“What?” She sighed.
Her body was like a volcano, hot and about to erupt.
“Convinced yet?” He nibbled her earlobe.
She moaned and tried to squirm out of his grasp, but he wasn’t letting her up and she wasn’t trying very hard anyway. Hardly trying at all, for she could not get enough of him. “You are not playing fair.”
“Adela, I am going to explode if you keep rubbing your body against me.”
“I cannot help it. You are purposely setting me on fire.”
“Is it working?”
She closed her eyes and sighed. “Yes. You are a fiend.”
“I know,” he said and closed his mouth over hers in a second kiss obviously meant to leave her scorched and yearning for more.
He meant to conquer her resistance.
Claim her for his own and show her the promise of what could be between them.
He kissed her with heat and a raw intensity, even though this was her first romantic encounter and she had never experienced passion like this before.
Were the others watching?
Could they see the duke kiss her in this alarmingly splendid way?
They must, she realized, for he did not permit his hands to roam as freely as she sensed he wished, and she could feel the tension in his arms.
A scorching first kiss and swallowed up in the duke’s embrace.
Could this day get any better?
His arms formed a protective circle around her body.
“Adela.” He sank his mouth deep onto hers once again.
Her lips felt as though they were perfect pillows against his mouth, soft, plump, and surrendering.
He kissed her as though he wanted to lose himself inside her.
“This is sheer madness,” she whispered, taking a breath as their lips momentarily drew apart.
“Not mad at all. Inevitable. I knew it the moment you landed atop me when chasing after Runyon. The scent you wore that day reminded me of chestnuts and I wanted to eat you up.”
“It was vanilla…but it is easily confused with–”
He chuckled and kissed her once again on the lips, then began kissing her throat. “Marry me, Adela.”
She hugged him fiercely. “What will happen if I accept?”
“Happiness for both of us.”
“Are you sure?”
He eased back so that their gazes met. “I am not doing this for purposes of revenge or atonement. Nor am I doing this for you.”
“You’re not?”
