A Night with the Bride(22)

Keeping his gaze firmly locked on her, he unbuttoned his breeches and let them fall around his ankles, then lowered himself into the nearest chair. “Come here,” he said, low and wicked.

She stood paralyzed, unable to tear her gaze away from the erection that stood long and thick between his legs. He was exquisite, and she needed him inside her, like nothing she’d ever needed before in her life.

Stepping forward, she swept his cravat off the floor, and held it up. She smiled sweetly, one eyebrow lifted. “Do you trust me?” she asked, echoing his words to her the first time they’d made love.

His eyes locked on the cravat, and he started to rise. “Gabriella—“

She placed her free hand on his chest, halting him. “Trust goes both ways.” Skimming her hand across his chest and over his shoulder, she moved behind him. “Your wrists, please.”

He lowered his head and pushed out a heavy breath. For a moment, she thought he might refuse, but after a moment, he brought his hands around the back of the chair. She tied his wrists together securely and smiled to herself.

He was relinquishing control, something she suspected he’d never done before, and it made her feel special.

Walking back around to face him, she kneeled and placed herself between his thighs. His erection stood stiff between them, and she reached up, tentatively tracing the engorged tip with her finger. He was smooth, hot, and a little bead of moisture formed at the tip.

He sucked in a sharp breath through is teeth, and his muscles bulged as he struggled against his restraints. She snatched her hand away. “Have I hurt you?”

“Gabriella.” His vice was rough, strained. “I need to be inside you.”

The hunger and desperation in his voice unhinged her.

Standing, she rucked up her gown and straddled the chair. She placed one hand on his chest as she slowly lowered herself, he tip of his erection just skimming her hot, moist center.

“Christ,” he hissed, his head dropping back. “You are so fucking wet for me.”

As he thrust his hips upward, his arms straining to pull free of his bindings. She gripped his shoulders, and her nails bit into his skin as he stretched her, settling impossibly deep.

“Move your hips,” he said. “Forward and back.”

Tentatively, she did as instructed, gliding her hips back and forth, until she found a slow, sensuous rhythm that rubbed her in precisely the right way. Tilting her head back, she moaned. “You feel so good inside me.”

That was when he snapped. Violently pulling his wrists free of the knots, he growled and brought his hands around to grip her backside. He guided her hips in a rough, wild tempo that sent her spiraling, cascading into a wide yawning abyss of sensation and pleasure.

Nothing existed except them, this moment, their bodies locked together in the most elemental way possible. This was right. He was right. It was always meant to be him—her strong, wounded duke. Love curled around her heart like a fist and squeezed.

With one hand, he released her backside and threaded his hand through her neatly coifed hair, then pulled her down, claiming her lips in a hot, greedy kiss as he continued to guide her hips, thrusting deeper, deeper with each breathless movement.

“God, Gabriella,” he rasped. “I can’t…” His words melted into low, guttural growl as he pushed into her, hard, fierce, shoving her over the edge, into oblivion.

All the pleasure and torment came to a fine point inside her body then exploded outward the very next second. Waves of hot tremors washed over her, filled her, spreading throughout her limbs.

The very next moment, he thrust impossibly deep and stilled, hands gripping her hips through her gown with such force, she feared she’d bruise. He tilted his head back, his eyes closed, and a deep, feral growl escaped his throat.

After a moment, she moved to get up. He tightened his grip. “No,” he said, his voice drowsy. “Not just yet. I just want to feel you a moment longer.”

Warmth spread through her, and without severing the connection between them, she rested her head on his shoulder. Contentment filled her. She was happy, and in this moment she felt whole.

He placed a kiss on her forehead. “It looks like you won your dare, after all.”

Gabriella’s heart swelled. “Indeed, I have. In more ways than one.”