Chapter 17

Her feet had begun to ache in her boots when Marie finally realized that they had gone further beyond the confines of the area that she usually ventured.

Dominic had spent most of the day getting to know her better as he asked a slew of questions about her life and how she had come to start her business. She had thought that he would have grown tired and turned back, yet he had stuck it out until the last bit of food had been given to a stray dog on a lonely country lane.

"I didn't realize how far we walked." She stopped at a crossroads as the carriage rolled to a stop behind them.

"I think we did pretty, well. We can take the carriage back if you like. Surely that isn't against the rules?" He teased her with a wink before striding over to the carriage and placing the bowls back inside the empty sack. He had insisted upon carrying her bowl for her every time they refilled them.

The qualities he had shown her had stilled some of her concerns. A man as gentle and caring as the Duke, despite his gruff exterior, would make a loving father.

Marie glanced back and estimated another hour if they decided to walk. The sun had already begun to set, and she didn't relish the thought of such a long walk. ‘I guess it wouldn't hurt to cheat just a little." She smiled at the triumph in his eyes as he hauled the bag from the seat and handed it to the driver who pulled a face at the smell.

"Be a good chap and keep that with you in the open air. I don't think I can handle traveling all the way back to London with that sitting next to me." He marched past Marie to the back of the carriage and unhooked one of the water pouches that were used for the horses in case of an emergency. "Would you care to wash up before we head back?"

She graciously accepted the offer and allowed him to pour the cool water over her soiled hands. Feeding the needy animals always left her in a bit of a state as her grandmother had pointed out on several occasions.

"That should do it." He hauled the sack back onto the carriage and fastened the straps.

Marie was surprised to see just how muscular his arms were as he worked. Most men of the ton she knew shied away from manual labor, preferring to employ men rather than do it themselves. His arms were tanned and well-defined, his biceps straining against the fabric of his shirt that had been rolled up to his elbows.

"If you're wondering how I know how to do all of this, I was raised to be the kind of duke who takes care of his tenants. I work alongside the farmer to ensure a good relationship with them," he suddenly spoke with a smirk on his lips.

Heat filled her cheeks when she realized that she had been staring at him. "I… I think that's wonderful. I would love to see some of your tenants' farms sometime."

Why did I say that?

She felt foolish and chalked it up to being tired. The man had merely been talking about his estate, and she had gone and asked for an invitation.

"I would gladly show the estate when you are ready." The warmth of his smile, when his eyes bored into her soul, made the pit of her stomach flutter.

"I think we had better get inside the carriage before it gets dark." She hurried away from him and practically jumped inside. She was suddenly seeing him in a different light, and she didn't know how to feel about it. The day she had planned was meant to scare him off or at least show him just how different they were. She hadn't bargained on being the one who changed her view.

Dominic jumped inside the carriage and called up to the driver before shutting the door, "Move on!"

Her heart suddenly jolted with panic when she realized that she had placed herself alone in a confined space with Dominic. Her panic, however, was quickly replaced with amusement when he wrinkled his nose.

"How long do you think that smell will linger in here? We should place that sack on the roof next Sunday." He waved his hand in front of his face as if it would help.

Next Sunday?

Her heart did a backflip when she realized that he wasn't joking. Had he enjoyed the day with her and the animals, or was he simply trying to prove a point to her? She found herself glancing at him whenever he turned his head to look out the window.

How do I feel about him?

She examined the fluttering of her heart every time she saw him and began to wonder what it all meant.

"Is it not bothering you?" Dominic finally snapped and displayed his old grumpy nature.

"Wait a moment," Marie laughed and reached into one of the folds of her dress, retrieving a small vial of vanilla that her grandmother had given her that morning. She had tried to insist that she didn't need another, but the old woman had been insistent that she take it.

Dominic eyes her suspiciously. "Are you going to cast some kind of spell to rid the carriage of the hideous odor?" He grumbled under his breath and placed his hands on his knees.

