Page 40 of A Sinful Virgin for the Duke

“And you should be more careful when teasing me,” he murmured, his voice dropping to a low, velvety tone.

He moved with surprising speed as he leaned forward and grabbed her wrist. She let out a soft gasp of surprise as he pulled her from her chair and, in one swift motion, rolled her onto the floor and pinned her body gently but firmly beneath his own on the plush rug.

Gemma’s breath hitched as her body pressed against his, their faces mere inches apart. The heat from the fire was nothing compared to the warmth that flowed from him, the weight of his body sending a rush of sensation through her. She could feel the hardness of his chest against her, and could hear the rapid rise and fall of his breath that matched her own.

The earthy, clean scent of him flooded her senses. Her world had shrunk down to this moment, this charged space where every inch of her skin tingled with awareness.

“Frederick…” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the pounding of her heart.

His name on her lips seemed to release something in him. As he hovered above her his gaze moved to her mouth and his breath caressed her cheek. Gemma could feel his fervor seeping into her. His hand slid up her arm, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. He curled his fingers around her wrist and gently pinned her arm above her head.

“Say my name again,” he said, his eyes glistening with desire.

Her heart thundered in her chest and her lips parted slightly as he leaned closer and brushed his lips like a butterfly’s wing across her mouth.

“Frederick…” she whispered, unable to deny him anything, not when he was holding her like that.

The anticipation was unbearable, every nerve in her body alight with the possibility of what would happen next. His dark blue eyes bored into hers, filled with a raw intensity that made her pulse race even faster.

Just as their lips were about to meet, the door suddenly creaked open and a familiar voice echoed through the room.

“Frederick! Gemma! Oh, thank goodness, I found you!”

Both of them froze. Frederick’s body went rigid above her, his head snapping toward the door.

Gemma’s heart plummeted, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps as reality crashed back into focus.

The Dowager Duchess stood in the doorway, her cane clutched in one hand, looking around the room with a concerned expression on her face.

“Are you two all right?” Vivian called out, oblivious to the fact that they were hidden from view behind the sofa.

Frederick pushed himself off Gemma with a growl, standing up quickly and brushing off his coat. He shot her a quick glance, his expression one of frustration, embarrassment and unfinished business.

Gemma scrambled to her feet, smoothing down her dress while her heart continued to pound from the ardor of the moment they’d just shared.

Vivian’s footsteps echoed across the room as she stepped further inside, clearly not noticing the state of disarray they had been in only moments earlier.

“I have been looking everywhere for you,” she said, her tone exasperated. “I thought you might have gotten lost, or worse.”

Frederick stormed over to her, his face a mask of controlled anger. “Never do that again, Grandmother,” he said in a menacing tone. “This ridiculous meddling has gone far enough.”

Vivian blinked and stared up at him with wide eyes. “Meddling? What are you talking about?”

Frederick’s jaw clenched. “You locked us in here. You have been pushing and scheming for days. This ends now, or I will have no choice but to send you back to London.”

Vivian’s eyes widened, and for a moment she looked genuinely taken aback. But then her expression softened and she gave him a knowing smile.

“Oh, Frederick,” she said softly, “you are not nearly as hard to read as you think you are.”

With that, Frederick stormed out of the room, leaving Gemma standing in stunned silence. Vivian turned to her, her expression sly and conspiratorial.

“Well, dear,” she said with a twinkle in her eyes, “that went much better than I had expected.”

Gemma stared at Vivian, her mind still reeling from the intensity of the moment that had just passed between herself and Frederick. She didn’t know whether to laugh or scream with frustration.

Vivian patted her hand gently. “He will come around, my dear. He just needs a little more… persuasion.”

Gemma could only nod, her thoughts still spinning as she tried to make sense of the sudden change between them, and the irrefutable connection that had been simmering between them since the storm had begun.

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