Page 17 of The Duke's Mysterious Lover
Dio Benedetto, was she really doing this? Really offering him suggestions?
“I think…Thorne. I think you need to give yourself the freedom to give up control. Give yourself the freedom to…let someone else command you. Not in your dukedom”—she hurried to assure him as he pushed himself upright, ready to object—“but in other parts of your life. You’re not alone, and you don’t have to be.”
Those lovely blue eyes were very carefullynotlooking at her as he made a production out of placing his whisky on the table, the cigar in the tray beside it. His movements were tight, controlled.
She would’ve said he wasangryexcept…except in the oddest way, she thought he was radiating a kind ofhope.
His accoutrements settled, Thorne sat back in the leather chair, laced his fingers in his lap and finally met her eyes. “What do ye have in mind?”
It wasn’t an argument, but Kit could see there was somethingoffin the way he held himself. Not the easy grace she—and likely the whole world—was used to seeing from him. This was painful to watch, the way his muscles were so stiff, his jaw so hard…
Hard. Stiff.
Dear God, could that be it?
“You don’t have to be alone, Thorne,” she began quietly, placing her glass carefully beside his on the table. “You’ve said you want marriage.”
His breath caught, something like a chuckle huffing from his lips as he shifted. “Aye. No’ just a marriage, but a partnership.”
“With someone you love.” Kit leaned forward, planting her elbows on her knees and lacing her fingers together in front of her, holding his attention. “What would that look like?”
She could tell from his frown he didn’t understand.
“A partnership,” she elaborated. “A marriage where you kiss her on the cheek at the breakfast table, and go about your duties?”
“Separately?” He shook his head, his shoulders already beginning to relax. “I would want… When I fall in love, I’m no’ going to be able to let her go. I’ll want her at my side.”
“And if she’s the right woman—the rightpersonfor you, she’ll be pleased to stand at your side. But what about the bedroom?”
His chin jerked slightly, startled at the question. She knew she was treading dangerous ground here, but her pulse was humming with excitement, her throat dry. Quite opposite to between her legs…
She took a deep breath and sat back in the chair, hands gripping the leather arms, holding his gaze. “Will you keep separate chambers, Thorne?” Kit asked quietly. “Coming together only to beget heirs?”
Was it her imagination, or had his breath caught? He didn’t laugh, but shook his head without looking away. “If she’s mine, then I will be hers. Always. I’ll want her in my arms all night.”
“And before you fall asleep, you’ll seek your release?”
“My…” His lips slowly closed, as if uncertain how to repeat her words. She hadn’t saidorgasm.She hadn’t saidpleasure. She’d called it a release, because that’s what he needed, right now.
She knew. And she knew how to give him one.
“Imagine it, Thorne,” she whispered. “Your wife. The woman who has pledged herself to you. She’ll be pretty, yes?”
“The most beautiful woman in the world,” he breathed, fingers gripping each other so tightly, they were becoming white. “Because I love her.”
Oh good Christ, the manwasa romantic.
No wonder he felt so alone.
“Your wife. Naked. On your bed, waiting for you.”
Thorne’s gaze darted toward his bed, across the chamber, and she saw him shift. As he did, his hands brushed against the growing bulge in his trousers. Kit exhaled slowly, a wicked grin tugging at her lips, relishing how her soft words had an effect on him.
“You’ll want to take her, Thorne, but not yet.” Those lovely blue eyes snapped back to her. “Because she’s yours, but you’re also hers, right? Which means you’ll do what she tells you.”
His tongue darted across his lips. His, “Anything,” sounded more like a rasp than a word, and she knew he was bordering on desperation.
“She’ll raise herself to her knees. Right there in the middle of the bed, her body on display for you. Only you.” The picture she was painting caused Kit to press her knees together, catching the persistentachein her core. “And she knows she can command you to do whatever she wants.”
