by Clara Moore
He pressed against her and she could not miss the inescapable hardness. She shivered when his mouth trailed down her neck to place open mouthed kisses on her exposed collarbone. To her shame, she even planted her hands in his thick hair and dragged his mouth down to her breast. Thankfully he had the intuition to move the silk aside first before it was stained permanently.
She gave a breathy scream when he bit down on herturgid nipple. In retaliation, she slid her hands up underneath his evening clothes until she felt bare skin on bare skin. It was his turn to shudder when her nails gently slid over his silky torso.
He placed his hands on her waist, and she hugged his shoulders. He lifted her up against the wall, just forcefully enough for her to gasp, although whether it was from the sudden movement, or the press of his heat against hercore , she didn’t know.
He kept her pinned to the wall while he gathered her dress in his hand. She felt the cool air on her calf, then her knee, and finally, her thigh. He kept her distracted with kisses to her breasts, mouth, and neck. When his fingertips traced the garter at her thigh, she pressed into his palm. He caressed her mound until she was shaking in need.
Just as she was about to burst, he pulled away. She made a moan and he let out a breathy chuckle that turned into a groan when she fondled him through his breeches. He hastily let out the ties. He tipped her chin up to meet his eyes.
“Greer.”
She let out an inquiring moan, still undulating against his hand.
“Greer!”
She finally blinked his face into focus.
He shook his head like he couldn’t believe he was saying this. “Tell me to stop.”
“What?” she breathed.
“Tell me to stop, and I will. If you don’t tell me stop, I’m going to have you up against this wall. Right now.”
She let out a soft wail in response. He felt her wetness drip down her thigh. His eyes glazed over. How could he function when she was so responsive? Here he was, trying to do the right thing for once!
“Greer! Tell me what you want,” he ordered.
“I want you,” she responded instantly. His cock twitched even further to attention. He doubted she even knew what she did to him.
“I’m not going to say it again. Just one word from you, and I’ll stop.” Anticipating her reaction, he lifted her skirt until the bottom of her drawers were visible. Caressing her through the slit in the frail linen, he only waited a moment longer before allowing himself to rub against her. They both let out a moan, and he placed his tip against her. She pulled him down to her mouth and he couldn’t hold back.
He slid inside her slowly, keeping an eye on her face and prepared to stop if she was in intense pain. He could see the twinge of discomfort, but she glared at him and dared him to say anything. He wanted to laugh, but the feeling of her tight passage squeezing his arousal was too overwhelming for him much to do anything but breathe and concentrate on not spilling himself inside her.
He placed his thumb on her sensitive bud. Every time he thrust, he felt her clench around him. When her body started to shake around him, he lost control. He bit down on her shoulder, felt her nails rake down his back, and lost himself inside her.
He stood there, heaving, bracing her weight against his, until finally he let her slide down the wall. He cleaned her carefully with his handkerchief, allowing no stains to mar her pristine gown.
When they were both reasonably put back together, he didn’t let her speak.
“I’m not going to apologize, Greer. I knew that you were the one I wanted. I just didn’t know it until I saw you here.”
She shivered in the absence of his warmth. “You mean, because I have a dowry and am not a destitute servant.”
“No,” he retorted. “It’s because I didn’t think I could have such strong feelings for two people. That wouldn’t be fair to my wife.”
“What do you mean, two people?”
He stilled. Maybe it was better to not tell her. Quelling his fair that she’d think him mad, he told her, “I saw you. Back at Rutherford’s. In the purple dress. I had this…instant attraction to you, but I didn’t know who you were. And then you were gone.”
She looked up at him curiously. “Why, Hayward. How romantic!”
He placed a warning kiss on her lips until she was giddy. “Careful, minx,” he growled in a dangerous-sounding voice.
Before he knew it, she had danced away from him and out the door. Damn it. She was going to get away, again! Not this time.
He followed her back into the crowded ballroom. The musicians were in the middle of a lively jig, but when he caught their eye, they immediately stopped. Even the musicians recognized his authority here. If only his fiancé-to-be would, as well!
He cleared his throat, making eye contact with Greer, who stood shocked. He could only imagine what she must be thinking.
“I have an announcement to make. Several of you are aware that my feelings have been tied up in a rather odd fashion towards a lady of limited acquaintance. What you don’t know is that I’ve just asked her to be my wife. And she has agreed.”
At his last word, the ballroom broke out in a stunned roar. It would be the wedding of the year. It was not every day that a Duke married, especially one of Hayward’s reputation and status.
He calmed them down with a slice of his hand, and held that same hand out in Greer’s direction. “May I present my fianceé, Lady Greer Maxwell.”
She hesitantly placed her hand in his. Her eyes glared at him, knowing that he had circumvented both the rule and proper etiquette of requesting her father’s permission first. However, one did not defy a duke.
He let her look away, but then knelt down before her. She snapped her head back at him in astonishment. Dukes did not kneel at the feet of ordinary ladies.
“Greer,” he murmured only for her ears. “Marry me. A real marriage. With love, hopefully, and children. And lots of bedding.”
She let out a bemused chuckle. Apparently the rake was not gone forever.
***
THE END
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