“Or something,” Duke says as we step into the bedroom and he releases my hand.
I turn in a circle. The style and finish complements the living area, but this room’s color palette uses softer, earthier tones designed to make guests feel cocooned. I hate that I’m impressed.
There are doors leading off to what I presume is a walk-in closet and a bathroom, and the floor to ceiling windows covering almost one entire wall show-off the city lights. Lights that disappear with the touch of a remote as Duke closes the blinds and lowers the lighting to provide a warmer and more relaxing hue. Not that I can relax as I stare at the huge bed.
Duke rests against a wall and folds his arms. “Take your dress off, Grace.”
Chapter 4
Grace
The room temperature is perfect but goosebumps prick my skin at the sound of Duke’s command. I watch him watching me and try not to let my nerves show as I let go of the front of my dress. It hangs around my waist as I tug on the side zipper.
My dress pools at my feet and I flick it away as Duke’s gaze travels down my body then up again. He stares at my bra, this command a silent one. I can do this. I want this. I want him, I tell myself as I unhook my bra and drop it on top of my dress. I’m left in just my thong and my strappy heels.
Duke sucks in a breath. “I thought you looked beautiful in that dress,” he says. He rubs a hand across his face. “But out of it? Damn it, you’re perfection.”
My face twists. He can’t mean it, but the scowl he directs my way has me clamping my mouth shut before I can dismiss the compliment. I quirk an eyebrow. Fine. For one night only I’ll pretend to be the goddess he wants me to believe I am. I take hold of the sides of my thong, but I wait for his instruction.
“Drop them. I want to see how wet you are for me.”
I’m biting down on my lip as I bend forward and wriggle out of the thong. After untangling it from my feet, I start to unbuckle one of my shoe straps.
“No, Angel,” Duke says as his shadow looms over me. “That’s my job.”
As I straighten up, he takes hold of my hand. He kisses my fingers, my wrist, my shoulder, my jaw, and finally, my mouth. It’s all too brief because he gets down on his knees. Ignoring my shoes for now, he parts my thighs to widen my stance. He holds my gaze as his mouth moves closer to my center. I watch in a daze as he pokes out his tongue and makes one long sweep along my slit.
“Oh, fuck,” I grunt out as a jolt of pleasure makes my body jerk violently.
Duke takes it as encouragement and does it again. And again. His chin glistens with my juices as he pulls back to savor my expression. “How long have you been dripping for me?”
I huff out an embarrassed laugh. “When you leant on the bar and saidthoroughly, I’m pretty sure I was ready to dissolve into a puddle.”
“It took you that long?” he chides. “I’ve been dreaming of tasting you ever since I got close enough for you to elbow me.” He lathes me again with his tongue. “Step wider. I need to eat you.”
I don’t move immediately. “I’ve never had anyone…”
Duke’s eyes narrow. “Wider.”
When I shuffle my feet, Duke wraps his arms around my legs and slides his hands between my thighs to pull them apart. His mouth is on me again and with each long, sweeping stroke of his tongue, tingles run up and down my spine. He groans against me and the vibration turns myinsides molten, but it’s when his mouth seals over my clit that I feel an intense charge of pleasure that has my hips bucking. It’s a sensation that’s completely alien to me. And it’s glorious.
I hold onto Duke’s head to keep my balance as roiling waves of pleasure sweep over me. His hair is little more than bristles, but it’s surprisingly tactile. I drag my fingers over the contours of his scalp, my thumb brushing over uneven patches of puckered skin. How did he get those scars?
Duke pulls back and with a final swipe of his tongue, he moves his attention to my feet. He unbuckles one strap and holds my leg as he slips off my shoe. He rubs my foot before doing the same with the other.
“I never imagined someone rubbing my feet would feel so good,” I groan. Duke sits back on his heels and gives me a puzzled look, forcing me to explain. I shrug. “It’s just another thing a man’s never done for me.”
“Fuck. You’re making me regret not slamming your husband’s face into the bar,” Duke replies. “Now go lie on the bed, Grace. We have work to do.”
Duke stays on his knees as I slip past him and make my way to the bed. My legs tremble as much from what he’s already done as it is from what’s coming next. Shit. What’s coming next is me. Assuming I can…
Duke follows my every move as I crawl to the center of the mattress and draw my knees up to my chest. When I wrap my arms around my legs, I give him a curious look. “Don’t you think it’s time you got naked too?”
Duke gets to his feet and as he approaches the foot of the bed, he’s already unbuttoning his shirt. He tugs it off his shoulders and my pupils blow. His body is a landscape of hard planes and smooth valleys that ripple as his muscles clench and unclench. My stomach clenches too when heunbuckles his belt and slides it slowly through the loops of his pants. He undoes the button on his pants, but he leaves the zipper and digs his hand into a pocket. A moment later, a handful of condoms scatter next to me across the comforter.
My mouth makes the perfect ‘O’ shape. I’d seen Duke put something in his pocket after he’d gone to answer the door. “Did CalderMoncriefgive you those?” Because I can’t mention a Moncrief without giving them their full title.
“My b–” He huffs out a sigh like he can’t believe it either. “My boss likes to look out for my welfare,” he admits. “But enough talk about him. It’s just me and you in this room.”
