Page 73 of A Christmas Temptation for the Duke
“How can you be so sure?”
She smiled. “I am looking at the reason. Before I came here, I was like you. Maybe not quite so morose and sullen,” she joked softly. “But I was sadder than you knew.”
“And what changed…” His eyes searched her.
“You are what changed,” she said. “You saw me, just as I see you. And I do see you, Daniel. Not who you think you are, but who you truly are.”
“And I see you, Alison. I…” He bit back his words, brow furrowing, the final fight raging behind his eyes. “I see you where your family cannot.”
They looked at one another a moment longer.
Silence fell between them. The intensity of their gaze grew such that even if Alison wanted to look away, she would not be able to. They locked onto one another, cutting through the excess and outside noise so that nothing mattered in that moment save for them and them alone.
She thought to say something else. A final word of encouragement, as if such a thing was needed. But Daniel’s stare finally broke, flicking to her lips and holding onto them, before he met her eyes once more. And that was when she knew how this day would end.
The kiss that followed not only felt natural, but it felt right. It did not catch Alison by surprise. There was no sense that it came from nowhere or was unearned. They leaned in together, lips puckered, mouths meeting, the clash of their lips and then tongues not so much an explosion as it was an all-consuming force.
Alison’s hands went to Daniel’s shirt, grabbing hold and pulling him closer. Daniel’s hands found the side of her face, keeping it there as his tongue explored the inside of her mouth, and as her tongue did the same to him. They breathed one another in. They accepted the reality of the kiss with no sense that it was wrong to do. Their bodies came together, the passion behind the kiss grew, and Alison accepted that this time nothing would stop them.
The kiss grew in intensity. It became wilder. Hungrier. It was as if they had been starved for so long that they needed to make up for lost time. Wet and sloppy. Ravishing and driven. Tongues wrestled, teeth nibbled, and moans escaped between each breath.
It was not long before Daniel’s hands moved to Alison’s thighs. He gripped them tight as he pulled away and started kissing down her neck. Alison tilted her head back, exposing her neckfully; each kiss from Daniel sent a ripple of pleasure throughout her entire body so that she was shaking.
Those same hands grabbed hastily at the skirt of her dress, tearing it up and over her thighs. Daniel was still sitting beside her, but he turned his body as if he meant to throw his leg over her lap. He did no such thing, but instead used his right knee to spread her legs as his left hand slipped down her thighs and between her legs.
She gasped at his touch and Daniel pulled away.
“I am sorry,” he said as if only just now realizing what he was doing. “I should not… I understand if this is too much…”
Alison very nearly told him not to concern himself with worry. She considered scolding him for daring to suggest such a thing. But the time for words spoken was past them, and action was what would convince Daniel the most.
She made sure to hold his eyes as she reached down and rested her hand on his that was between her thighs. She took it, squeezed, and then opened her legs further as she guided his hand downwards.
“Are you…” Daniel hesitated a moment longer. “Are you certain?”
“I have never been more certain,” she said to him.
He grinned and his eyes flashed understanding. Replacing his lack of certainty was the same hunger that she had seen before.
“As you say, but be warned,” he growled. “From this, there is no coming back.”
“I might say the same to you,” she said, spreading her legs that little bit further.
Daniel growled and pounced. His lips found her mouth and this time the kiss was more akin to being devoured. He kissed her with passion and desire and hungry intensity. He ravished her lips and her face and her neck and anywhere he could find. He made her completely his.
As he did all of this, his rogue hand continued its journey between her thighs until it found her womanhood.
Her eyes widened and then snapped shut as his fingers traced the outside of her lips. Alison could feel how wet she was, just as she could feel the way her thighs burned. She kept those eyes shut and leaned back, giving her neck once more to Daniel who latched on as his fingers stroked and played and then gently dipped inside of her.
“Urgh…” she moaned as she felt him enter her. “Daniel…”
He chuckled darkly as his fingers slid deeper inside. She gasped next, her breath catching to feel those fingers spreading her open. It did not feel wrong at all. It did not feel strange orunnatural. It felt… somehow right, a piece of her missing that was now finally back in place.
That was when he started to curl his fingers.
“Oh!” Her eyes shot open, and she nearly pulled away. But Daniel used his other hand to grip her naked thigh and hold her in place. “Daniel…” Her body squirmed and writhed as his fingers curled. “Yes… oh… God… what are you…”
As Daniel pleasured her with his fingers, he started to kiss down her neck and toward her chest. Her dress had a high collar, and instinct saw Alison tearing it open to expose her collarbone. Naturally, Daniel attacked the naked skin without hesitation.
