Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22

The Wedding Night

L eah lay on the bed in their bedroom. It felt like she had been waiting for hours, but she'd lost track of the time a long time ago. Every time she heard a noise, she thought the Duke was coming for her, but he never did. She lay under the blankets, ready for him.

She would not have a marriage built on love, and she had accepted that, but the one thing she had been looking forward to, the one thing that could ease her pain and bring her some happiness, was her wedding night with the Duke—and any other nights in his bed that would follow.

Leah was nervous about the act to come, but she trusted Solomon, and he had only made her feel good when they were alone. All she wanted was his hands on her body, and he could take care of the rest.

It finally became too much, and Leah kicked the blankets from her. She kicked and kicked some more until all of the blankets and sheets were on the floor. She got out of bed and stood in the room alone.

"I am a duchess now. I should get what I want."

It was dark outside. Leah took the lit lamp from the dresser against the wall and left the room in search of her husband. The cottage was small, and it did not take her long to find him. He was in the small room ned father often used for business when they took holidays over the summer.

The sight of him asleep in the armchair angered her more, and she wanted to slam the door or kick his boots to wake him. Yet, as she stepped closer, she felt some of the anger slip away.

He looked peaceful, slumbering in the chair. She could not remember his so peacefully, not before their wedding and certainly not at any time during their wedding day, a day that was almost over.

Why can't I have you? Why can't you love me?

Leah crept over to him, placing the lamp on the desk. She reached out to shake him awake and take him back to their bedroom, but something came over her. She knelt down by his side and kissed him gently on his lips.

The Duke stirred a little in his sleep but did not wake. Leah leaned in and kissed him again. It had been weeks since their last kiss, and she had missed it terribly.

I missed the kiss, but that was all. I will not be hurt over and over by him.

The second kiss did the trick, and the Duke stirred more, opening his eyes to get his bearings.

"That is a fine way to be woken from a slumber," he noted.

"I didn't know where you were," she said.

"Now, you do," he replied sleepily.

"Now, I do," Leah replied. "I thought we could…" She ran her hand over his chest.

"Mmm," the Duke replied. He finally woke up fully and sat up a little in the chair, stretching to remove the aches that had come from falling asleep in the chair. "Come." He took Leah's arm and pulled her to her feet.

Leah had been nervous about her wedding night, but as she stood before the Duke in only her nightgown, she felt ready to accept him. She craved the pleasure she would bring him.

The Duke held Leah's arm and brought her to him, sitting her on his lap. He took her head in his hand and pulled her head towards his. Their lips locked, and they kissed properly. Their lips moved together, and then Leah's lips were parted, and the Duke pressed his tongue into her mouth to grapple with her tongue.

His free hand moved to her front, caressing her body through the thin fabric. His fingers teased her nipples, bringing them to attention, and as she sat on his lap, she felt it was not the only body part brought to attention.

"I'm glad you came to find me," the Duke said before their lips locked again in a kiss.

Leah moved both hands to the Duke's chest, and she began unbuttoning his shirt. She could not see what she was doing, fumbling some of the buttons, but it only made her more aroused for what was to come, and she started to claw at the Duke's shirt, finally getting all of the buttons.

She slipped her hand inside his shift, and it was engulfed in warmth when pressed to his body. All thoughts of the life she would live were removed now that his hands were on her and her hands were on him. She rubbed his chest, breathing heavily through her nose.

His musk had a hint of elderberry along with the sandalwood. She drank him in through all senses, tasting and smelling and touching and tasting. She could hear her own heartbeat in her ears as her body became ready for him.

Her hand moved down from his chest to his stomach, and though she couldn't reach lower than she was, she felt a thrill leap through her, and the giddiness caused her head to swirl. The Duke was intoxicating, the exact remedy she needed.

Their kiss was broken again, but his lips did not stop working. They moved from her lips to her neck, and she arched her back, moving herself over his stiffening manhood.

"Mmm," Leah moaned as the Duke kissed her neck up and down before slipping the gown from her shoulder and kissing there. He moved his lips over her collarbone and back to her neck. Leah stopped moving her hand over the Duke, unable to do anything but concentrate on the Duke's tender touch. One hand rubbed her back, and the other still played with her breasts and midriff.

Leah moaned again. She swiveled atop the Duke, turning her back to him and leaning back to drape herself over him and give him better access to her body. The Duke responded with more kisses to her neck, and she felt something in her core that she had never felt before. A wetness grew between her legs, and she was already in heaven. She could not imagine how it would be when the Duke's manhood entered her.

