Page 48 of Taken By the Broken Duke
She smirked, a playful tilt of her lips that set him aflame, and kicked the dress aside. His grin turned wicked as he leaned forward, crawling toward her on his hands and knees. Reaching her feet, he caught one in his hand, pressing a reverent kiss to her ankle.
Juliet bit her lower lip, her breath ragged, as Horatio’s strong hands worked her foot with a purposeful touch. When she pressed forward with her toes, they brushed against the unmistakable, rigid heat straining beneath his trousers. His reaction was immediate—a sharp intake of breath, a low, guttural sound that rumbled from his chest as his head fell back, his throat exposed and vulnerable for one delicious moment. The heat radiating from him was unmistakable, and the way his body responded to hers made her feel bold,powerful.
She flexed her foot again, deliberately stroking the rigid length straining beneath his trousers. His fingers tightened on her ankle, his breath shuddering as he looked at her, his gaze molten with desire. “Juliet,” he rasped, his voice low and rough, “you are playing with fire.”
“Perhaps I wish to be burned…” she grinned impishly.
Horatio’s lips qurked into a wicked smile. He dragged his hand up from her foot, his fingers firm and commanding as they climbed her calf. He moved higher, over her knee, his palm spreading wide as it caressed the tender inside of her thigh. Her body shuddered as his fingers reached the delicate ribbon at the top of her stocking.
He did not ask permission this time. He rolled the stocking down with slow, deliberate precision, baring her alabaster leg inch by agonizing inch. The stocking fell away, forgotten, as he repeated the same process with the other, leaving her bare from the knees down.
“Move your hands,” he ordered, a command she could not ignore.
His attention shifted upward, his gaze dark with intent. He caught the hem of her petticoat between his fingers, lifting it slowly, teasingly. The fabric rose higher, revealing the pale curve of her knees, then the soft, silken expanse of her thighs. She instinctively pressed her hands to the apex of her legs in a futile attempt to guard her modesty.
“Move your hands,” he ordered, a command she could not ignore. He didn’t wait. His hands closed over hers, prying them gently but firmly away as he pushed the petticoat higher. The fabric slid up, baring her completely, and his breath caught as his eyes roved over her naked figure. “Perfect.”
He spread her thighs with his hands, and before she could think—before she could even speak, his mouth descended. The first stroke of his tongue against her center was pure fire. She cried out, her hips bucking against him as he took her apart with deliberate, unrelenting attention. His tongue teased, flicked, and plunged, exploring every inch of her with raw hunger.
“What are you—what are you doing…” Juliet cried out, her hips jerking against him as her fingers dove into his hair, holding himto her. He didn’t relent. His tongue delved deeper, tasting her, teasing her, exploring her with a ferocity that made her body arch against him. He groaned against her, the sound vibrating through her core in a way that made her moan his name, breathless and broken.
“More,” she gasped, her thighs trembling as her hands tightened in his hair. “Please, Horatio… don’t stop.”
When his lips closed around her most sensitive spot, sucking powerfully, she shattered, her release tearing through her in waves so powerful she couldn’t hold back the sob of his name.
Upon guiding her quivering body through that blissful ascent, he pulled back just enough to look at her, his lips glistening and his eyes dark with satisfaction. “You taste like sin,” he murmured, his voice thick as he rose, capturing her mouth in a searing kiss. “And I’m far from finished.”
Horatio’s control snapped as he gripped Juliet by the hips and hauled her down onto him, positioning her astride his lap. His back pressed against the end of the pew, and she settled above him, her petticoat bunched around her thighs, her breath hot and shallow. Her hands darted between them, fumbling with the button of his breeches. The urgency of her movements matched the roaring storm outside, fingers trembling as they worked.
His hands roamed over her with unrestrained hunger, sliding over her waist, her back, her thighs, as though he couldn’t touch enough of her at once. His lips sought her neck, her collarbone, tasting her, claiming her with every kiss. When her hands finallyfreed him, she giggled breathlessly, the sound a sweet contrast to the fire between them. They shifted together, a frenzied dance to shed the final barrier of his breeches—when at last he sprang free.
For a moment, they stilled, their eyes locking in a shared, searing gaze. Her breasts rose and fell, her damp hair clinging to her flushed cheeks. He held her gaze, his grip tightening on her hips as he steadied her.
“Hold still,” he commanded, one hand sliding up her spine to tangle in her hair, holding her steady. “I’ll take care of you.”
“Horatio…” she breathed. Her eyes went wide, her lips trembling as she clung to his shoulders. There was a hint of hesitation, of uncertainty, but he silenced it with a fierce, claiming kiss. His lips crushed against hers, his tongue sweeping into her mouth, leaving no doubt about his intent.
With his free hand, he positioned himself, the thick head of his manhood pressing against her slick heat. She gasped, her body tensing, but he soothed her with a murmur against her lips.
“Relax for me,” he whispered, his voice gentler now, though no less commanding. “You can take me. You will.”
Before she could respond, he thrust up into her in one smooth, gentle motion, burying himself slowly to the hilt. Her cry was sharp, her nails digging into his shoulders as her body stretched to accommodate him, the fullness overwhelming. He held herthere, his grip on her hips firm, his breathing harsh against her ear.
“Good girl,” he growled, his voice thick with satisfaction as he felt her tighten around him. “You feel perfect.”
She whimpered, her body surrendering completely to his rhythm, her nails raking down his chest as her hips began to meet his thrusts instinctively. He rewarded her with a groan, leaning forward to take one of her breasts in his mouth, his tongue flicking over the peak before his teeth scraped lightly, making her cry out.
The storm outside roared, but it was nothing compared to the tempest brewing between them. Her movements grew wilder, her hips grinding against him, her nails digging into his shoulders as her head fell back. Water droplets scattered from her hair as she cried out, her voice rising in pitch with each gasping moan.
He felt her body tighten around him, her thighs clenching as her nails scored his back. Then she shuddered violently, a scream ripping from her throat as she convulsed in his arms. The sheer force of her release dragged him over the edge seconds later, his body stiffening as his own release tore through him, raw and powerful. He held her tightly, his fingers digging into her hips as he spilled himself into her.
They clung to each other, their bodies trembling, the echoes of their cries mingling with the distant thunder. Gradually, their breathing steadied, their foreheads touching as they shared alook full of raw intimacy. For a long time afterward, they remained still, bodies liquid and limp. Outside the storm abated, the thunder becoming more distant and the rain slowing its assault.
Finally, Juliet raised a hand flat against his cheek, as she breathed in the scent of him. “I did not mean to go so far…” she whispered.
“Nor I,” Horatio murmured back.
“But, I do not wish to die a maid either…” she breathed.
