Chapter 32

CHAPTER 32

What has gotten into me?

This wasn’t how a lady was meant to act, how she was expected to carry herself, and yet Eleanor found a new sense of desire and power just from the way she looked at him.

It was a delicious feeling, to see his reaction to something so subtle, and even more so to see the way he wanted more—how he wanted her. This would certainly shake away any bad memories the dress evoked, of that she was sure.

He kissed her again. This time, he seemed to let go of his self-restraint, and she was grateful for it. Her body molded to his, as if made to fit against him, and she savored the feeling.

Emboldened, she slid a hand down his front. She let her fingers trail down his chest, lingering on the hard muscles, and then down his stomach to the bulge in his trousers.

With a skill that surprised even herself, she unbuttoned his trousers and slipped her hand inside to feel him.

His length was hot and throbbing, enough to make her almost whine and moan. All the while, his lips had not once left hers. She could feel the desperation on his lips and tongue.

“I need to have you,” he growled.

Before she could respond, he scooped her up by the hips, lifting her as if she weighed no more than a feather.

Eleanor gasped softly in surprise, her arms instinctively wrapping around his neck as he carried her across the room.

Dorian gently tossed her onto the bed, her body sinking into the mattress. She propped herself up on her elbows, gazing at him through half-lidded eyes, her breath coming in shallow gasps. There was a hint of a smirk playing on the corners of his lips.

He stood at the end of the bed, his silhouette outlined against the soft moonlight that filtered through the window and the flickering light from the few candles in the room. His hair was tousled from her fingers running through it just moments ago, and there was an unmistakable hunger in his eyes.

Eleanor shivered under his gaze, and she couldn’t help but look down, following the lines and sinews until her eyes settled on the part of him that was all but begging for her attention. She had never imagined herself wanting it so badly, and yet here she was, almost pleading.

Slowly, deliberately, Dorian climbed onto the bed. His eyes held hers as he began to pull the hem of her gown and the layers beneath up to her hips. She writhed in anticipation. Sensing his intentions, she leaned back in the bed. She closed her eyes and focused on nothing else but the feeling of his fingers tracing up her inner thighs, teasing her and thrilling her all at once. Then his tongue, which wasted no time finding her spot.

Eleanor gasped as he hungrily devoured her. She threw her head back, her hips bucking against his mouth. Gripping the covers, she welcomed the sensation building in her core, which then spread outward in crashing waves.

She cried out, her legs trembling, and her toes curling. Opening her eyes, she looked at him as he rose to his knees, licking his lips.

She watched, not yet sated, as he pulled his shirt over his head. In the faint glow of the moon, she took in the defined muscles of his abdomen and chest.

In an instant, he was between her legs, and she could feel his length against her opening. She felt as if she might go mad without it. She eagerly reached out, grabbing his arms and then wrapping her arms around his shoulders. The moment he thrust into her, they both gasped.

“It’s like you were made for me,” he breathed, slowly moving his hips.

Eleanor’s fingertips dug into his skin. “I was, just for you and only you.”

He groaned in agreement and slid a hand down to her thigh, pulling it up as he sank deeper into her. The sensation caused her to almost yelp, but in the most pleasurable of ways.

Eleanor’s hips bucked against him, her insides demanding more and more as her release built once more.

She was reaching the peak of pleasure. There was something primal about their movements, and she couldn’t help but cry out his name. Her body tightened around him, her legs trembled as they locked behind his hips, and at that moment, they both climaxed. She felt the warmth of his seed inside her, and she savored it completely.

“Dorian,” she whispered, breathless.

He seemed almost unable to catch his breath. Looking down at her, he shook his head in disbelief, as if he was almost certain he had been dreaming. He leaned down, kissing her gently before he pulled out of her.

For some time, they lay side-by-side, both trying to catch their breath. Eleanor had never felt so tired and completely sated in her life. She turned her head to look at him, only to find his eyes already fixed on her.

“I would truly go mad if I were to ever lose you,” he said softly.

She raised an eyebrow. “Are you saying you’re not already quite mad?”

Dorian smirked, the corner of his lip curling in a way that hinted at his mischievous thoughts. There was something wicked in that look, something promising that made her heart skip a beat.

“Perhaps a bit.”

In the quiet of the early morning, with the soft hints of light filtering through the curtains, Dorian could not take his eyes off Eleanor. She was lying on her stomach, her arms beneath her pillow, with her bare back to him. He was dazed as he traced the delicate curve of her spine with his fingertips, marveling at the way she seemed to fit at his side.

Like she was made for me.

Her response in the throes of their passion played like a song in the back of his mind. He tried to put it out of his mind, but his body remembered it all too clearly.

Dorian shifted his gaze to the window. He could see the first hints of dawn in the sky. Hues of pink and gold dusted the horizon. The world seemed to hold its breath in the quiet moments of dawn, but then that moment passed.

What am I to do with you?

He glanced down at her, his brow furrowing. Dorian hesitated before reaching out to wake her, his fingers brushing against her cheek as he leaned in closer.

“Eleanor,” he said softly. “Eleanor, wake up.”

His breath caught in his throat as she blinked up at him, her lips curling into a faint smile at the sight of him. It was as if he were seeing her for the first time, and his heart skipped a beat.

“Will you marry me?” he asked, the words tumbling from his lips before he could second-guess himself.

“Another proposal, Your Grace?” Eleanor teased sleepily.

But he was having none of it. His eyes searched hers just as the sunlight began to pour into the room. “I want nothing but this, Eleanor.”