Page 50 of His Runaway Duchess

Molten heat surged through Daphne, plunging downwards into her core. It seemed unstoppable, but the helplessness was almost delicious.

They don’t write about this in those books in the back of the library.

She kissed him back, curling her fingers across his broad, bare shoulders, pushing them up into his hair, and catching his lower lip between her teeth in a way that felt almost instinctual. Hegrowled under his breath, and she felt the sound reverberate through her body.

They broke apart to breathe, and Edward ducked his head to kiss the side of her neck. When he dragged the flat of his tongue across the pulse point at her throat, she let out an undignified gasp. She felt him smile, his stubble scratching her chin.

She was floating, her legs dangling in the water, her nightdress streaming around them both. Edward pushed one hand below the surface, and she felt his palm flatten against her side. She could feelhim, too, a hot hardness pressing against her thigh.

Fascinating.

Can you feel my heartbeat?

“You infuriating girl,” he breathed, a catch in his voice. “You’re going to be the death of me after we’re married.”

“I don’t want to think about the future,” Daphne heard herself say. “I’m tired of it. It gives me a headache. I only want to think about the here and now.”

He blinked, swallowing. “Very well. I want that, too.”

His hand ducked lower, cupping her hip. The touch seemed so muchmorethan just a touch, sending prickles across her skin. Daphne didn’t realize that Edward had found his way throughthe voluminous folds of her floating gown until his fingers danced across her thigh, skin to skin, with no fabric in the way.

He kissed her again, and she was glad that he was holding her up, or else she might have slipped under the surface, too weak to save herself, and drowned. Fingers traced up her thigh, all the way up to her hip bone, and danced across the curve of her lower stomach.

He’s going to touch me there.

Daphne was thrilled and terrified. When his knuckles brushed the junction between her legs, it felt as though she’d been struck by lightning. She jerked reflexively, clinging to his shoulders.

Edward murmured something she could not hear, his voice muffled against the side of her neck. She tightened her grip, concentrating on breathing evenly.

His hand moved in a slow, almost languid way, tracing a line between her thighs again and again, as if the water were slowing them down.

Daphne’s heart, though, was beating faster and faster and faster until she thought she was going to faint. She pushed her hand down through the water, curling her fingers around his wrist.

At once, Edward’s movements ceased, and he pulled back to look at her.

“Do you want me to stop?” he asked, his voice thick.

She swallowed. “Stop? No, p-please don’t stop.”

A slow smile broke across his face. “No, I didn’t think so.”

Tightening his grip on her waist, Edward pulled her closer, resuming his caresses. They sped up, the pressure increasing by a whisper, and Daphne felt something building up inside her, something that tensed up her core and made her breathing ragged. She had no breath left for kissing, so she pressed her forehead against the side of Edward’s neck and concentrated on holding on.

“You’re lovely,” he gasped, a ragged remark that seemed almost torn out of him. “You have no idea how much.”

Daphne was well past the opportunity to make sharp remarks. Breath coming hard, eyes squeezed shut, she shuddered as her climax hit her, rolls of pleasure making her shake.

It really did feel like drowning. In a good way, of course.

CHAPTER 14

What have you done, you fool?

Sucking in a breath, Edward released Daphne at once. That was a mistake, as she was not yet in her depth and immediately dropped underneath the surface of the water, flailing as she went.

Cursing himself for being a clumsy, thoughtless, endlessfool, Edward grabbed her again, lifting her and walking forward until the water was only chest-deep.

He should not have done that. He should not have kissed her, should not have touched her, should not have…

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