“Um hm.”
Walking forward, he backed her against the bed until her knees buckled, causing her to drop and break the kiss.
Thomas held her gaze and tipped her back so that she could only lie there and look up at him.
“You’re wearing far too many clothes, Duchess.” He wasn’t sure if the shock in her eyes was from his words or the fact that his hands now rolled her slightly to one side, exploring the back of her dress in search of buttons he might unfasten.
For nary a second, he thought that he should have done this before she was lying down. But no. This was just as good. No matter how a man undressed a woman, the end result would be the same.
He helped her remove her arms, and then pushed the dress all the way down her legs and onto the floor.
Beneath her stays and chemise, he caught glimpses of warm, sweet woman now.
“Must you? Remove everything?” That arrogance sounded in her voice for a moment, but a quiver gave her away.
“I didn’t get to where I am in life by doing anything halfway. I’m not about to start now.” He tasted the skin on her shoulder as his fingers deftly unlaced the stays. She shivered but moved so that he had better access.
To both the laces and the skin on her shoulder.
She liked this. She needed this.
What surprised him was the tremor in his own hands. She was so very different from any woman he’d ever bedded.
The first time they’d met, he’d been a bit in awe of her. And then he’d pitied her. It took a few additional meetings before he’d begun to feel attracted to her.
Before he’d realized how much of herself she was hiding from the world.
“Beautiful.” He said the words aloud now, as he remembered that exact moment.
He’d been a guest at a house party at Eden’s Court last summer, and he’d spied her haunting the gardens in the moonlight. The wind had blown her dress against her figure, revealing voluptuous curves. It had caught her hair, unravelling most of her chignon. She’d appeared regal and wild at the same time.
It was then that he’d known. She was so much more than a duchess. This woman. This female with needs.
Thomas reveled in each inch he uncovered as he removed the rest of her clothing and shoes, kissing, nipping, caressing… distracting her.
She moaned and arched her back with her eyes closed. Perhaps she was able to acknowledge the sensations he caused so long as she didn’t acknowledge who he was.
A commoner.
“Open your eyes,” he commanded once he could finally hover over her. Although she lay naked beneath him, he remained fully clothed.
She squeezed her eyes shut tightly before eventually fluttering those eyelashes and meeting his gaze.
“What do you want?” He knew what she wanted. He simply needed to hear it.
She frowned in confusion.
“What do you want?” He repeated and then lowered his body to press her into the mattress.
She pushed back up against him.
“This?” His hand covered her breast, and he squeezed. But he needed to know. Notwhat.He needed to knowwho.
Would just any man do? He didn’t want to believe this.
Because he felt something for her. Damn his eyes. He felt something other than simple lust, and she was bound to stomp all over it when they returned to her family.
“I want…” And then her fingertips came up to caress the side of his jaw. “I want… you. I want you, Thomas.” Her eyes closed and she arched into him again. The words had been hard for her to say.
