Page 48 of The Duke of Seduction
He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to his chest. Lowering his head, he swept his mouth over hers, finding her in the darkness as if his body instinctively knew hers.
She clutched his back and held him tightly as his lips moved against hers. He cautioned himself to go slow despite the passion raging through him. He’d been celibate forever, it seemed, and yet not all that long. No, just since he’d met her, he realized in just that moment. Had his inner self been waiting for this?
He ended the kiss, inviting frustration. But it had to be done.
“That’s it?” Her question tossed him off guard. “I know there’s more to it than that.”
Hell, she’d never been properly kissed. “We don’t have much time.”
“Then you’d better be quick about it.” There was an edge of challenge to her tone, but mostly it was sultry demand. And he was powerless to refuse her.
He moved one hand up to the back of her neck and curled his fingers around her nape. His lips found hers again, and this time, he angled his head and licked along the crease of her mouth.
She opened on a soft gasp, inviting him into her lush, velvety softness. His tongue slid along hers, coaxing her in long, delicious strokes to kiss him in return. She responded with seductive immediacy, her fingertips dancing along his neck.
The heat inside him blazed into a bonfire of need and desire. She pressed herself against him, bringing them more than chest to chest—her pelvis was tucked into his. It was sweet temptation, and he fought to hold himself in check.
They really didn’t have time.
Her tongue thrust into his mouth, and he groaned softly, clasping her more tightly. He couldn’t get enough of her. And damn, nothing was more true than that. He had to let her go.
Now.
He ended the kiss and took a step back while also pushing her back slightly. He needed to put distance between them. If he didn’t, he wasn’t sure he trusted himself to walk away.
“I’m going to hide beneath the desk now.” He was a wreck of himself. His voice was dark and hoarse, and his cock raged with near painful need.
“All right.” She sounded a bit dazed. “If you must.”
“I must.” He forced himself to reach for the drapery, pulling it open to step through it.
Light spilled in and revealed the flush of her cheek and the red rose of her kiss-swollen lips. He stifled another groan. She was beyond stunning, and he wasn’t sure he’d ever wanted a woman more.
“If you ever have reason to do that again, I invite you to do so,” she said, her gaze a mix of seductive innocence and wholesome desire that nearly sent him to his knees.
He didn’t answer, because he heard a sound from outside. Letting go of the curtain, he dashed back to the desk and threw himself beneath it just a moment before the door swung open.
Well, that had been a near thing. What the hell was he doing, kissing an unmarried young lady whom he was trying to help find a husband?
More importantly, why was he trying to find a reason, as she’d said, to do so again?