Marie rolled her eyes, wondering where the sweet man of moments prior had gone before removing the cork. The sweet smell of vanilla instantly filled the air, causing the expression on the Duke's face to change. "Better?" she asked with a smirk and dabbed a few drops onto her wrist before smearing them along the door.

"Much better." His eyes darkened as he gripped his knees and continued to stare at her with a veiled expression.

What is he thinking?

She averted her gaze and replaced the cork in the vial before placing it next to her on the seat.

"Where do you get that from?" He nodded toward the vial as the atmosphere between them grew strangely charged.

Swallowing hard, she gripped the edge of her seat just as the carriage rattled over a few bumps in the road. "My grandmother makes it for me. It's cheaper than buying perfume."

"I think it smells better than perfume." His voice was low as he kept his gaze locked on her face.

Why won't he stop?

Her heart pounded furiously as the carriage hit another bump, sending her flying into his lap with her arms on either side of his thighs. "I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention…" Her words were cut short when his lips came crashing down on hers, hungry and searching as his tongue slaked into her mouth.

Marie responded in kind with her arms around his neck as he pulled her onto his lap, her knees straddling his thighs. The motion of the carriage rattling along the lane only spurred them on as their hands eagerly explored. She let out a gasp when his fingers found her breasts, hungrily kneading the flesh.

She knew they should stop and that there wasn't much time before they reached a busy road or passed another carriage.

Reacting as if he could read her mind, Dominic reached out and pulled the curtains shut on either side of them, bathing the inside of the carriage in semi-darkness.

"Oh, Your Grace," Marie uttered his title quietly when he dipped his head and began to kiss the tops of her breasts. Her core was dangerously close to his arousal as the jostling movements pushed them even closer together.

His hands worked their way up her thighs, pushing her dress back as he tried to expose her flesh. "A little help here?" he growled against her chest, gently dragging his teeth over the sensitive mounds of flesh.

Acting without thinking, Marie pushed herself off of his lap and undid the laces of her boots, casting them to the side. She placed her hands beneath her dress and pulled her stockings down along with the garters that she unhooked with ease. The day had been hot enough that she had opted for no extra layers—a decision that proving to be fruitful as Dominic lunged forward and continued their heated kiss.

Their tongues wrestled for dominance as Dominic moaned deeply for the very first sound. The hot sound sent shivers of pleasure down her spine as the heat between her thighs intensified.

Pulling back with a dark look in his eyes, Dominic dropped to the carriage floor in front of her and placed his hands on her knees.

The pit of her stomached coiled deliciously as she watched him lift the fabric of her dress.

"What are you doing?" Her heart thudded furiously with anticipation as he leaned down to kiss the insides of her knees.

"Patience, you will just have to wait and see," he growled at her with a wolfish grin before lowering his head between her knees and disappearing beneath the layers of fabric.

Her breath caught in her throat as she felt him kissing a path up her thighs. His hands gently spread her knees apart as he worked his way higher, using his tongue as a guide as he drew a hot path.

Her lips parted silently when his tongue reached the apex of her core. The hot sensations of sensual pleasure made her reach for the back support, giving her something to hold onto as Dominic began a slow, passionate onslaught with his mouth.

She couldn't help by cry out and place one hand behind his head when the gentle flicks of his tongue made her soar with pleasure. She gasped and sucked in a sharp breath when he suddenly turned his head and nibbled the inside of her thigh. She could feel his lips spreading into a grin as he placed his hands on her calves and guided her legs over his shoulders.

The new position added layers of pleasure that she hadn't been expecting as she rested her feet on the opposite seat.

His rhythmic movements that made his head bob up and down beneath her dress made her eyes flutter shut as she leaned her head back and moaned. The lapping sounds of his tongue were barely audible above the noise of the horses' hooves.

Her pleasure increased to an almost unbearable level when his hands suddenly appeared from beneath her dress, snaking their way up her body and gripping her breasts.

