by Alexa Silver
She hesitated as they neared the Duchess’s chamber, but he pulled her past…to his room. She felt the blush heat her face as he opened the door, motioning for her to precede him. He’d always spent the night in her room after their marriage. Usually only returning to his chamber in order to dress.
She looked around curiously. It was a masculine room. The furniture was rich oak. Solid. As if designed to stand for a hundred years or more, like they’d always been here and always would be. The bed curtains and upholstery was a rich emerald green. The Ducal crest was carved into the wood on the wall behind the head of the bed. It was inlaid with different woods to showcase the design.
“Authoritative,” she murmured.
“Dogmatic. Rigid. Immovable. Inflexible. In short, ducal.” He shut the door, gently drawing her deeper into the room. “Perhaps we should have gone to your room. It would be more familiar.”
“No. This is fine, Val. Really.” She paused then spun in a slow circle. “You know, I’ve never been in here before.”
He looked down at her. “Never?”
“No.” She needed space so she made a slow circuit of the room, running her fingers over the fine wood of the bureau. “It’s what I expected, and yet it isn’t.”
“How so?”
“Well, it is solid and imposing like the rest of the house, but I expected to see more of you in this room. I don’t. Not really. You’ve not made it yours.”
Val lowered his gaze, a smile played around his lips.
“Have I insulted you?”
“No. You’re quite right. The room is almost exactly the way it was in my father’s day. My clothes hang in the wardrobe but…” He shrugged. “The room has always been like this and it seemed disrespectful to my father to change it.”
“How well do you remember them?”
“My parents?”
She nodded watching his face in the fire light as she leaned against the dressing table. A table and chairs held a space near the warmth of the fire. The small table was set with fine foods and wine, but she was far more interested in getting to know her husband. When they had first married, she’d been too uncertain to ask him of himself.
His eyes were far away. “Very well. I was sixteen when they were killed in the carriage accident.”
“So young to become a Duke.”
He shrugged, walking over to the table to pour the wine. “From the first I had responsibilities. My sisters needed attention and I had much to learn and little time in which to learn it. I thank God for the servants. In many ways, they were better teachers of how to be a Duke than the relatives who demanded so much.”
“The servants taught you?”
“Yes, Wenlock in particular.”
“No wonder you let him speak to you so. I never really understood it and of course Mama was appalled.”
“Your mother has odd notions.”
“She’s done her best considering her background. She never aspired to marry into the gentry. She was in love with a solicitor, but my father needed money. He offered for Mama and grandfather agreed. Suddenly she was a Countess. Terrified, utterly alone, and at sea.”
“You are very forgiving considering how she treats you.”
“I know it’s her uncertainty speaking most of the time.”
He came to stand in front of her, handing her a glass of wine. “Except when she makes you doubt your beauty. That’s sheer thoughtlessness at best, cruelty at worst.”
“When she says such things, it is my father she echoes. She only repeats what he told her day after day for years and I’m the image of her. As she says, we aren’t beautiful women so we must carry ourselves with dignity.”
He growled, taking a hefty swallow of his wine. Lexa knew he wanted to say more. He’d done so often enough for them to fight about it. She in defense of her mother…he in defense of her.
“You’re beautiful to me. Believe it.” She shrugged, remaining silent. He caught her chin in his hand, tilting it upward. “Lexa, it’s time for you to trust me. To trust I’m telling you the truth. I don’t lie. I never have and never will. At least not to you. You’re too important to me.”
She stared into his dark eyes, mesmerized by the depth which churned within them. The truth she saw there. “You won’t lie?”
“No. Not now. Not ever.”
“What about the past?”
“I have never lied to you, Lexa.” He was utterly sincere and she blinked in horror at what that meant.
“Oh God in Heaven, Val. What have I done?”
Chapter 4
Val set down his glass and took hers from her hands. He gently cupped her face and stared into her eyes. “The past is gone. We can’t unmake it. All we can do is move forward. All right?” Reluctantly she nodded. “But…” Val paused, looking into her eyes. She raised her reddish brows. “Now that you recognize the error of your ways, will you accept your punishment?”
“Punishment?” She blinked, swallowing hard.
Fear? Uncertainty? How far could he push her tonight? He didn’t want to lose her, but he was weary of her demands that they come together in the dark and that he not touch her except to get his heir on her. Her mother had told her that she must lie back and let him use her body. Such a view was so wrong. Above all things he wanted mutual desire.
For all their marriage she’d been adamant that he abide by her constraints, and he had. He wanted more now just as he had from the first. When they were first married, she had withdrawn when he’d tried to give her anything more than affection. It had been bloody frustrating. Now that Val knew with certainty that she could find pleasure, he also knew that he’d been a damn fool not to press the issue during their three miserable months of marriage. Perhaps if she’d known pleasure with him, she wouldn’t have been so quick to believe rumors.
“Don’t you think you’ve earned it? We’ve been apart for three long months because you believed the rumors circulated about me.”
She stepped back, crossing her arms over her chest, her mouth tightening. “I saw you in her arms. I saw you kiss her.”
“You saw what she wanted you to see. Hell, Lexa, you saw what you wanted to see. What you believed you’d see after you listened to all the whispers.”
