Chapter Twenty-Five

L ucy blinked her eyes against the sunlight that streamed into the room. Dark stubble across a strong jawline was the first thing she saw as she came awake. Wrapped in his arms, Hart’s big body kept her warm even though she still wore only her filmy nightgown. Had they slept down here in his study all night? A lazy smile stretched across her face as she played her fingers over his chest. She lay atop her husband, her husband , who had made her see stars last night with his lovemaking.

Last night had been amazing. Eye-opening and Hart had said it was just lesson one. After the way he made her orgasm with his mouth on her breasts and his hand between her legs, she had a fairly good idea where his thick manhood was meant to go. The thought of being filled by him made her wiggle her hips in anticipation.

The man beneath her grunted. His hand at her back slid lower to her bottom and squeezed. “What a delicious way to wake up. Do it again.”

Lucy wiggled her hips, and this time, she felt his hard shaft pressing against her hip. Hmmm, was he always like this?

“Only when I’m around you, sweetness,” Hart murmured.

Had she asked her question out loud? She lifted her head to look down at him. He still hadn’t opened his eyes, but a smile played across his lips. His hair was a wild mess.

She brushed some of it off his brow, playing with the end of one strand. “Good morning, husband.”

His eyes opened the grey mist of them alluring and languid. He squeezed her bottom again. “Good morning, wife.”

From outside the room, a furious female voice made its way through the door. “My mistress is missing; of course, this is my business.”

A male voice replied, “I saw them enter here last night, and no one has come out since. I tell you, they are still in there.”

“Why would they sleep in his study when they have a sumptuous suite upstairs?”

Townson’s authoritative voice cut through. “No one disturbs His Grace when he is in his study.”

“Here, here,” Hart muttered.

Lucy scrunched her nose. “I think we have caused some concern with the staff.”

“You were so lovely sleeping on me. I didn’t see why I should disturb you. I guess I fell asleep as well.” He sat up, taking her with him and landing her in his lap, straddling him. Gripping her hips, he guided her in a slow roll over his erection.

“Oh!” The sensation was exquisite.

“Let’s go upstairs,” he murmured.

She reluctantly climbed off him and donned her discarded robe. Hart stood as well and buttoned the last few buttons left undone on his falls but left his shirt untucked to cover the bulge in his trousers. He looked so deliciously disheveled in his stocking feet with his vest hanging open. She rose onto her toes and kissed him.

Hart immediately pulled her close. His lips sliding against her in a slow kiss that left her panting for more. “Upstairs,” he growled against her mouth.

Then he took her hand and, spinning her on her heels, he led them across the room. When they opened the door, the three servants visibly startled.

Hart didn’t even pause his stride. “We require breakfast sent up to my room and a hot bath prepared for my wife.”

Lucy sent Helen a small wave and contrite look as Hart tugged her down the corridor and up the main stairs. He didn’t stop until they reached the door to the duchess suite. Then he scooped her up over his good shoulder and strode into the room.

“Hart,” she squeaked. “Why are you manhandling me?”

He tossed her onto the center of the bed. “Time for lesson two.”

She laughed as she bounced on the bed. “Aren’t we having breakfast?” She watched him cross to the door and turn the lock. Then he stalked back to her like a lion prowling toward his prey… and how she wanted him to pounce. His eyes tracked over her as he returned to the bed. Reaching out, he pulled the ties that closed her robe, and with a satisfied grunt, he spread the two sides apart, pushing them off her shoulders.

Lucy grabbed hold of his vest to pull him onto the bed. But he shook his head. Instead, he hooked his hands under her knees, tugging her closer to the edge of the bed. The move forced her onto her back.

“I want to see all of you.” His hands roamed up the length of her legs, slowly pushing the hem of her nightgown up over her thighs, her stomach. When he had almost exposed her breasts, she raised her arms. With a hum of approval, Hart dragged the garment over her head. One of his hands pinned her wrists above her head as the other skimmed down the length of her body, causing her to shiver with anticipation.

Far from self-conscious, Hart made her feel beautiful. Desire turned his eyes molten silver as his gaze roamed over her body. The unadulterated look of craving on his face utterly ruined her.