"Your Grace!" Marie found her voice getting louder despite her attempts to remain quiet. The hot lapping of his tongue in her wet folds was proving to be more than she could handle. Her nipples hardened against the fabric of her chemise as he worked her breasts in circles.

It wasn't long before her legs began to shake and tremble, making her toes curl with pleasure when he quickened the pace then slowed to a gentle lick. Her core began to tighten as she sat forward on the seat, gripping the edges as the motion of the carriage pushed his face deeper between her thighs.

"Your Grace!" she called out louder than she had before, feeling her body spam out of control when he flicked his tongue of the apex over her folds.

Her legs jerked as he held her in place, bringing his hands down to keep her buttocks from slipping off of the seat.

Her back arched as she placed her hands behind his back. The waves of pleasure that coursed through her body sent a visceral reaction down her spine that made her pant.

She couldn't believe how good it felt when Dominic continued to gently lick her folds, bringing her down from the high until it felt as if she would explode.

He pressed a single kiss into the center of her folds before coming up for air, taking a deep breath.

Her breath flowed through her lungs with such ease that she began to wonder if she had died and gone to heaven. The neighing of the horses as they rounded a bend brought her back down to reality as she opened her eyes.

"You seem to have enjoyed that." Dominic pulled himself up and leaned over her, kissing the exposed flesh of her neck.

"I feel lighter than a feather." Her eyes remained shut when an unexpected wave hit her core one last time.

Bringing his lips up to her ear, Dominic gently nibbled the flesh before whispering, "I hope you know that I intend to do that as many times as it takes until you start calling me Dominic, my lady." His voice was steeped in hunger when he kissed her jawline and then retreated to his seat but not before giving her breasts a final squeeze.

Marie began to come to her senses when her breathing eased. Her heart fluttered madly when she realized what had taken place between them. She had allowed a man whom she had despised at first to show her the deepest levels of pleasure that anyone could experience. Although she had never experienced the pleasure that a man could offer, she had heard other women speaking of the delights of a man that was particularly skilled.

Coming up straight, she met his gaze as she began to fix her garments. Her heart suddenly felt heavy with indecision as she observed him closely.

What does all of this mean?

The confusion in her heart made her chest ache as she pushed the layers of her dress and undergarments back into place.

"Are you still sure that you won't marry me?" he asked her with a smirk before reaching down and handing her the discarded stockings.

His question made her pause for a moment before she accepted her stockings and began to slip them over her feet. "I'm not sure, Your Grace; are you still certain that you want to spend the rest of your life with me and raise a family?"

Her question seemed to shock him into silence as his expression changed. She reached for her boots and placed them on her stockinged feet before doing up the laces.

The silence in the carriage seemed to drag on until she sat back and looked into his eyes. The doubt she saw lingering there tugged at her heart and made more than just her chest ache.

Does he not want me as much as I thought?

A dull ache spread throughout her body as her fears grew. "Perhaps you would like to answer my question in time before I answer yours, Your Grace." She held his gaze for a moment before the pain became too much to bear.

Why was he doing all of this with her? Was she some kind of fun conquest for him or even some game where he had set out to prove to everyone that he could finally bag the infamous matchmaker?

"There are things that you don't understand. It isn't as simple as just answering your question." His voice was low and distant again as he broke the silence that had created a barrier between them.

Turning back to him, she took a deep breath. "How will I know if you don't tell me?" Her eyes searched his for a moment before she ran her tongue over her lips.

She couldn't believe that she had allowed him to convince her of his intentions when he hadn't really meant what he had said. There was no sincerity in his proposal at all; there couldn't have been when he couldn't bring himself to say that he wanted a family with her.

The carriage rolled to a stop just as tears began to well in her eyes. ‘Thank you for joining me today, Your Grace. You do not have to join me again if you do not wish." She placed her hand on the door and pushed it open before he could respond.

All she wanted now was a hot bath followed by her bed. Her skin still stung from the heat of his passion, yet nothing stung more than the betrayal she felt coursing through her shattered soul.