Tall, Duke, and Dangerous (Hazards of Dukes #2) - Megan Frampton Page 0,58
and rose, standing still as though awaiting further instruction.
Heady power.
She turned and led him further down the terrace, toward where she assumed there were stairs leading out to the gardens. It was dark here, and she felt along the wall, the cold stone a welcome relief to her heated fingers.
Her other hand was in his strong one as she led him down the stairs, turning abruptly so that they were against the wall but on the other side, effectively hidden from the other guests.
She could hear the sounds of the party, but overhead all she could see were the tree branches and the distant smattering of stars.
“What now?” he asked. He was so very close to her, his hand still in hers.
“Now,” she said, tugging at his hand. “Now I want to kiss you.”
It was deliberate, not asking him to kiss her but telling him she wanted to kiss him. It was powerful to put it that way, to make it her choice rather than something he had put upon her, no matter how much she wanted it herself.
He planted his hand on the wall over her head, his large body looming over hers. The large body she, deliciously enough, seemed to be in charge of at the moment. Doing her bidding even though he could take what he wanted.
She placed her fingers on his lapel, sliding them along the fabric down to his waist. Drawing him closer as she lifted her face to his.
And then his mouth was on hers and her hand had found its way to the small of his back and his big body was pressed against hers, and she opened her mouth as she’d done before, her tongue exploring and meeting his, the contact making her feel as though her body was melting against his.
The hand that wasn’t propping him up against the wall was at her waist, gripping her tight. As though she was precious and he had to hold on to her.
And then his fingers slid up, slowly, so slowly she could stop him if she wanted, but she didn’t want, she wanted his big hand on her, on her breast, on all the parts of her that ached.
There.
And there.
And there.
His fingers curled around the curve of her, sliding under the neckline of her gown, making her gasp.
His kiss was intense, his tongue questing inside her mouth, the faint noise of the music from the ballroom the only sound.
It was as though they were in their own private world, one where only they belonged, where none of this mattered, where they could do what they wanted.
She wanted this. She wanted him.
She wanted to kiss him. Even though both of them knew nothing could happen between them. Nothing more than this, at least.
She knew. And he knew. And here they were. Knowing.
Her mouth was so soft and warm, her kisses already more confident than before. She had her palm pressed against the small of his back, pulling him against her body, which all of him liked. Especially his cock.
He was hard, his whole body screaming at him to yank her skirts up and take her against the wall, the possibility of discovery adding a soupçon of danger to it all.
But then that would mean he would miss caressing her breast, as he was doing now. Sliding his fingers into the bodice of her gown and finding her nipple, which was stiff against his skin. He put his whole hand inside, covering her breast, rubbing the erect nipple against his palm. She made a soft noise in her throat, and he caressed her breast, awkward though it was to plunge his hand down her gown.
She was moving against him, almost as though she didn’t know what she was doing. She must be aching. He wished he could assuage her ache.
Her hand had slid down to his arse, and she was rubbing her palm over it, cupping the lower part where his buttock met his leg. That movement only pushed their bodies closer together, and now his cock was wedged between them, thrust up against her lower belly. She had to know what was happening.
And still she kissed him, and touched him, and moaned as he stroked her soft skin and licked the warmth of her mouth.
They heard a burst of laughter, as though someone was standing just above them on the terrace, and they broke apart, both breathing rapidly.
He put his hand over her mouth and leaned in to whisper in her ear. “Be still,