Chapter Two

Had he heardher right?

Drake gazed into eyes of azure blue, emotions running through him which he had never felt before. They should frighten him.

But they didn't.

Instead, he said, "What do you want of me, Duchess?"

She bit her bottom lip in hesitation, causing a surge of desire to swell within him. Something told him this woman had no idea how much she appealed to him.

"Go ahead. Tell me your darkest desires," he encouraged.

Her eyes widened in surprise, but his words caused her to smile.

"I have been thinking about you, Captain. Much more than I should have. I will admit that you made quite an impression on me at our first meeting."

He returned her smile. "I remember flirting outrageously with you. How I couldn't seem to help myself."

"You are a very attractive man, Captain Andrews. At that first meeting, I was responding to your appearance alone. But the second time we met—when you came and escorted me to town—I saw you were more than your good looks. You displayed loyalty and integrity. You have been a steadfast friend—no, brother—to James. I may be his stepmama, but he is now a good friend to me, as well."

Holding her gaze, Drake asked, "And do you wish for us to be... good friends? Or more?"

They gazed at one another wordlessly, the tension between them palpable. Until a knock sounded at the drawing room door.

Immediately, she sprang away from him and dropped into a seat. For his part, Drake placed his hands behind his back, linking his fingers together, as a maid entered the room. She bore a teacup and saucer, bringing them across the room, and setting them on the tea tray.

"Do you need Cook to prepare any more sandwiches since you have a guest, Your Grace?"

Drake marveled at how composed the duchess was, sitting placidly, as if she hadn't a care in the world.

"No, thank you. I am not very hungry myself. Captain Andrews will be more than satisfied with what is on the tea tray."

The maid bobbed a curtsey, leaving the room and closing the door behind her.

The duchess had not moved, so he took a seat beside her on the settee. She reached for the teapot and poured out for them both, adding sugar and milk to each cup before handing his saucer to him. Drake took it, just to have something to do with his hands. To keep them off her.

For now.

He took a sip of the hot tea, knowing it soothed him.

"Shall I make up a plate for you?" she asked, playing the perfect hostess. "You must be hungry after your time at sea, eating the same things, over and over. I know as a captain you are fed better than the rest of the crew. At least that is what James has shared. But I suppose it must be nice to be on land, sitting in a drawing room, taking tea without having to worry about running an entire ship."

"It is nice because I sit here with you," he said huskily.

She raised her own teacup, and he saw her hand tremble slightly, knowing he affected her as much as she did him.

"Please eat," she told him. "I am not hungry, as I mentioned, and we would not want to hurt Cook's feelings."

He arched a brow at her. "You are concerned about your cook's feelings?"

"Of course, I am. Cook is a valued member of this household. I always want our servants to be happy in their work and to know their efforts are appreciated. Are you hungry or not?"

He set down the saucer, facing her. "I am hungry. For you, Duchess."

She shivered in response, and Drake covered one of her hands with his, thinking how dainty and fragile she was. He liked everything about her, from her honey-colored hair to her petite height. And he longed to touch those round, plump breasts. To caress them. To tongue them.

"You really should address me as Your Grace, Captain," she told him, and he worried she was trying to put distance between them, when all he wanted to do was close the social gap between them. Or simply ignore it.

"What do you want of me?" he asked again. "You said I have been in your thoughts all these many months. I will tell you that it has been the same for me."

A pleased look appeared upon her face. "Truly? I would have assumed you would not have given me a second thought. That you are one of those men who find a willing woman in every port you call upon, and that I would long be forgotten by you."

He threaded their fingers together. "It is true that I am no stranger to women. I like them quite a bit. And yes, every time I go ashore, I find a new one to pass the time with." Drake swallowed, deciding to be completely honest with her. "I kept to my usual pattern on this latest voyage, but it did me no good."

"How so?" she asked, concern written across her delicate brow.

"Every time I coupled with a woman, I was left unsatisfied. Empty. Alone. Because she simply wasn't you."

She drew in a quick breath, her cheeks pinkening, surprise in her eyes. "You truly thought of me?"

"I have done nothing but think of you. There are many days at sea when the vastness of the ocean seems to swallow you up. I thought of you during those times. Times when I stood on the deck at night, gazing up at the stars, wondering what you were doing half a world away."

Tears misted in her eyes. "Your words move me greatly, Captain, but I do not know if they are truthful ones or not. Because I do not know you well enough."

"Don't you, Duchess?" he asked roughly, his free hand taking her chin in hand when she tried to turn away from him.

"I want to know you," she admitted. "All of you," she added, her voice a whisper.

Desire rippled through him, hearing her voice that. Yet doubt lingered. This woman had everything. What would she want with him?

"Why?" he asked.

"I have lived a very sheltered life," she explained. "I believed I was in love many years ago before I even made my come-out. I traded a few, sweet kisses with a neighbor's son, and I fancied a life with him. His father was only a baron, however. That was not good enough for my father. He wanted to improve his own standing amongst the ton, and that meant using the tools he had at hand."

"You," Drake guessed.

"Yes. He arranged a marriage for me with a man who held an impressive title and a vast amount of wealth."

"Your duke."