His hands really went to work. Both of them roved over her front, the fabric still dampening his touch a little. He grasped both of her plump breasts and squeezed them as he nipped at her neck.

"Oh, yes," Leah moaned. "Please don't stop."

"I don't intend to," the Duke replied. "Do you like this?"

"I like it ver?—"

Leah could not speak anymore when the Duke tightened his fingers around her nipples. There was a flash of pain as he nipped her nipples, followed by a rush of pleasure that cascaded to her waterfall below. His hands quickly delved down below, and there was a slight chill as he lifted her gown up to reveal her front.

The chill soon disappeared when his hands touched her again. Her ran his fingers up and down her body, leaving goosebumps in their wake. Still, he kissed her neck, and Leah had to switch her head position so both sides got equal attention. She felt like she was walking a tightrope, and if she swayed too much to one side, she would lose balance and fall.

And then…

Oh, my goodness!!!

Leah expected to say it out loud, but when she opened her mouth, only a low guttural moan came out instead of the words. She could only think them as he touched her where she had never been touched before, where she had not even touched herself before.

He ran his fingers through her tuft of hair as his other hand cupped her breast, and then he touched her wet garden. The first touch caused her to jolt atop him, and that brought the Duke pleasure going by his growl. The second touch to her sacred place caused her back to arch, and she rocked slowly atop him.

He moved his fingers into her cave and then out to touch her clitoris. He ran his finger over it in circles, and the waterfall in her core turned to molten lava, but it did not burn. The intensity was there, but not the heat.

"Oh, yes," Leah moaned.

"Tell me what you want," the Duke commanded.

"I want… I want," she gasped. "I don't know what I want. I can't think when you make me feel like this. I want you."

"Hmm," the Duke growled. "A good start. How about this?"

He moved his finger quicker, moving in brief strokes instead of circles, rubbing her clitoris. He squeezed her breast tighter, flicking her nippled with his thumb.

"Yes," Leah gasped. "Yes, yes, yes!"

"I worship at your body again, Leah. You are a gorgeous woman, and I must have you."

"Yes, you will," she said, turning her head to kiss him. The kisses were sloppy and quick, and they both breathed quickly. Leah could feel his sword breath her, and she needed to touch it—she needed it inside.

"I will do my duty," Leah said as she turned on his lap to face him.

Solomon took her by the shoulders. "Your duty?"

"Yes, of course," Leah said, the moment broke a little. "That is why I came here tonight; why I came to find you. It is our wedding night, and I must do my duty."

"I wondered why you were so forward," the Duke said.

Leah still breathed heavily, and there was still a hungry lust in the Duke's eyes, but something had changed between them.

"Why I was so forward?" Leah asked. "I don't understand." She wished for less talking and more love-making. She was ready to experience it for the first time.

"It is your duty, and that is all it is. Yes, you will do your duty."

"Have I upset you?" Leah asked. She kissed the Duke on the cheek and then the neck, worried she had said the wrong thing.

"No, you have not upset me," he said plainly. "You will do your duty, but not tonight."

"Not tonight?" Leah asked.

His hand slipped from her breast.

"We have lots of time to take care of this," the Duke added. "I am still tired, and I still have work to do."

"You can do work in the morning, my dear. Let's?—"

"Don't tell me when I can do my work," the Duke said sternly. "I have work to do so we can all have a future. Is that not a good enough reason?"

"No, I didn't mean that; I only wanted to be with you tonight."

"Did you?" the Duke asked.

"Yes," Leah claimed.

What did I do wrong?

"I wish that were the case," Solomon said.

"I don't understand."

"No. Perhaps I don't understand either. I won't do this right now. Not like this. We can do this another time, but you must leave me for now."

"Please," Leah begged.

"Go!" the Duke ordered.

Leah looked at him. She was undressed, and she could feel the Duke's stiffness, but the moment was gone, and she had no idea how to reclaim it.

Don't worry; this is how it has to be. There will be pleasure; only it will come later. I must respect his wishes.

"I will be in our bed if you wish to join me."

The Duke grunted in reply.

Leah stood up and did her best to pull her nightgown down again while retaining her dignity. All she could think about was rejection.

Don't dare show him any weakness. And don't dare feel anything for him. He doesn't feel anything for you.

Leah smiled at the Duke. "Goodnight, Solomon."

"Goodnight," the Duke said gruffly.

Leah left the study and hurried back to the room. She closed the door behind her and grabbed all the blankets from the floor, falling onto the bed and burying herself under them.

She quickly burst into tears.