“I never wanted to see you in another woman’s arms.” Her voice rose in anger.
“Perhaps not wanted, but you expected it. Didn’t you?” He asked quietly.
Val followed her as she backed across the room. Finally she came to a stop pressed into a corner. He stood over her, looking down into her wide eyes. She pressed her hands against his chest, but he refused to move away. Instead, he set his hands against the wall on either side of her. No running away this time. She would discuss it.
“I did not. I loved you, Val.”
Val closed his eyes as a blade pierced his heart. “Loved? Do you love me no longer, then?”
He opened his eyes as she bit her lip. Her eyes met his, shy but hopeful. “I’m confused.”
“Lexa, she’d tripped me onto the divan then climbed onto my lap when she heard a commotion in the hall. I tried to push her off, but the minute the door handle rattled she planted a vile kiss on my mouth. She carefully planned the entire scene and I can assure you that it was no pleasure for me. God, she tasted of garlic and onion.”
“You didn’t enjoy her kiss?”
“Not in the slightest.”
“Oh.”
He watched her consider his words. When she looked up again, she smiled and it was as if the sun appeared after a month of clouds. Val lifted his hand and stroked her jaw with his thumb then he leaned forward to kiss her tempting dimple.
“What say you, my lady?” He leaned away and met her gaze. She straightened.
“If you feel I merit punishment, Your Grace, then I will submit.”
“Do you feel you deserve correction? I’ll not have you resent me because you view the discipline as unfair.”
Lexa took a deep breath, and Val fought his groan as he
r breasts rose and fell. He wanted to see her utterly bare and glowing in the firelight. He wanted to bury his mouth between her thighs. He wanted to make love to her all night long.
“I have been most foolish, Val. I promised we would start again and leave the past behind. I will accept your chastisement for lack of faith and I give you my word, I shall always give you the benefit of the doubt in the future.”
“Good.”
She bit her lip. “So what is my punishment?”
“Remove your clothes, Lexa.”
She looked around the room, searching for something then cleared her throat. “Where is a screen?”
Val raised his brows. “A screen? No, my love. We’re done with screens.”
“Can we blow out the candles?”
“No. I want to see your beauty glow in the light of the fire and the candles.”
“But…”
Lexa twisted her hands together as fear and uncertainty took hold. She blinked her eyes rapidly, fighting tears. He sighed with regret for pushing her beyond her limits. He asked too much, too soon.
“Sssssh. Ah, love. It’s all right.” He took her into his embrace, kissing her brow.
She clutched his arm. “No, I can do this, Val. Really. Just give me a moment.”
“You don’t have to…”
“Yes, I do.” She straightened, looking him dead in the eye. She tried to pretend her uncertainty was gone, but still she bit her lip and clenched her hands at her sides. “But I may need help. My maid helped me dress, you see.”
“I would be pleased to act as your ladies maid tonight,” he stroked a finger across her lips, “but only if you’ll be my valet.”
Lexa paused as she took in his words then smiled shakily at him. “I may be ham handed, but I’ll be happy to learn.”
“Not nearly as pleased as I’ll be to teach you.”
“I may surprise you.”
“I hope so.”
*****
His smile was warm and loving. It heartened Lexa considerably. Surely any punishment he devised wouldn't be so terrible. Not if he truly loved her as his expression suggested.
“Turn around.”
Biting her lip, she obeyed. She stiffened when she felt his fingers releasing the fastenings of her gown. She dipped her head as the dress fell away from her. His breath teased her neck and she shivered as his soft lips grazed her shoulder. The lightest of kisses then it was gone.
“Take off the dress, Lexa.”
She pulled it over her head and held it front of her while he loosened the lacings of her stays. Lexa gasped when her stays hit the floor at her feet.
“Face me, Lexa.”
Taking a deep breath, she followed his instructions. He sighed, a slight smile playing over his lips.
“Drop the dress.”
“But it will grow dreadfully wrinkled.”
He tried to take it from her hands gently, but when she didn't let go, he tugged. He draped the dress over a nearby chair. She'd never appeared so bare before him before. He could probably see her body easily through the thin fabric of her shift and now the candlelight showed off all her flaws. She covered her breasts with her hands. She heard his soft laugh as she stared at his neckcloth.
“Lovely,” he reached over, his hands settling on her hips. Val began to gather the fabric of her shift in his hands, rising to slowly bare her limbs.
She tugged it down to cover her and he paused, kissing her ear. “Lexa, you promised to accept your punishment.”
“Which is what? Precisely?”
“To start with, I want to see you completely naked.”
“No clothes?”
“That is generally what is meant when one says naked, so yes. I want to see you without your clothes.”
“But…” She felt a flush of fire over her body. A strange combination of humiliation and excitement filled her.
“Either you agree or you don't. Which is it to be?”
She took a deep breath, remembering her promise. Accepting her punishment in good faith would go a long way to apologizing for believing lies about Val. So she would follow his lead and pray that she didn't die of embarrassment.
“Well, my love?”
“You may continue, Your Grace.” She pulled her hands away from her shift, except where she covered her breasts.
