Page 54 of The Haunted Duke

“Good girl.”

Helena whimpered and pulled the jacket between them away, wanting to be as close to him as possible. Evander let out a throaty chuckle as his jacket dropped to the floor, his delicious kisses never stopping as they moved from Helena’s neck to her breasts. Warmth began to bloom in the apex of her thighs as Evander let out a low, tortured groan just as he reached her nipples—and in that moment, Helena started to forget about everything else.

His large, bare hands, calloused from boxing, smoothed up Helena’s bare ribcage as his kisses moved lower, and just as his hands were able to cup the underside of her breasts, his lips found her left nipple. Helena jolted at the sensation of his tongue swirling lazily over the taut bud. She had never known she could be so sensitive there!

Her lashes fluttered, and her back arched as Evander took his time, tracing his lips over the taut bud. Nipping softly. Licking slowly from the back of his tongue to the very tip. Then, using that tip to flick rapidly at the taut bud. With each new sensation, Helena reacted differently, her little sounds shifting from a whimper to a moan to a hiss. She quickly found she enjoyed them all, but there were some she loved more than others.

It was as if Evander was studying her reaction to each little shift, for when he moved to her right nipple, he only sank his mouth down and lapped slowly as his hands cupped and massaged her breasts with an almost reverent care.

“Talk to me, sweetheart. How do you feel?” Evander murmured around her nipple as he sank his much larger body down over hers.

Helena moaned softly at the delicious feel of his weight atop her. He was so very big compared to her, yet she did not feel smothered or crushed. Instead, she felt warm. Protected. Safe. She could not help but reach for his sides and smooth her hands over his muscled back, wanting more. As she did so, Evander’s hips settled between hers in a way that had his hard manhood pressing against her own sex. Excitement sizzled through her veins as she remembered what had happened the last time such parts of them had been pressed so close. She had never felt anything so extraordinary as that moment of release, and despite the constant stress surrounding her, she had spent the night thinking of it and wondering when she might experience it again.

“Better,” she breathed, boldly lifting her hips just enough to apply the slightest pressure to Evander’s trouser-clad erection. “Much better.”

“More,” she pleaded, and slid her hands up to his face. “I need more of you.”

“Careful,” he warned, a low growl vibrating in his chest. “Keep doing that, and I will not have the patience left to go slow.”

“Perhaps I do not want you to go slow.”

His eyes darkened at that. “You do not know what you are asking for.”

“Then show me.”

This time, as she moaned, Evander moaned with her, sending a slight, delightful vibration through her breast that made her quiver.

Evander did not stop her as she lifted his head and brought his lips to hers, locking them in a deep kiss as their hips found that familiar rhythm they had found the evening before.

Small waves of pleasure began to lap at Helena’s sex and inner thighs, growing a little higher with every thrust, and she completely gave herself over to the moment. Just as she thought those waves were about to crest to their highest peak and crash down on her again, though, Evander stopped and drew away, sitting up on his knees between her spread legs.

Helena moaned in protest; her body craved more as Evander’s hooded blue eyes traveled slowly from her face all the way down to her parted thighs. Such an intense look made her suddenly self-conscious, and she began to move her arms to cover herself. Before she could even try to hide her breasts or press her knees together, though, Evander caught her wrists and pushed them back into the chaise.

“Keep those legs spread open for me, Helena. You are so very beautiful,” he rasped, his blue eyes pleading as they made their way up to hers.

The insecure parts of her quieted immediately, and she let her arms rest under his restraining hands.

“If I am so beautiful… Why did you stop?”

“Because I want you desperate before I let you come,” he said, his voice rough with restraint. “I want you begging, Helena. I want you to know exactly whose name you are saying when you finally break.”

Something dark and possessive passed through Evander’s eyes as they dipped back down to her breasts.

“I am going to marry you, Helena,” he replied, letting go of one of her wrists so he could lace a hand around her throat. He gave her a gentle squeeze, and Helena’s lashes fluttered under the lovely pleasure. “You are going to be mine, and there are so many ways to experience pleasure.”

His hand pulsed with every accentuated word, sending ripples of pleasure from Helena’s throat all the way to her wet, pulsing core. “Open your eyes.”

Helena obeyed without a thought, completely enthralled by his commanding presence. He smiled with satisfaction as he let out a deep, rumbling sound from his chest.

“There are those gorgeous eyes,” he praised. “I prefer to see them watching me while I teach you.”

Through her haze of pleasure, a question formed in Helena’s mind.

“Teach me what?”

Evander’s satisfied smile shifted into a devilishly handsome smirk as his hand caressed from her throat and down to her breasts. His fingertips traced over her hardened left nipple, then suddenly, he pinched it with his hand.

Helena let out a startled cry, but in a flash, Evander’s other hand was clamped over her mouth as the other rubbed soothing circles over the still stinging flesh until the pain shifted to pleasure.