Page 44 of A Cursed Bride for the Duke
“I…” she began, her voice trembling with uncertainty.
“I assure you, Duchess, I mean you no harm,” he promised. “Besides,” he added with an amused smile, “the bed is practically shaking with your trembling. I doubt either of us will get any sleep if you continue to shiver like a leaf all night long.”
She gave him a reluctant smile and rolled over. “Very well,” she conceded as she scooted closer to him.
Wilhelm stretched himself along the length of the small bed and turned to face her.
The warmth that radiated from his body seeped into her chilled skin, melting the remnants of the storm’s icy grip. His scent enveloped her, and she inhaled deeply, closed her eyes and allowed the world around her to fade away.
He wrapped one arm around her and buried his nose in her hair.
“Is this not much better?” he whispered. His warm breath on her neck sent a tingle of delight across her skin.
Genevieve’s body tensed up, then melted into his hold, her trembling subdued by the steady rise and fall of his chest.
“Y-Yes,” she admitted, her voice soft, almost lost in the small gap between them.
She could feel the warmth of his skin against hers, the solid strength of his body beneath the fine linen of his shirt, and the steady rhythm of his breath against her hair. She held her breath as she shifted and pressed her thighs together.
Genevieve opened her eyes as she suddenly felt an unmistakable hardness against her thigh.
Though she had never felt something like it before, the whispered confidences Marianne had shared returned to her and painted a vivid picture of what it could signify.
“Oh…” Wilhelm’s voice, a husky murmur against her ear, sent shivers down her spine. “Forgive me. It is difficult to remain unaffected by…” He gulped. “…you. Especially like this.”
She thought it wiser to pull away, put some distance between them and regain control of the situation. But the warmth of his embrace and the comforting scent of his skin held her captive.
“It is… all right. I understand,” she managed.
“I promise you,” Wilhelm continued in a low whisper that reverberated through her, “I will not do anything ungentlemanly. You are safe.”
Genevieve closed her eyes, overwhelmed by the conflicting emotions swirling within her.
What am I so wary of? What would it be like if I gave in and allowed my desires to take control? After all, he is my husband.
“What if…” she murmured, her voice a hesitant whisper against his chest.
As if guided by an unseen force, her hand trailed down his chest and abdomen, until her fingers grazed his hard length through the fine fabric of his trousers.
Wilhelm inhaled sharply, his body tensing up beneath her touch. He shifted, turning her gently so that she faced him, his emerald-green eyes gleaming in the dim light.
“You are treading on very dangerous territory, Duchess,” he warned, his voice a husky whisper.
Consumed by his intoxicating proximity and the need to touch him, Genevieve tilted her head up and pressed her lips to his.
Wilhelm groaned and deepened the kiss. His tongue traced the seam of her lips and gently parted them. She sighed as his tongue touched hers and swept through the cavern of her mouth.
As she explored his mouth in turn, she could taste red wine on his tongue. She kissed him more deeply, her fervor rising as she cupped his face and ran her fingers through his hair.
Wilhelm abruptly broke the kiss and studied her face with wild eyes as he drew a deep breath. She could see the tempest of lust, regret, and determination that swirled in their depths.
“Genevieve,” he said, his voice shaky with restrained need, “you have been through enough tonight. This is not the time nor the place for me to…” He cleared his throat. “…claim you.”
Genevieve furrowed her brow, and a flicker of disappointment clouded her features. “But I—” she began.
Wilhelm silenced her with a dark look and shook his head. “No,” he said. “I want us to be alone, far away from everyone and everything that might come between us. Because when I claim you, Genevieve, I want you to scream my name freely, loudly, and without restraint. I want you to lose yourself in the passion of our lovemaking, to feel every inch of me and know, without a doubt, that you belong to me.”
He paused. “Besides, I do not intend to do everything with you in a single night, and certainly not in a room where I cannot press you against the wall and take you,” he added with an arrogant smile.
