Page 37 of Her Cursed Duke
Unsure if she could trust herself to not say something foolish, Prudence nodded, dropping her gaze to the grass beneath them.
“Are you sure? I think you gave me a heart attack when you fell in. I was so worried something happened to you.”
“Why?” she asked quietly, daring to raise her gaze.
As he stared at her, his worry morphed into confusion. “Why?”
She nodded slowly. “Why were you worried?”
The look he gave her next told her that Aiden was definitely wondering if she had taken leave of her senses all of a sudden.
“Why would I not worry? I care about you, even though you drive me mad as though it is a role you were born to fulfill. I… I thought it was just because I felt indebted to you at first. I felt as though my mind was simply trying to trick me into ensuring that you were compensated for all the trouble you are going through because of me. But…” he trailed off and looked away.
Prudence was not going to let him off without gaining clarity on what was happening between them, so she moved closer to him, giving him no other option but to look at her. “But?”
Aiden stared at her for a few seconds, then he shook his head with a little smile. He lifted his hand and brushed her wet hair from her face, his eyes darting to her lips when she shivered beneath his touch.
“But it is more than that,” he whispered softly as his hand trailed down to hold her chin. “It is more than just trying to repay a debt or worrying that you might be in danger if we are found out. I think about you, far too often to be considered normal. And it is unfair that I seem to be the only one struggling with this problem.”
He… he thinks about me, too?
Prudence was sure she had taken leave of her senses when she gave in to the urge to lean into his touch, bracing one of her hands on his arm as she admitted something she never expected that she ever would.
“You’re not the only one, Aiden. I am quite irritated by how often you are on my mind as well,” she mumbled loud enough for him to hear.
His eyes darkened, and he tightened his grip on her, not enough to hurt her but as a warning. “Do not tempt me if you are just going to run away, Prudence.”
She swallowed, throwing caution to the wind as she said, “I am not going anywhere. Not now.”
At first, he did not move, but then he raised his eyes to the sky and cursed. Just as Prudence had begun to feel the onslaught of shame, Aiden pulled her flush against him and kissed her.
This kiss lacked the fiery intent from last night. Instead, it was tentative. Prudence understood that he was giving her a chance to back out if she wished and felt the last of her resolve crumble.
She wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pressed even closer to him, giving him her permission to do as he wished. As though he had been waiting for just that, Aiden tilted his head slightly so their mouths could meet more comfortably as he kissed her passionately.
The heat was spreading through Prudence’s body from wherever they touched, and she wanted more.
His tongue teased the seam of her lower lip, and she sighed, immediately responding to his desire to deepen the kiss. Their tongues met in a way that was different from how they lashed at each other during an argument, this time slowly and purposefully, with the intent to please and ruin at the same time.
Prudence could feel a fog settle pleasantly over her mind, shuddering as his hands roamed over her body, gripping the curves of her hips for a moment before sliding down to cup her behind, coaxing a moan out of her. She whined when his lips left hers and then promptly forgot about the act of treason as he began to press gentle kisses down the column of her throat. He lightly sucked on a certain spot, sending shivers down her spine.
“You are… so beautiful. It is a little irritating sometimes because I can’t seem to decide if I want to argue with you or kiss you,” he murmured against her skin as one of his hands fondled her breast.
“That’s… that is a… very accurate description of… our relationship,” Prudence rasped, squeezing her eyes shut when she felt his stiff length press against her thigh.
Prudence was entirely in his lap at this point, utterly at his mercy, and she realized with only a mild sense of horror that she did not mind. Especially when his hand began to tug at her skirts, slowly pulling them up to her knees.
His pace was a deliberate attempt to tease her, and she hated it, hated that she had to bite her lower lip to keep herself from begging him.
But Aiden seemed intent on destroying her, cupping the underside of her thigh, his fingertips teasing the bare skin there as his lips found hers again and he kissed her slowly. He knew what he was doing, reveling in the fact that he was picking her apart leisurely as though this was his favorite pastime.
Soon, Prudence reached her limit and whimpered into his mouth, dizzy from how hot her face felt.
Aiden pulled back slightly with a smirk. “Yes, darling?” He blinked, too slowly. “Is there something you want?”
The nickname stirred something deep within her and plunged her further down the abyss of desperation, and she clung to him as one might a ladder to heaven.
“Aiden…” she whined.
