Page 19 of Misadventures with a Duke

To actually be his adored duchess?

“Ohhh.” I softly moan it as he presses several fingers at the center of my scar. “Keep that up and I’ll be talking about dreams again, buddy.”

“Dreams?” He leans in to replace his touch with his kiss. “Oh, no. This is surely naught but true magic.”

Not her name again, but too damn close for my comfort—until he gets to work on my flesh with his beautiful mouth, spreading heat throughout my breasts that has the word tumbling from my own lips.

“Abra…cadabra,” I blurt, twisting at his hair until I’m afraid of ripping his scalp off.

But the man must be a stud or a pain freak because his growl grows deeper as he suckles my left nipple with focused vigor.

“My God,” I manage to croak as he trails toward my right peak. “My fucking God.”

“Hmm. I do not think he is inclined to fuck right now, ma magie. But if you are open to a reasonable substitute…”

As he resumes his suction, my urgent scream spills out.

“Damn it! Keep that up, Duke Desperado, and the neighbors are going to call the boys in blue on us.”

He lifts his head with a ferocious look. “No other boys on you. No boys, no men. Not in blue or any other color. Understood?”

He doesn’t wait for me to answer. Only makes me moan once more with his awestriking animalism. His shoulders, tensing until they look and feel like the Adirondacks. His hands, digging into my waist to haul me close again. His bulge, pushing at my middle until my imagination conjures the NYPD again—at least in a few ways…

“I understand that you’re packing one hell of a riot stick here, buddy.”

He hums again, so knowing and sensual. “Only if you plan on rioting, mademoiselle.”

I give up a light laugh. More and more, I’m forgetting what I’m not—and reveling in what I’m becoming. Discovering what he’s seeing. Slowly but surprisingly, believing his words. Perhaps this really is just an intense dream, or a feat of incredible magic, but the man and his astounding body are obviously in for every second of the fantasy.

A bubble I could pop now, or later…

My inner Eeyore pushes for doing it now. My inner Tigger insists on taking over that narrative at once—especially when Bastien and I kiss again. This carnal, commanding man doesn’t let up, dominating me with ruthless rushes of his tongue and grinding rolls of his magical hips. In return, I sigh and groan and suck on him with the same insane abandon. I breathe in, savoring his sweaty whiskey taste and his leathery, woodsy smell.

But this man isn’t from some fictional forest with dancing tigers and pantsless bears. He’s a warrior from a dark wilderness in another era, unafraid of kissing a woman with his whole being…and, God help me, all the mounting heat of his massive body.

My freaking hell…

No doubt about it; it’s surely where I’m going now.

Because how is it going to be humanly possible to tell him at this point? Not now, after everything he’s done to me. Every magnificent thing…

My whole body vibrates, blatantly confirming it. I’m naked but unashamed. Bared but emboldened. Perspiration glows along my limbs, reflected as decadent dew in the depths of Bastien De Leon’s eyes.

Holy crap, how I want him. And how I know he wants me.

Then what on earth is he waiting for?

If he doesn’t make a move in another ten seconds, I’ll be more than happy to. Though I doubt he’ll complain, it’s still a weird concept. Yes, we may still be strangers—kind of, sort of—but he doesn’t strike me as the kind of man to rest on his very fine haunches.

And oh God…he doesn’t.

“Ahhh!” I’m not ready for the sudden splay of his palms on the spheres of my ass. The cry tumbles out a second time as he grips me harder, using the purchase to hoist me fully off my feet. Instinctively, I circle my legs around his waist. Inwardly, I throw a thousand celebrations about it.

Allie and Drue never stop teasing about my fixation with steamy moves like this, calling them my “in another reality with that romance cover model” dreams.

If they could see me now.

With a dark desperado who’s better than a thousand steamy novel covers. Who’s already ticked off a dozen of the sexiest moves from my fictional favorites—joined by yet another, as he spins around and launches us both onto the big, waiting bed.