose himself, and for a moment, wondered if she would throw him down the steps.

“You just bring out the wasp in me is all,” she continued in a disgruntled tone, raising her nose high in the air. “I can be quite soft when allowed to be.”

Xander had done well at keeping his arousal in check all day, but as Eleanor said this unknown double entendre, all of the dark, intimate thoughts he had kept locked up came tumbling out. Suddenly, he could taste her petal lips on his again, feel her silken skin crushed against his chest as he held her.

Her hair, much like right now, had held the faint scent of lilies. He knewexactlyall of the ways she could be soft.

“If you say,” Xander muttered, grateful that they had reached the doors of her new room.

“Well, here we are.” He let go of her arm to open the door, then with a flourish, waved her into it. “The bed is no doubt lovely, and the servants will bring you whatever you need.”

Xander waited anxiously for her to go inside so he could shut the door and finally get to the solitude of his quarters and think. His heart, head, and cock, were all a tangled mess, and he did not trust himself.

“You are not coming with me?” She asked, not budging from her spot in the hall. There was a sliver of disappointment in her voice, but it was mostly covered by false indifference.

“I am one floor up,” he replied, ignoring the guilt he suddenly felt.

“Our rooms are not even adjacent?” Eleanor asked; the disappointment in her voice growing more apparent.

Though he really did want to walk away, Xander felt a sudden curious feeling of satisfaction at her reaction to this news.

“That bothers you?” He asked, taking a step closer to her.

Eleanor’s cheeks filled with color once more as she quickly looked away from him, and took a step back. Unknowingly, she had taken it in the direction of her rooms, and as Xander took another step toward her, she backed further into it.

“I thought we agreed this deal was just business?” He asked coyly, tilting his head slightly. The servants had already lit the oil lamps in the suite of rooms, casting a warm yellow glow around the vast space of the first room.

“I-” Eleanor stammered softly, continuing to slowly walk backward.

“As a woman who believes in love and romance…” Xander continued, this pursuit of her feeling more primal with each step, “Surely, you do not want to lie with a man you do not love.”

Eleanor gasped softly as her back met the far wall of the room, her honey eyes flickering with the lamp light as they remained locked on his. Her breathing had become slow and heavy, making her ample bosom rise and fall in a way that made Xander’s mouth water. His large hands braced the wall on either side of Eleanor’s shoulders, and he leaned in until their lips were barely a hair-width apart.

“You do not love me, do you, Honey?” He rasped, trying desperately to ignore the delicious scent wafting from his wife’s delectably graceful neck.

A soft whimper left Eleanor’s lips as her large honey eyes looked back at him pleadingly, and she slowly shook her head.

“No.” Her breathy admission sounded almost doubtful, and Xander could not stop the growl-like sound of approval that rumbled from his chest.

“Are you sure about that?” He asked, drawing his words as he circled his fingers finally gave in to their need and circled around her throat. For a moment, his eyes dropped to where his grip was, and as he felt her swallow beneath his hand, he felt another intense shot of arousal deep in his groin.

“I know you do not love me, Your Grace,” she breathed.

Her response had Xander’s eyes shooting back up to hers, and the look of stark defiance in her eyes sent him over the edge. Before he could help himself, Xander’s built-up lust took over. With a groan, his lips sealed possessively over hers as he pulled her away from the wall and toward his chest; arousal springing through him as she both melted and whimpered in his arms.

The carnal hunger he had felt before spread through Xander like wildfire as their kiss deepened, burning away anything that did not exist at that moment. His lips melded and parted with hers she picked up his rhythm, and the explosive passion simmered down to a low, white-hot flame that slowly began to burn him from the inside out.

Was it minutes? Hours? Xander was lost in time as he held his wife close and drank from her lips like they were honeyed wine.

“Oh, dear,” A familiar and maternal voice spoke, shattering both the silence and the moment. Xander froze as he heard Mrs.Gaines, his beloved and longtime housekeeper, and reality came crashing back down around him.

“Apologies, Your Grace,” the older woman chuckled, starting to leave, “We did not think you would start this quickly.”

“And you thought correctly,” he informed her quickly, his voice suddenly loud and practical, as it normally was. His eyes were still on Eleanor, who had gone from shocked, to confused and was now silently working her way toward embarrassment.

“Mrs. Gaines, I believe my wife is weary from our day,” he stated in an impersonal tone. “Perhaps a drink and a bath would be good for her nerves. Now, I must go check on some things in my study before I can retire. Good night to you both.”

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