Page 75 of Last Night with the Duke
“No, I’m not.” Her words were a whisper because his embrace was so divine she could hardly breathe let alone speak. “I’m just surprised you’ve never once noticed after you railed at me for wearing gray.”
He laughed softly again. “I don’t fret. I don’t rail, Esmeralda. But I do notice. I notice everything about you. Somehow, I’ve managed to keep my hands off you until now, but surely you know I haven’t be able to keep my eyes off you.” He bent his face close to hers. “Do you want to know what else I’ve noticed?”
“What?”
“It’s been two weeks, four days, and approximately eighteen hours since I last kissed you.”
You missed a day.
He touched his nose to hers. “I want to kiss you again, but contrary to what you think of me, I’m not a man without honor. I’m not going to kiss you unless you ask me to.” With that, he turned her loose and took a step back. “You are free to walk away from me. Free to go right now.”
“No, Griffin, I can’t,” she whispered on an impatient sigh as she jumped into his embrace. Strong arms caught her. Her lips claimed his for her own.
Desire flamed hot and urgent between them. He hugged her tightly. Tremendous joy filled her. Her arms circled his neck as she melted against him.
Their kiss was moist, warm, deep, and long. Esmeralda parted her lips. His tongue slid inside, tasting the depths of her mouth. Immense pleasure washed over her, filled her to overflowing, and settled into her soul.
“I like the way you say my name,” he murmured. His lips left hers and he kissed his way over the bridge of her nose and up to her eyelids.
“You prefer it to Your Grace?” she asked while her hands explored the width of his back and shoulders.
“I am Your Grace for others. I am Griffin for you.”
Griffin’s mouth and tongue ravaged hers in slow savoring kisses, time and time again. She loved the way they made her feel, the way they made her want more.
He placed soft raindrop kisses on her forehead and along the edge of her hairline before kissing his way across first one cheek and then the other, teasing her skin with his tongue as he went. His lips slid over her jaw, along the column of her neck to her chest. He lingered over the swell of her breasts that billowed from beneath the neckline of her gown.
“You’re so soft,” he whispered. “I must have a taste of you. I have waited past my endurance.”
Quickly, his hand slid around her midriff to cup and massage her breast. He lifted the plump flesh from her gown and quickly covered it with his mouth. Esmeralda moaned a gasp of pleasure. It was such a glorious feeling. His lips on her breast sent chills of pleasure skipping along her spine.
She closed her eyes, and leaned her head back to enjoy the delicious sensations. Wave after wave of desire crashed and tumbled in her stomach.
A longing ache started between her legs and rose up to spread throughout her abdomen and skimmed along breasts. Her hands roamed down his shoulders to his slim hips. And then farther, to his buttocks. She grasped the firm mounds in her hands and pressed his hardness against her as he continued to caress her softly, deftly.
“Yes,” he whispered as his breathing grew faster.
Esmeralda smiled against his lips. There was no place she didn’t want him to touch her. No place she didn’t want to touch him.
Yet, through the fog of desire, Esmeralda remembered they were not alone in the house. She fought the desire not to stop what was happening between them, but her sensible self kept urging her to show caution.
“I mustn’t get caught in your arms,” she whispered. “Sparks or the twins could walk in and see us behaving like this.”
He chuckled against her skin. “How are we behaving, Esmeralda?”
“Like two people who are so desperate to taste every inch of each other they are being reckless.”
He bent his head and captured her lips in a fierce kiss of passion before whispering, “Oh, yes, you do know exactly what I’m feeling.”
“Yes,” she murmured in return. “But we must deny what is happening between us.”
“Being reckless doesn’t frighten me. What I am feeling right now does, but it’s worth the risk.”
“It would devastate Lady Sara and Lady Vera to see us like this.”
“They won’t. I’m listening for footsteps and voices in the hallway,” he answered as his mouth found hers again.
Griffin’s mouth and tongue ravaged hers in a slow savoring kiss, time and time again. His hands caressed her breasts, and then moved down to her waist, over the flare of her hip and around to her buttocks, lifting her against his hardness again.
