Page 83 of The Scarred Duke's Bride
She laughed nervously. “No. were you hoping I would be?”
He said nothing, just swayed on the spot. She got to her feet, clad in her nightgown, and walked to him. She could see his eyes, raking over her in the light from the fire. She remembered that the material of the gown was so thin it would be rendered transparent by the light.
She came up to him, reaching for his necktie. “Let me help you." She began to loosen it. Eric merely swayed on the spot, seemingly unsure of what to do next. Freya divested him of his tie and shirt and then put her hands on his flies, ignoring the tent in his breeches.
He put a hand out to stop her, his head bent, eyes on their joined hands. “Don’t,” he whispered.
“Why not?”
“Because you don’t want this.”
She scoffed, wiggling her hand out of his grip, and continued to undo his flies. He bit back a moan, and she smiled, glad to have evoked a reaction from him. When he was swaying gently, naked before her, she stepped back and pulled off her night gown.
“Oh God,” she heard him whisper, and then he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her towards him, kissing her like it was the last time before he picked her up and walked effortlessly towards the bed. She clung to him, kissing him as frantically as he was devouring her.
She pulled him down to her, wrapping her legs around his waist and making him let out a deep, heartfelt groan before he wrapped his arms around her thighs, pulling them further apart and surging into her.
She cried out in relief and satisfaction as he filled her, feeling whole again after days of emptiness. She cried out, right next to his ear, and felt him shiver, the rhythm of his thrusts increasing in tempo, strength, and passion. He turned his head, so he could slide his mouth onto hers, kissing her deep and steadily as he pounded her into the downy mattress.
She arched into him luxuriantly.
At last,she thought and didn’t know why. He pounded into her as she encouraged him in every way she could, mewling and moaning as the pleasure hit every inch of her body, bringing her back to life and dispelling the numbness. She opened herself up to him completely, welcoming him utterly, urging him to make himself at home in her body.
They undulated together, their shadows growing large and monstrous on the wall in the firelight.
The beast with two backs.She thought with bemusement as she watched their shadows shimmer and move together.
“Yes," she whispered, “Yes, please. Like that. More.” She almost cried from the pleasure she was feeling, praying she would never stop feeling like this.
“Freya,” he groaned into her neck and then bit down. She squealed, startled a bit by the sudden pain, but then she moved her head to the side to give him room to lick and nip, suckle, and soothe her flesh as he pleased.
Her back arched off the bed, bringing him deeper into her as she moaned aloud, and he grunted with the effort of pistoning into her, as deep as he could go. He gathered her legs together, pinning them at the ankle and pulling them up and forward, to give himself more room. His body undulated fast and hard as he pumped in and out of her, panting heatedly, sweat dripping from his brow as his veins bulged outwards, and his face flushed.
She cupped his cheek lovingly, loving the evidence of the passion she could see there. She was so focused on him that her orgasm took her by surprise, tearing through her like a hurricane and leaving her wet, wrung out, and limp in its wake. She felt it as Eric began to pour himself into her, and her body jerked and sputtered, wanting to join him in ecstasy once again, despite her own recent repletion.
She clutched at him weakly, mouthing his name and pulling at his shoulders, so he would swoop down and kiss her again. He let go of her legs, surging into her as deep as he could go with a long, drawn-out groan before swooping down and kissing her so gently she almost cried. Cupping his cheeks, she kissed him back with everything she had, telling him with her body what she could not yet quite say with her mouth.
He collapsed to the side, drawing her into the cavity of his chest and holding her tight as he panted. She held tightly onto his arms, reveling in the feeling of being surrounded and protected. He kissed her forehead gently, and she smiled.
“Go to sleep," he said.
Tucking herself into his body, she did as he asked.
* * *
Eric was dreading the reading of the will. Much as he knew what was probably entailed therein, he had no idea what it would mean for his future with Freya. He wanted it to be all right, but he knew there was no way to guarantee that.
He got dressed alone, Freya having gone to check on Isabella. He had asked his mother and brother to be present with him because they too would need to know how things would go.
He poured himself a glass of brandy, even though the sun had yet to pass the yard arm, and he downed it in one fell swoop before walking out of his study. They were all supposed to drive together to the solicitor’s office, and he was gratified to see that his mother and brother had arrived on time.
He greeted his mother with muted cheer and patted William on the back with a smile.
“Where’s Isabella?” William enquired.
“I’m here!” Isabella called, breaking into a run when she saw William. He opened his arms to her, and she ran into them, sobbing. Eric looked away, not wanting to see her pain. Isabella was taking the death of her father very hard. Freya, on the other hand, was all too silent.
Eric was worried about both of them. They seemed incredibly fragile to him. He did not like how helpless he felt to soothe their hearts in any way. William was very good with Isabella, talking to her, comforting her, and listening to her talk about her father. Eric was so glad of his presence.
