Page 30 of Taken By the Icy Duke

A deep sigh escaped her as she surrendered herself to his kiss, wrapping her arms around him and drawing him even closer. Time seemed to stand still as they lost themselves in each other.

His gentle yet urgent hands explored every curve of her body. She could feel his desire pulsing between his legs as he tangledhis fingers in the fabric of her dress. When he huskily whispered her name, Diana found herself echoing his intensity, meeting each kiss and touch with equally unbridled zeal.

Her hands roamed greedily over his arms and shoulders and dug deep into his thick, dark hair. The more he gave of himself, the more she wanted. She relished the way he claimed every inch of her and found it was impossible to hold herself back.

Breaking away for a moment, he pressed his forehead against hers, breathing hard before whispering her name again as though he needed to remind himself who she was. Diana responded with a barely audible “yes” before he kissed her once more. She felt as though he was devouring her, so consumed by his frenzied caresses and kisses that she thought she was dissolving into him.

Their intense longing and fascination seemed to fill the entire room. As his kisses trailed along her jaw and up to the sensitive spot beneath her ear, she could not contain the moan that escaped her lips. Gripping his shoulders tightly, she abandoned all reservations, reveling in the fiery moment that enveloped them.

He lifted her to her feet, gripping her thighs as she wrapped her legs around him. With just a few rapid paces, he lowered her down on the settee, settling himself between her legs.

The fabric of her gown fanned out beneath her, the many layers of silk and muslin a tantalizing barrier that both frustrated and heightened the anticipation. She whimpered as his memberground against her sensitive spot, and grasped his shoulders in reply.

As if sensing her faint hesitation beneath the rush of desire, he pulled back slightly, his gaze tender with concern.

“Are you certain you wish to continue?” he asked softly, his thumb caressing her cheek.

“Yes,” she whispered, her voice trembling with anticipation as she nodded impatiently. “I want this. I want you.”

Every thud of her heart reminded her that this was new, uncharted territory, yet she could not deny how her body yearned for his touch.

Gilbert reached for the row of buttons along the back of her gown and deftly began to unfasten them. With each undone clasp, the edges of her bodice loosened, revealing glimpses of her chemise beneath.

The thin muslin barely concealed the curve of her shoulders, and when the fabric slipped lower, exposing the delicate slope of her collarbone, Diana shivered, partly from the cool air, but mostly from the fire coursing through her veins.

He paused to press a kiss against the tender skin, pulling the neckline of her chemise down to expose one of her breasts. Diana arched towards his warm, wet mouth as he teased thedelicate skin of her nipple. His hand firmly held her waist as she tensed with desire.

A cry escaped her lips and she wrapped her fingers in his hair. She felt the surrender, one she offered freely to the man she could no longer think of as a stranger.

“I have wanted you since the moment I laid eyes on you,” he murmured so quietly that she nearly missed it, the tenor of his voice sending delicious shivers down her body.

Emboldened, she reached for his coat. Her fingers fumbled at first, but he steadied her hands with his, guiding them so they could work together. Garment after garment fell away—his coat, his waistcoat, and at last the crisp fabric of his shirt—until the firelight finally revealed to her the contours of his toned, muscular chest. Tentatively, she pressed her palm to his skin, feeling the powerful rhythm of his heartbeat beneath her hand.

Gilbert slid his hands beneath the loosened gown at her hips, pulling down the garment until it pooled around her feet. The heat of his palms on her waist made every nerve in her body spring to life.

Diana let out a shaky breath when he kissed her again, causing a more fervent degree of desire to soar through her. Their mouths moved in a dance that grew bolder with every passing second, drawing them together in a blur of soft sighs and whispered names.

When they finally broke apart to catch their breath, Diana looked at him through half-lowered lashes, her cheeks thoroughly flushed. She was acutely aware that only the thin fabric of her chemise remained. In the flickering light, the potency of Gilbert’s gaze laid bare the full force of his desire.

“I have dreamed of you,” he breathed, his voice tight with restraint. His hand slid along her spine, drawing her closer until she could feel the warmth of his chest against hers.

Her own thoughts were a whirlwind as she tilted her head back, exposing her neck to him. He traced his lips around her jaw, finding the sensitive hollow beneath her ear. As he continued his ministrations, his warm hand slipped between the apex of her thighs, and his fingers sought out the sizzling space between her legs. She spread her legs wider, gasping when his fingertips slid along her intimate opening.

She found herself mirroring his urgency, her own hands hungrily exploring the expanse of his bare skin, tracing the lines of his arms and back. The sound of the crackling fire became a distant backdrop to their soft exhalations and murmured endearments. Shivering with anticipation, she released a quiet whimper when he drew back his hand, signaling that she longed to surrender to the moment.

Gilbert used his knees to push her legs further apart and lowered himself between them. Guiding himself, he slowly slid his rigid, throbbing member inside her, pressing his forehead against hers; his ragged breath indicating how forcefully he was trying to hold himself back.

Diana tensed and held her breath as he filled her, unaccustomed to the pressure of his large shaft as it met with her maidenhood. She looked up at Gilbert with a modicum of trepidation.

“You are doing well,” Gilbert whispered gently to her, panting against her lips. “Relax, it will help.”

Diana kissed him and wrapped her arms around his neck, lifting her hips towards him, conscious of the tension in her groin. The need within her ached and burned, wanting more of him despite the unfamiliar discomfort.

With agonizing slowness, Gilbert slid more deeply within her, taking the measure of her, then groaning. “I cannot wait any longer,” he breathed, moving his hands to grip her hips.

“Then do not,” she urged.

“Are you certain?” he asked, and she nodded in eager agreement.

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