Page 19 of Married to the Forbidden Duke
She could not have breathed even if she had wanted to. Her lungs seized in her chest. He was everywhere—above her, holding her, one arm braced against the desk behind her. If she reached out, she could palm the expanse of his chest and stomach. Lower, if she had wanted to.
Instead, she was trapped in the power of his gaze.
“Well?” he murmured. “Are you going to ruin me?”
All she had for him—all she would ever have—was the truth.
“Yes,” she whispered.
His eyes darkened, icebergs caught in sunlight, so unspeakably beautiful she caught her breath, and the next moment, his mouth was on hers.
His kiss came suddenly, hard, unforgiving.
As though he wanted to devour and punish her all at once. As though he hated her, wanted her, hated himself for wanting her.
Another emotion stirred in her chest, one not tainted by hate. Something she had gone so long without that she thought she would never feel again. That red-hot feeling, reaching up to swallow her deep below its depths.
Desire…
She didn’t know how it was possible—she hated him, she knew she did, ever since her accident she had been consumed by thoughts of him and how much she despised him. And yet here he was, his mouth opening hers, his tongue claiming her, and it was as though he had branded her irrevocably.
Over the years, she’d had the occasional stolen kiss.
All very delicate, very proper. And never on the lips.
But this kiss was from a man who knew what it meant towant, and the sensation carried her along with it.
She found her hand drifting to his chest, his lapels. Her fist crushed his cravat, and she intended to push him away—she did, she trulydid—but his fingers dug into her shoulder, pulling her still closer, and she found herself dragging his body more firmly against hers.
He paused, a hesitancy that she had not expected, and she took the opportunity to shove him back.
He went without question, giving her space. Her entire body felt flushed, a liquid sensation between her legs she had never experienced before. She throbbed for something more than he had just given her.
But along with this newfound, unwelcome desire, there was also shame that she could want someone who had ruined her so desperately. It was a betrayal against herself, her parents, everything she stood for...
And yet she could not deny the calling of her own body...
Guilt flooded her.Shame.Disgust. And more of that forbidden, enticing heat.
“If you were ever under the illusion that I found you repulsive,” he said, his voice smooth, impossibly so given the hectic flush in his cheeks, “please allow me to disabuse you of that notion.”
Her gaze dropped to his breeches, and the definitive bulge there. She would have noticed if it had been there before.
Shehad done that.
He…wantedher?
The evidence was too much for her to ignore, but for once, it left her scrambling, with no clue how on earth to approach such a thing.
Heavens above, what did one say to that?
“Oh,” she said, lamely, as he strode for the door and opened it. Then he turned back to her.
“We will be hosting a ball here in a week’s time. I would like you to send the invitations, but if you will not, I shall do so myself.” His gaze, still heated, traveled across her face. “I would very much like you to stand beside me as my wife so we can banish these rumors once and for all. What do you say?”
Her senses had been scrambled by his kiss, but she knew one thing for certain. If this went ahead, she might have a chance to ruin him in his own home.
How could she turn that down?