Lucy squeezed her thighs together as her sex grew wet under his perusal. “What about you?” she panted. “Don’t you need to take off your clothes?”

Again, he shook his head. “Trust me, I don’t need to be unclothed to do what I am craving.” He let go of her wrists and leaned over her to take one of her breasts into his mouth.

The slow pull on her nipple created a quiver of need she felt all the way down at her core. She gripped his hair to keep him in place as he licked and kissed her breast. Lord, this man’s mouth seemed to know exactly how to tease out her pleasure. He continued to flutter kisses down across her stomach, stopping to dip his tongue in her navel, making her jolt at the tickling sensation. Hart raised his head to pin her with his searing gaze. Her crazed giggle died in her throat as he slowly lowered to his knees beside the bed.

He kissed the inside of her thigh, his eyes never leaving hers. With each kiss, she sighed at the soft whisper of his lips against her skin. Then his fingers brushed over the curls at her center. She gasped as his warm breath followed the path. He stared with reverent focus at her sex for a moment. Was he going to touch her like he had last night? She writhed under his gaze. But then his head dipped down, and he licked her, his tongue delving between her folds. Lucy bucked her hips, chasing the sensation his tongue left behind. Hart seemed to know exactly what she needed because he leaned in and repeated the motion with vigor; over and over, he licked her sex.

She couldn’t hold back the mewling sounds of pleasure his ministrations caused. It felt so good. His tongue laved at the small bundle of nerves hidden between her folds, leaving her mindless with the pleasure it wrought. She pulsed her hips up against his mouth, don’t stop, don’t stop .

“Oh, I won’t sweetness, not until you come all over my tongue.”

Had she said that out loud? Again, Hart managed to scramble her thoughts to the point where she wasn’t sure which were internal and which she was letting fall from her lips.

She raked her nails over his scalp. “Please, please,” she panted.

Mindless with the pleasure he wrought right at the center of her as it built to a crescendo. Just like last night, she thought she couldn’t endure another moment of this building pressure. Then the dam broke. She screamed his name as the wave of pleasure crashed through her.

Hart nuzzled her as she came down from her crisis, placing open-mouth kisses along the inside of her thigh. But unlike last night, there was a certain crackling tension radiating from him. He stood and stripped off his trousers and stockings. His shirt fell low over his hips, but it could not hide his erection, which jutted out from the dark hair at its base.

With one hand, he gripped his shaft, long and thick; he squeezed the base for a moment. “Lucy, I need… I need…”

She reached out for him. He climbed onto the bed. Braced over her with his left arm, he sucked in a deep breath. “Lucy, I don’t want to hurt you. But I’ve been told the first time can be uncomfortable for the lady.”

“I don’t mind. I need you, too. Fill me up.”

He groaned, a low rumble in his chest. “You don’t know the things you do to me with that mouth.” Then he leaned down and kissed her.

His mouth was so hot and hungry that she almost didn’t notice the head of his manhood pressing into her. He pulsed in and out in short thrusts that had her spreading her legs farther apart to accommodate him. She was so slick from her arousal that even though his intrusion felt overwhelming, it didn’t hurt. Then Hart’s self-control seemed to break. He thrust inside her like a piston. They both moaned low as his hips met hers. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he drove into her again and again. Her back arched as he pulled her close, and he bent to suck one of her nipples into his mouth.

The indescribable sensations began to build again. Lucy gripped his shoulders. She felt out of control, totally at his mercy. Hart leaned back, and his hand snuck between their bodies. His thumb pressed in firm circles over that magic spot as he thrust inside her.

“You feel incredible. God, Lucy, I want to feel your pussy convulse around me. Come for me, sweetness.”

Lucy felt his erection throb inside her. She came apart just as he asked, shouting his name. Hart thrust one more time with a hoarse shout of his own, and then she felt his manhood pulse over and over. Shudders of delicious pleasure rendered her boneless in his arms. Her arms slipped from around him, and he laid her gently on the covers. His fingers brushed her cheek. She lazily opened her eyes to find his face inches from hers. He gazed down at her reverently.

