The Unexpected Duchess (Playful Brides #1)(79)

“What other reason?” she asked.

Derek reached out and stroked the side of her bare arm. She shivered. “As soon as Julian comes home, I can explain to him how thoroughly Lady Cassandra has rejected me. Then I can get to the business of marrying the woman I bloody well want to.”

Despite his curse word, Lucy couldn’t help her tiny smile. She widened her eyes. “Me?”

“Yes, you.” He crooked a finger indicating that she should come closer.

Lucy leaned forward.

Another quirk of his finger. “Closer,” he said.

She moved a bit more.

“Closer,” he coaxed.

“How close?” Her breath fanned across his face.

“Close enough to kiss me,” he whispered hotly.

Her lips hovered just over his. “Like this,” she murmured just before she brushed her lips against his.

Their lips met again. Once. Twice. Then he tugged her to him, her breasts pressing against his bare chest. His hot mouth opened her hers, his tongue plunging inside.

The kiss was electric, jolting her to the core. Joy sang through Lucy’s veins. They were going to make love, the two of them. Here, tonight, in Derek’s bedchamber, and Lucy wanted it so badly.

Hastily shoving his book aside, he pulled her on top of him. “I cannot wait to make you mine,” he whispered against her mouth. Their lips came together again. Their kiss was hot, fiery. Lucy was sure she would crumple into a messy pile of lust on his expensive duvet.

His mouth owned hers, shaped it, controlled it. She couldn’t get enough. She met his tongue thrust for thrust, her hands traveling over his strong shoulders still encased in a robe. His strong possessive hands made short work of ripping off her gloves, and then began unbuttoning the back of her gown. Soon, she was wearing only her shift and stays, panting, still not letting her mouth leave his. She’d known it would be this way between them. Hot, unstoppable. They both were fighting for control. But Lucy soon realized that in bed, Derek would be completely in charge. A shudder of lust worked its way up her body. Own me. The thought shimmied its way through her. She surrendered to his deft hands. Derek tugged her against him hard and rolled atop Lucy. She breathed deeply. To be doing this with a man as handsome and wonderful as Derek—it was beyond her wildest dream.

Derek leaned over her and kissed her again, once, twice. She tried to pull him fully atop her but he braced his elbows on either side of her head and held himself away. “Just a moment, love,” he said and then rolled to the edge of the bed, stood, and made his way over to the mantel where he doused the candles. The room plunged into shadowed darkness. She could still make out his form from the one remaining candle near the bed. She smiled. He must have done that in deference to her modesty. She pressed her fingertips to her lips. While it was true that she was a bit shy anticipating Derek taking off every last shred of her clothing, she was much more interested in seeing him completely nude than she ought to admit and the candles being out didn’t help. Ah, well, she would have a lifetime to learn his body. She sucked in her breath. A lifetime. They were going to be married.

Derek quickly made his way back to the bed and pulled his robe from his shoulders. He tossed the garment on the floor. Lucy got only a quick peek at the magnificence of his body. He was all angled planes and solid muscles. A scar on his shoulder, another near his waist, and, oh, she’d only got a glimpse down there and from what she could tell he was quite well endowed indeed. Derek slid atop her and quickly covered Lucy’s body with his own. Her stays were gone in an instant. Derek propped himself up on one elbow and traced the edge of the décolletage of her shift. He was a bit shaky, on the verge of losing control, and Lucy loved it. She could sense it and because he was a man who was usually so self-possessed and in control, she reveled in it.

“Do you know how badly I want to rip this thing off you?” he asked huskily.

A thrill shot through her. “How badly?”

He clenched his jaw. “Very, very badly.”

She kissed his ear. He shuddered. “Why don’t you?”

“Don’t tempt me.” His voice was still a bit uneven.

“What’s the harm?” she asked.

He nudged his nose against hers and kissed the tip. “What will you wear when you go back home?”

“My gown’s still intact, is it not?” She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply.

It took a moment for Derek to recover from the kiss before he managed to say, “I don’t want the future Duchess of Claringdon to be involved in a huge scandal.” He grinned against her lips.

“It’s far too late.” A kiss on the tip of his nose this time. “Besides, what’s the harm if it’s with her own husband?”

“I like the sound of that.” He nuzzled her ear.

“I have an idea,” Lucy said.

He kissed her neck and groaned. He gestured to her shift. “It had better involve the removal of this garment as quickly as possible.”

“Half right,” she replied coyly. She pulled away from him and shimmied off the bed. She stood and turned back to face him. Derek watched her with intense darkened eyes. “What are you doing?”

“I’m going to take off my shift and you’re going to watch.”

His green eyes flared.

Lucy took a deep breath. What had come over her? Some impish hoyden’s spirit. She had no idea what she was doing. She knew only that she wanted to please him. Well, please him and tease him a little, but judging from the look in his eyes, he liked her idea. Very much.