She nodded. "The Duke of Seaton. He was in his forties and a widower with a son, a man looking for a young wife to give him many more sons. Do you know he never even kissed me? He came to my bed only a handful of times during those early years. I gave birth to Georgina and Pippa less than a year after our wedding. I was barely eight and ten at that time."

The duchess sighed. "Mirella followed the next year, and Effie two years after that. Seaton only touched me twice after Effie's birth. Both times, he could not perform the marital act when he did so. He blamed me for it, saying he would never return to my bed again. I felt nothing but relief."

She looked at him longingly. "Do you know how many years that has been? I have never known love. I have never felt the loving touch of a man's hands on my body. I have lived for my girls all these years. Now, I am ready to live for myself."

Drake cradled her cheek with his palm. "Thank you for your honesty. I will tell you that I have never known love myself. I have doubted its very existence. I do have experience and know how to make a woman come alive. I cannot offer you love since I do not understand it, but I am more than willing to couple with you. To teach you the ways of intimacy. If you are willing to take that leap of faith with me, that is."

"Yes," she whispered, in a voice like a caress. "I want to see what I have missed out on all these years. The physical aspects of lovemaking. At my age, I doubt I will ever find love as Pippa and Georgina have, but I feel I owe it to myself to explore my sensual nature. If you are willing to teach me about it, Captain, I would be most grateful."

Strong emotions welled within him, ones he had never experienced in the company of another woman. It couldn't be love. That was not possible. She was a duchess, and he but a common sailor. Still, he held more desire for this woman than he had any other.

"I am hungry for you, Duchess. That is desire. I want to devour you—but I will take things slowly with you. Guide you into the pleasures of the flesh. The first thing you need to do is to learn how to kiss. If you only traded a few, chaste kisses with your sweetheart many years ago, you truly have no idea how powerful a kiss can be."

"Think of me as a block of soft clay in your hands, Captain. Unformed. Teach me what I should know. Open a new world for me. Mold me with your hands."

He smiled down at her. "With pleasure."

Drake brought up his other hand, framing her face with his long fingers. He dipped his head to hers, pressing his lips softly against hers. They were plump, and he longed to bite into them. He held back, though, knowing he must take things slowly. He would enjoy going on this journey with her. Where it might lead, he didn't know. He simply knew he wanted to take it with her—and her alone.

Slowly, he brushed his lips against hers, back and forth, getting to know the feel and shape of them. She placed her palms against his chest, and he reveled in the warmth that simple gesture on her part brought to him.

He began kissing her, mixing soft kisses with slightly harder ones. He slipped one hand about her nape, the other around her waist, anchoring her. Inhaling her scent, he recognized it as lavender, a scent he had never smelled on another woman. It suited her, though.

Her hands now fisted as she gripped the lapels of his uniform, pulling him closer to her. Now, her breasts pressed against his chest, lighting a fire within him. The need to take more of her overwhelmed him.

Still, he deliberately gentled the kiss, and then he finally broke it. His mouth hovered inches above hers as he asked, "Are you ready to go farther?"

"Yes," she sighed.

Drake's mouth returned to hers, his kisses harder and more insistent. Though she was a novice, the duchess was picking up things nicely. He allowed his tongue to outline the shape of her mouth, feeling her tremble against him as he did so. Then slowly, he moved it back and forth against the seam of her mouth, urging her to open to him.

When she understood what he wanted of her, she did so, and he slipped his tongue inside her mouth, tasting a sweetness he had never sampled from any other woman. His tongue caressed hers, and she returned the favor, causing his senses to come alive. He began a leisurely exploration of her, enjoying the taste and feel of her in his arms.

Tilting her head back, it allowed him to deepen the kiss as he claimed more of her. He lost himself in it. Lost track of time. All Drake knew was her mouth. Her taste. The feel and scent of her.

He finally ended the kiss, looking down at her, seeing both the dazed expression he had put on her face and how her eyes were now a darker shade of blue.

Dark because of the desire he had awakened in her.

"That... why... I have no words, Captain. That was the most moving experience of my life."

He smoothed her hair. "That is only the tip of the iceberg, Duchess. We have many more avenues to explore regarding kissing."

Hesitation filled her eyes, and he realized she must have regretted what had already passed between them. After all, she was a duchess of the realm, one of the highest-ranking members of society, while he was an orphan from the streets, a man who didn't even recall his own birth name.

Releasing her, he stood. "I am sorry if I took things too far, Your Grace," he said formally.

She shot to her feet, capturing his wrist with her fingers. "No, do not go," she pleaded. "I am sorry I am so inexperienced. I fear I did not please you enough."

"What?" he asked incredulously, seeing she wasn't trying to rid herself of him. That it was her own feelings of inadequacy causing the sudden awkwardness between them.

He placed his hands on her shoulders, squeezing lightly. "You are perfect, Duchess," he said firmly. "You caught on quickly to my lesson in kissing. I look forward to spending more time with you—if you will allow me to do so."

A radiant smile, brighter than the sun, lit her beautiful face. "I want to spend more time with you, Captain Andrews. I want to learn the secrets you can teach me."

He returned her smile. "Then if we are to spend more intimate time together, I believe you should call me Drake."