She managed to raise her hand to cup his cheek. “Lesson two was my favorite so far. What does lesson three involve?”

Hart chuckled and kissed her before rolling over to lay on his back next to her. He threaded his fingers through hers. The two of them stared up at the canopy as their breathing slowly returned to normal.

“This really is a hideous color,” he said a few moments later.

“I think it’s meant to be pale pink, maybe?”

“It almost looks flesh colored. What is the trim, puce?”

Lucy couldn’t hold back a snort of laughter. “Now I really will not be able to sleep in here by myself thinking of the canopy as skin colored.” She gave an exaggerated shiver.

Hart turned onto his side. Reaching out, he tickled her, making her howl in surprise. “Stop at once! I cannot abide being tickled. I will scream, and the staff will think you are torturing me.”

“I think they all heard you screaming already, sweet.” His eyebrows waggled up and down as his hand hovered just inches over her stomach.

“No?! Do you think so?” Mortified at the thought, she reached for a pillow and brought it over her face. “I’m never leaving this room again.”

Hart wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her against him. He kissed her behind her ear. “Not all the servants. Just the servants who brought up the water for your bath and maybe the maid who brought up breakfast.” He nibbled on her earlobe. “Besides, I like it when you scream my name. When you beg me for more.”

She lifted the pillow from her face and turned to face him. “You do?”

He nodded. “I always want to know that I am bringing you pleasure. How are you feeling? Did I hurt you?”

Lucy took stock of her body. She felt a little sore between her legs now that her body was beginning to cool from the intensity of their lovemaking.

She shook her head. “You didn’t hurt me. Everything we did felt good. I may be a bit sore…”

Hart sat up. “Let’s get you into a hot bath before the water cools. That should help your lady bits.” He crossed to the door to the adjoining dressing room and disappeared through it to the bathing room. “It’s all set up. Come on in,” he called out.

Lucy walked through to find him swirling his hands in the water of the large claw foot tub. Hart helped her step into the bathtub, which was filled about halfway to the top. She sank slowly down into the warm water with a sigh. This was pure decadence. A knock sounded at the door.

“Yes?” Hart walked over to the door that led to his rooms.

“Two more buckets of hot water, sir.”

“Just put them down by the door. Then leave us be.” Hart replied. After a moment, he opened the door and pulled in the hot water one by one to pour into the bath.

“That feels wonderful. Won’t you come in and join me? There is plenty of room.” She swirled the hot water around her, hoping she looked inviting.

Hart bent to press a kiss to her lips. “I’ll just go see what they brought up for breakfast.”

Disappointed, Lucy frowned. She knew why Hart refused to remove his shirt in front of her. What she didn’t know was how to encourage him to trust that she wasn’t going to be repulsed by his scars. There was nothing that could change how she felt about him. That could change how much she desired him. She traced her fingers back and forth across the lip of the bathtub as she contemplated how she could lure him back into the room.

Letting out a long sigh, she laid her head back against the porcelain edge of the bath. He had been so patient with her naivety last night. Showing her how good sexual relations could feel. All the while holding back on his own needs as she now understood that he had. She should be just as patient with his insecurities.

Lucy finished washing quickly, not wanting the water to get cold before Hart had a chance to wash as well. A stack of fluffy towels sat on a chair next to the bathtub. She dried herself and then wrapped the towel around her, tucking the ends together at her breasts. When she entered Hart’s room, she found him standing by the window looking out. He had layered a dark blue banyan over his shirt, and she mourned how it covered his muscled thighs.

“The water is still warm for you,” she said.

Hart turned around. “I thought you would soak for a while. You didn’t have to get out yet.”

She crossed to him and laid her hands on his chest. “Go on and wash. I’m going to get dressed. Then we can have breakfast.”

“Dressed?” His brows knitted together in disapproval. He stripped off his banyan and draped it around her shoulders. “That’s plenty of clothing for breakfast. I’m not done with you yet.”

“You’re not?” Her breath hitched.

His response was a kiss that had her going weak in the knees. Then Hart crossed toward the bathing room. The hem of his shirt barely skimmed halfway down his buttocks, allowing her a tantalizing view of the taut globes as he walked away.