Stealing The Duke by Michaels Jess

Author:Michaels, Jess
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The Passionate Pen LLC
Published: 2019-03-04T16:00:00+00:00

Marianne pulled the blanket around her a little tighter and pushed her plate away. It had only been half an hour since she and Alexander had made love, but it seemed like an eternity. Certainly, she felt like she was with a different man.

In the bed, he had been gentle, careful, and he had given her more pleasure than she had ever thought possible. But here, sitting in the main room of their chamber, a table of food spread out before them, he was back to being distant, cool.

She shifted and hissed out a small sound of discomfort. Her body wasn’t used to what they’d just done, and it was telling her all about it.

He frowned even more deeply than he had a moment before. “They’re likely preparing a bath in the dressing room even as we speak,” he said. “After I finish eating, I’ll check. The warm water will help with the pain.”

She wrinkled her brow as she examined him closely. He was a dichotomy, that was certain. Hard and distant, but also caring and careful. Handsome but scarred. On the outside his scars were obvious, but there was something beyond that. Deeper than that.

“You arranged for a bath?” she asked.

He arched a brow. “Contrary to my appearance, I’m not a monster, Marianne. I recognize you may be feeling some discomfort.”

She swallowed hard and looked at his face closely. “You don’t look like a monster, Alexander. And after today, I do not think you are one in your heart, as gruff as you may try to be.”

“Don’t you?” he said slowly.

She heard the dangerous warning in his tone. She ignored it, even though the man made her nervous. Even though he held her future in his hands now.

“No,” she said, hating that her voice shook. “If you were a monster, you would not have been so…careful with me. You could have simply taken me and not given a thought to my pleasure. You didn’t.”

He was silent for what felt like an eternity, and then he leaned forward. “Wanting you to come is for my pleasure as much as yours. Don’t mistake yourself, Marianne—I do what I do for my own reasons.”

She frowned. He was pushing her away, that much was obvious. Although she should have allowed it, she saw something in his eyes in that moment. Pain. And it made her want to draw closer to him, despite his words.

“Losing your sister must have been very hard for you,” she said slowly.

He stiffened immediately and his gaze narrowed as he pushed his plate aside and got to his feet in one smooth motion.

“I do not speak of Anne,” he snapped. “Not to anyone.”

He walked away from her to the fire and leaned over the flames. The dancing light caressed his bare chest and she caught her breath. Wanting him came so naturally to her. Even in this moment where he was obviously putting a wall between them.

“I understand needing to shut yourself off from it,” she pressed, getting to her own feet and adjusting the blanket that covered her.

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