Lisbeth kissed his jaw and his throat. Her core clenched as his shaft pulsated against her most feminine spot, only his trousers separating them. He pulled her mouth back to his. The kiss turned hungrier and needier. He arched his hips upward, and Lisbeth threw her head back, moaning. He ran his fingers down her throat and tugged at the top of her nightgown. It remained in place.
Thomas leaned forward and took the tip of one of her breasts through the fabric in his mouth, sucking and teasing her. Her body was inflamed, and their rocking against each other became more frantic. One of his hands dipped down between her thighs, and she moaned. He released her nipple. “You are so wet. I need to be inside you, Lizzie. Please.”
She nodded and shifted upwards while he removed his shaft from his pants. He bunched her nightgown up so she was bare from the waist down. Lisbeth lowered herself onto him, and he watched intently until he was fully buried in her. She wanted this every day of her life. Lisbeth wanted him.
The ache for him thrummed through her, and she began to ride him. Each meeting of their bodies was hard and deep. It was as if all the emotions that had been buried within each of them were coming out with every thrust. Their movements shifted between tenderness and frustration.
The throbbing in her was building. She was close to her climax. Her body was thirsty for it, and she rode him harder, needing it. Thomas seemed to be racing towards his finish as well, as he bucked underneath her. She whimpered when he wrapped her hair in his fist and held her so they were looking at each other.
“Why are you such a fucking temptation, Lizzie? I shouldn’t want you or this.”
His words hurt, but also inflamed her. The anger Lisbeth felt at his unwillingness to talk surged within her. She rocked harder, hating his words. “Do you think I want to desire you? A man who has forced me to wed him for life, even though he hates me.”
He growled and pulled her head down for a punishing kiss. The ache in her core spiked to a level that left her breathless. She was so close. He grasped her hips frantically. They pounded intoeach other, and gone was any tenderness. In its place for both of them was desire, a need to be sated, and anger.
Her eyes connected with his fiery ones just as the ache in her lower body exploded. Thomas groaned at the same time, spilling his seed deep into her. She fell against him as he slowly rocked his hips. Eventually, she pulled back and looked down at him. A look of devastation covered Thomas’s face.
Lisbeth pulled herself from his lap. He stood and handed her a cloth to clean up before taking care of himself and closing his trousers. Thomas didn’t make eye contact with her. Finally, Lisbeth said, “Thomas, look at me.”
He shook his head. “I have to go.”
She grasped his arm. “Stop running.”
Yanking his arm free, he said, “This was a mistake. I could have gotten you with child.”
Frustration and anger welled in her. “Is that so wrong? You are my husband. I love you.”
“Don’t say that,” he bit out.
Lisbeth did. She always would. “Tell me you don’t love me. I want to hear the lie on your lips.”
He remained quiet, but there was no mistaking his anger. Yet, he didn’t say the words aloud. Why did that make her hopeful?
“I’m so sorry for everything, but we have a chance to be together and happy, Thomas. Why would we deny ourselves that?”
“I can’t help wanting you. Damn it, I’ve tried for years,” he ground out.
Lisbeth silently pleaded for him to let some of the anger go. She knew if she asked him aloud right now, it would fall on deaf ears.
His glare turned darker. “Love is no longer what I feel for you, duchess. That is gone and will never return.”
Her heart shattered. She’d thought he wouldn’t be able to say such a thing to her.
She shook her head. “I don’t believe you.”
“We are only married so that I can be near my child. So she can know me, and I can be a part of her life. You and I, duchess, will likely end up fucking again, but don’t be a fool and think it is love. We need to be better at making sure I don’t get you with child.”
She closed her eyes, fury welling in her at his hurtful words. She grabbed a glass and threw it at him. It shattered against the wall. He looked away, stunned. In truth, Lisbeth was also shocked by her actions.
“Mother,” Jeremy yelled from down the hallway.
Lisbeth was shaking and took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She turned to walk away, and Thomas grabbed her arm. She yanked away from him. “Leave at least until you can learn to speak with me. I will not have my children grow up with this animosity between us.”
He nodded and rushed from the room. She wiped at the tears, hating him so much.
“Mother,” Jeremy called again.
She hurried to his room. The governess was already there. He was crying. “I had a bad dream, and then I heard a loud noise.”
