Page 35 of His Highland Duchess
Lysander watched her with amusement now, a smirk on his lips and a knowing look in his eye. She had revealed too much, letting her pesky emotions get the better of her, and in so doing had given Lysander the upper hand. And if she knew him half as well as she thought, he wasn’t about to let her get away with it.
“Your Grace,” he purred mockingly. “Do not tell me you are having second thoughts.”
“Of course not!”
“What is the matter?” he continued, voice dropping low. “Still thinking about that little kiss? I had no idea it had such an effect on you.”
She snapped her head up and glared at him. “Do nae flatter yerself. I… I would rather leave today than even think of kissin’ ye again.”
“Is that so?”
“It is.”
Margaret could feel herself growing as hot as she was flustered. It was made worse when she met the duke’s eyes, seeing the amusement in them. More than that, there was a sense of knowing, as if he could read what was on her mind. Her lips began to tingle again with memories of that kiss, and Margaret wondered if it was worth turning and running now to save herself.
She did no such thing, of course. The duke continued to watch her. She made herself hold his stare. Her pulse quickened. She couldfeelthe energy coming from the duke as it wrapped around her. For all their fighting, for all their arguing, for how much they seemed to dislike one another, there was one thing, one desire, above all others keeping them together. And they both knew what it was.
“Then go,” the duke said as he stepped toward her. Into her. An act that might have seen her stumble back and run… if it were anyone else.
“You would like that, wouldn’t ye?” she snarled softly, standing up to him in a way she knew would drive him mad. “Save ye havin’ to make me leave yerself.”
“Still, I am confused. Does she want to stay? Does she want to go? I do not even think you know.”
“I know exactly what I want.”
“Do you?” His eyes flicked to her lips hungrily. “And what is it that you want?”
They held one another’s stares. They bared their teeth. They growled. They glowered as if trying to scare the other into submission. But neither would break. Neither would back down. And for that reason, they both knew exactly what the other wanted. The only way this conversation was going to end.
The duke acted first, stepping into Margaret fully, a hand grabbing her by the back of the head, and pulling her lips to his face. It was not a surprise. Dammit, it was expected, which had Margaret giving in fully as her lips pressed into the duke’s just as her body seemed to melt into his powerful frame.
The kiss sparked the memory, which captured her arousal, and saw her embrace the kiss as if it was life itself.Ah… so this is what I wanted all along?
The duke’s hands wrapped around the sides of her face, holding her there as his tongue opened her mouth and began to exploreher. Her hands were on his waist, holding him as if afraid he might pull back, not that there was any need, for the way he kissed her suggested he would never stop.
Passion. Fire. Intensity. His tongue licked and lapped the inside of her mouth. His lips pressed and sucked. His teeth nibbled. He held her and breathed her in, trying to swallow her whole. And Margaret, for how good the felt kiss, wanted to be swallowed.
Gone was her confusion. Gone was her internal struggle. Gone were the lies, for this kiss dashed them to dust. She wanted the duke like she had never known was possible. And in that moment, she was willing to do anything he wanted.To behave. To misbehave. Whatever he desires of me. Truthfully, control is overrated…
There was a sense that the kiss was all that Lysander had intended, but it became clear quickly that it couldn’t possibly stop there.
His hands moved to her waist and held her to his body. Then he was lifting her, forcing Margaret to wrap her legs around him lest she fall. Still embraced in a passion-filled kiss, he turned and carried her to the desk, sitting her on its edge.
“What are ye doing?” Margaret gasped as she pulled her lips away.
“What I should have done days ago,” Lysander growled.
That made her heart rate spike. “What….” She caught her tongue when his head moved down and his lips started sucking her neck.
“Oh…” she moaned, leaning back, closing her eyes, body quivering at the feel of those wet kisses against her skin. “Lysander…”
He gripped her thighs and squeezed as he continued to kiss. On instinct, for she had nothing else to go by, Margaret opened her legs, still leaning back as he smothered her neck and nape with kisses. She did not know where this was going. She did not know what would happen after.More confusion? Would this muddy the waters even further? Who the hell cares?
The duke’s hand started to slide up the skirt of her dress. Her eyes snapped open, and she lurched back. “What are you…”
“Do you want me to stop?” he asked, holding her stare. His eyes bore into her, and she could see her reflection in them; a reflection that was all the answer the duke needed because there was little chance of her stopping him.
“I… I…” Not once since this marriage began had Margaret truly known what she wanted. That was until this very moment.