Again he gathered the nearly transparent cloth in his large hands. His breathing hitched and sped up as her limbs were bared. Lexa glanced up at his face. A flush colored his cheekbones and his eyes glittered as he looked at her. It would appear that he liked what he saw. She prayed his enjoyment continued, for she didn't want to disappoint him. That would be worse than her own discomfiture.
“Lift your hands so I can draw the shift over your head.”
She obeyed, looking up at him. When their gazes met, he smiled. Warm. Loving. It eased the tightness in her chest somewhat. He quickly pulled the garment from her body. As soon as she was naked she covered her breasts, and angled her leg over her nest of woman's curls. Her entire body heated in mortification. He stepped back and settled himself in a chair, cocking his head to view her.
“Lower your arms and leg. Let me see you,” he swallowed hard, shifting his hips. “All of you.”
“I can't. You shouldn't see me like this. Mama said—”
“I don't give a damn what your Mama said, Lexa.”
She sighed. Why had she been stupid enough to mention her mother right now? He was already on edge over her mother's habitual disparagements about her charms, or lack of them.
“Val, I'm not sure I can.” Her voice was barely audible. What was the matter with her? She could do this. She'd given her word.
“Do you want to stop?”
She shook her head.
“Then please, love. Lower your arms and let me see your beauty.”
“Do you truly mean what you say?” Lexa met his gaze, looking for mockery but she found none.
“I'm utterly in earnest. You are beautiful to me.” He smiled. “Please let me see you.”
She took a deep breath and dropped her hands, allowing them to rest at her sides, setting both feet firmly on the floor.
“Ah.” A soft sigh exited his lips.
“Is that good or bad?”
“Very good, love.” He beckoned, “Come over here.” She approached him, stopping at his knees. "Sit down." She moved toward the chair. “No, Lexa. Sit on my lap.”
“On your lap?”
He chuckled, patting his legs. “Right here.” She approached and turned to the side to sit across his knees. “No. Put on limb on either side of my legs and sit…facing me.”
“But, that would mean that I…” she trailed off in disbelief as she realized how she'd exposed she would be.
“Yes, I know,” he grinned and licked his lips.
She swallowed and sat as he'd requested. No, ordered. But she wanted this, in spite of her fear. Lexa wanted his approval. She wanted to know he liked the way she looked. She shouldn't require his admiration, yet having it would give her some much needed confidence. So she placed her feet on either side of his legs and settled gingerly onto his strong thighs.
“So very pretty,” he breathed, his eyes starting at the top of her red hair and continuing downward. He paused at her full breasts, smiled as he studied the curve of her belly and his gaze stopped and he groaned as he stared between her legs at the down of red hair there.
“Pink,” he breathed. “I knew you'd be pink.”
“No, red. I'm painfully red haired.”
He laughed. “Your hair is red but the luscious parts of you are pink.”
“Pink?”
“Your delightful nipples are a lovely shade of pink,” He tweaked the pointed tips. Suddenly, she ceased to feel cold. Instead, she felt warm. Quite warm. His fingertip traced over her chest and down her belly. She tensed under his touch, but his finger continued lower. Between her legs and into her private places.
“Pink here too.”
H
is fingers dipped and rubbed the part of her that had throbbed earlier, making her breath catch. He parted the lips of her sex to stroke her.
“What are you doing, Val?” Should her voice be so high pitched?
“Isn't it obvious?”
“No, not at all.”
His gaze met hers as he continued rubbing her. “I'm giving you pleasure. At least I hope I am. Does it feel good?”
She twitched under his touch. “Well, yes. It does, rather.”
He smiled, his eyes twinkling at her understatement. It felt amazing and should he choose to stop she might have to cause him a severe injury. She closed her eyes with a sigh, tilting her hips toward his questing fingers.
Lexa rocked her hips, moaning softly. A finger slid inside her and she froze, her eyes opening to stare at him.
“Did I hurt you?” His concern relaxed her against the invasion so she shook her head. “Good. I don't want to give you any pain. If you are uncomfortable or feel any pain, tell me immediately. All right?”
“Yes. I will.”
But she felt no pain. In fact as his fingers slipped gently in and out of her body she was completely certain that pain would not be an issue. She licked her lips as she spread her legs wider to allow him deeper inside. It was if he'd been waiting for her invitation for suddenly, a second finger slid inside her while he teased the nub nestled within the folds of flesh. She thrust her hips onto his fingers, wanting more. Needing more.
“Should I stop?” He asked.
“No. God in heaven, no. Please don't stop…”
Pleasure coiled in her lower belly. Twisting through her as she rode his hand. When a third finger slid into her, she gasped, but it was exactly what she'd wanted. She felt full. Aroused. She lifted her lids, staring into Val's dark eyes. He looked satisfied. Pleased by her reaction.
“You're growing more skilled in the dance with each movement you make, my love,” he purred.
“Oh, Val. What are you doing to me? I've never felt so…”
She shuddered, her eyes clenched tightly closed as she focused on the way his fingers filled her core. The stroke of his thumb over her nub. Driving her closer and closer to the pleasure she'd felt earlier in the evening. But this was so much more. More intense. More intimate. More of everything.
