She lathered his face gently, memorizing the angles of his jaw and the feel of his ragged whiskers. Remembering how they had brushed her skin so many times. She liked the intimacy of the act more than she should. He had to trust her with the straight razor in her hand. He seemed to do it effortlessly, as he kept his eyes shut even when she first scraped the blade over his skin.
She focused once more on her work, a godsend when her mind wanted to take her to such troubling places. Bit by bit, she smoothed away all the whiskers, trimmed his sideburns, and then set the razor aside and wiped his face and neck clean of all the little hairs that had fallen there during her duty.
She stepped back and couldn’t help but gasp. He was almost another person, this freshly coifed and shaved man before her. But utterly handsome, utterly perfect.
“It can’t be so bad as all that,” he said, and held a hand out for the mirror.
She gave it over at last with a shake of her head. “Not bad at all. You are very handsome. You are…you’re a duke.”
His gaze flitted up to her. “No, I’m not,” he whispered as he set the mirror aside and reached for her hand. She gasped as he gently tugged her into his lap. He nuzzled her neck with his freshly smooth cheek, and she shivered with renewed pleasure.
She turned her face into his and kissed him. His hand came up, fingers gliding along her neck, against the base of her skull as he angled her head for better access. The kiss deepened and she felt the swell of his cock begin to press against her thigh.
She drew back and smiled. “That won’t do,” she said.
He arched a brow at her teasing tone. “No, not at all,” he agreed with a false earnestness. “Not when we have company coming. What should we do about it, do you think?”
She laughed and was once again struck by how easy this all was. Too easy. And yet she reveled in it. Reveled in the pleasure of it and of him.
She slid her hand between them and kept her gaze focused on his as she wiggled her hand past the fold of his dressing gown. She pushed the fabric aside and glanced at what she’d revealed. His cock, hard and proud, curling up now that it was no longer confined by silky fabric.
She wrapped her hand around it, sliding her fingers up and down the length as he sucked in his breath through his teeth.
“That wasn’t exactly what I had in mind,” he ground out. “Not that I’m complaining.”
“We have no time for anything else,” she whispered as she pressed light kisses along his now-smooth jawline. “Not if you want to actually be dressed when your friends arrive.”
He dipped his head back with a moan. Already he lifted into her palm, grinding against her. “Being dressed is overrated. I could come down in my dressing gown.”
She pumped faster. “I don’t thinkthat’sa good idea. Besides, this is far too pleasurable for me.”
“Is it?” He let out a garbled curse. “How so? It seems you’re not getting much out of it at all.”
“No?” She leaned back and stared at him, tightening her grip, watching as his cheek twitched. “Right now you’re on the edge of control andIput you there. If you don’t think that holding that little bit of power over you isn’t pleasurable, then…well, you’re wrong. I want to see you lose your grip on that control, Lucas.” She leaned in and gently sucked the column of his neck. “Now, please.”
He made a rumbling cry from deep within his chest, and then she felt the ripple through his cock just before he came. She continued to pump him gently until he went limp in the chair. Only then did she wrap her arms around him and press a deep kiss against his lips.
He sighed as she pulled away, and said, “Christ, if someone wanted to kill me, they ought to just send you. But I’d die a happy man.”
She shook her head and slowly got up from his lap. “You shouldn’t even tease about such things, considering.”
He straightened a fraction and nodded. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I didn’t mean to make light of something so close to the truth. Blame it on an addled mind.”
“Addled by…”
“You,” he finished with a flash of a grin. She shivered. God, but he was even more handsome all pulled together as he was now. She’d have thought that impossible.
“So you blame me,” she said, stepping away. The distance might help with her attraction. Another lie to tell herself.
He shrugged. “If the very skilled hands fit.” He tilted his head and his smile fell. His gaze grew heated and heavy. “Don’t think for a moment I don’t realize I now owe you something just as spectacular after that.”
She swallowed hard. “I didn’t realize we were keeping score.”
“When it comes to pleasure for pleasure…always.” He winked.
She bent her head. “I look forward to it. Now, shall I call for your valet, or would you like me to help you dress?”
“You are my very favorite valet, Miss Oakford, I think you know that. But given the circumstances, I think it might be best to ring.”
