Page 51 of Alone with the Beastly Duke
Moreover, there was always someone—there was always a maid around, and Jasmine knew better than to show any signs that she and Axel had any relationship beyond that of a host and his guest.
Her worst nightmare would be the Ton finding out about her and Axel. She shuddered at the thought of what could happen if it became public knowledge that she and Axel spent intimate time together. It would ruin her.
Jasmine sighed in frustration and decided to get a drink, hoping that she would feel sleepy by the time she got back to bed.
She had just gotten to the dining room when she ran into…
“Axel!” she breathed, surprised to see him. “What are you doing here?” It was unusual to see the master of the house in the dining room at this time of the night.
“I was simply taking a walk around,” he answered.
“Unable to sleep?” she asked.
He nodded. “Indeed. My mind has been preoccupied of late,” he said.
Jasmine raised her eyebrow. “Could your mind possibly be preoccupied with thoughts of me?” she asked.
Axel smiled as he moved closer to her. “You are right.”
He strode over to where Jasmine stood against a table in the dining room. She could perceive his faint musky smell, and in the dining room light, she could not help but notice his deep blue eyes. They twinkled, and they lured her in.
Axel leaned in close to her, and they were almost touching. At that moment, Jasmine could not think of any other thing.
“Are you going to have that drink yet?” he murmured.
Jasmine smiled. “Maybe not,” she replied.
She turned her head slightly so that her mouth was just an inch away from his. She could sense that he wanted to kiss her so badly when his lips parted slowly.
Axel touched her cheeks with his knuckles, and that simple gesture warmed Jasmine’s heart. His hand was warm to her skin, and she shivered a little. His blue eyes shone, and they were locked on Jasmine’s.
It was ironic that Axel was nicknamed the Nordic Beast when he was the tenderest creature with her. Axel slid his hand to the hollow of Jasmine’s throat and spread his fingers against the column of her neck. He moved down in a painstakingly slow motion toward the neckline of her dress.
Jasmine leaned slightly toward him so that his hand grazed her chest. She could feel his warm breath on her face while he ran his hand over the neckline of her dress before moving to the naked skin of the lower part of the neck. He rested his hand against her heart for a while, and Jasmine wondered if he could feel her heart beating faster than usual. Her heart was beating so fast that she could almost hear it.
Axel moved his hand slowly to the swell of Jasmine’s breast. This motion made her draw a slow breath. Her skin heated under his hand, and Jasmine leaned in further, craving his touch.
Jasmine could not keep her eyes from fluttering shut. When their lips finally touched, he kissed her, and Jasmine’s heart lurched when he drew her lips between his teeth and gently probed her mouth deeply. Her tongue swirled magically with his, and she could feel his hand snaking toward her breast. He cupped her breast, and Jasmine groaned. Axel pushed her back against the table while his hardness probed against her leg.
“You are driving me mad!” Axel murmured.
Jasmine did not doubt him as she felt the same about him. She was perfectly enamored by their kiss, the sensation of his mouth in hers and his tongue against hers. The pressure of his body pressed against hers drove her insane.
Jasmine’s body simmered and swelled with passion, and she was on the verge of exploding with the need to be touched by Axel. Her body responded to his, and while she knew that it was insanity to be with him like this, she could not bring herself to stop. She knew that one of the maids could enter the dining room at any time, yet she was ready to risk it all. In fact, the risk of it all aroused her beyond measure.
Axel slipped his hand into her dress, and Jasmine could feel his hand on her taut breast. The pleasure unfurled in her body, and at this moment, any reasonable thought to leave the dining room was erased from her mind.
Her hands tangled in his hair before they fell to his muscular arms and shoulders. Jasmine slowly moved her hand to his arms and then to his hips as he bent to skim his lips over her neck.
Axel placed a hand on the small of her waist as she drew him to her in a fluid movement. It was then that Jasmine regained her senses and realized what was about to happen. She put a hand between them, lightly pushing. Axel took a few steps back, peering at her in concern.
“Are you all right? Is there a problem, Jasmine?” he asked.
“No, I just think we should leave the dining room. What if someone catches us?” she warned him, out of breath, while she adjusted her dress and tried to flatten her hair.
“You are right,” he replied, taking her hand. “Let us head to your room.” With that, they tiptoed to Jasmine’s room, careful not to alert anyone of what was happening.
The moment they entered Jasmine’s room, Axel pulled her hand and stood in front of her. He stared deeply into her eyes, and her body responded to him seamlessly. Jasmine stared at his lips, which had awakened such feelings in her. Those lips were just a few inches away, and she wanted badly to kiss them.
