He chuckled, a dark, velvety sound that sent a thrill through her. “You think you can hold out against me?” His voice dropped as he slid closer, his hand brushing her thigh and arm. “Soon, little flower, you’ll be begging for my touch.”
Camelia felt a wave of heat flood her body, and she tried to quell the lust his words ignited.
I won’t let him win so easily.
“You’re right,” she muttered. “This is improper. We’re unchaperoned, after all. Perhaps I should go.”
His hand caught her wrist, gentle but strong, pulling her closer until their faces were inches apart.
“Correct,” he murmured, his breath warm against her cheek. “But don’t expect propriety when we’re behind closed doors, Camelia. Not with me.”
“You’re a rake,” she whispered, scowling at him.
But the insult did not mask her desire.
He’s too much, too intense, and yet I can’t pull away.
“Yes, I am familiar with that title,” he said, his lips curling into another dangerous smile. “You’re free to leave this carriage, Camelia. You’re not restrained… yet you stayed.”
Her heart was pounding in her chest, and her body was rooted to the spot, drawn to him despite every instinct screaming at her to flee.
I should go. I should?—
But her feet wouldn’t move, and her eyes locked onto his lips.
“Restraining me would never work,” she murmured. “I value my freedom too much.”
Raph’s eyes smoldered as he leaned closer, his breath a warm tease against the curve of her neck. Slowly and deliberately, he pressed his lips to the sensitive skin just below her ear.
The soft, lingering kiss sent a jolt through her, igniting every nerve. Her heart raced, a flush spreading across her chest as the heat of his mouth seared her skin, promising more than she dared to imagine.
He’s unraveling me, and I can’t stop it.
“Oh!” A gasp escaped her lips as the sensation rippled through her, a wave of desire that left her trembling.
Her hands gripped the velvet seat, desperate for an anchor as her body betrayed her by leaning into his touch.
His lips curved against her skin, a low hum vibrating in his throat as his teeth grazed the tender flesh with a teasing bite that sent a shiver down her spine. Camelia’s body moved of its own accord, arching slightly towards him, her breath coming in soft, uneven pants.
This is madness.
Her mind was a whirl of want and warning, yet she couldn’t pull away, caught in the pull of his warmth and the possessive edge of his touch.
His hand slid to her waist, fingers splaying with a gentle but firm pressure, anchoring her as his lips trailed lower. A second, softer bite coaxed another gasp from her lips.
The Duke pulled back slightly, his eyes molten with desire, his voice a low, gravelly growl that seemed to stroke her skin.
“Go, then,” he whispered, his lips hovering tantalizingly close to hers, the heat of his breath a sultry promise of more.
The gap between them pulsed with unspoken desire, and the air was thick with an invitation that threatened to consume her.
I should leave, but every part of me aches for him.
Her body was alight with a forbidden need, every inch of her acutely aware of his nearness, the way his broad frame seemed to draw her in like a moth to a flame.
Camelia’s lips parted, but her voice was lost in the haze of his intoxicating presence.
A soft, needy whimper escaped her before she could stop it, a sound that betrayed the heat pooling between her legs.
