Page 75 of Winning Her Duke

“Then slow. Let it build.”

He reached between them and touched her in that spot that coaxed her into a quick orgasm. Feeling her body clasp onto his in her climax was the most perfect experience of her life.

“You feel… too good.” He gasped and it only took a few more strokes before he picked her up and flipped her over so he could take over. A few thrusts and he pulled out of her before his release as he had in the stable.

She knew the way children were created whether they be equine or human and was grateful that he took such a precaution.

They lay together in a tangled, sticky heap, grasping for breath and touching for a few wonderful moments before he practically jumped from the bed to get a cloth to clean her.

When she reached for him to join her in bed, he shook his head, instead leaning down to kiss her swollen lips.

“If I lie down with you, I will fall asleep in no more than two seconds. And you will fall asleep as well and your family will wake to find you missing come morning.”

“Bess and Luther know where I am. They’ll just assume it took longer for the foaling.”

He studied her. “Truly? You can stay? We can sleep together.”

“Unless you want me to leave.”

“No,” he answered quickly. She thought as she drifted off, she heard him add the word, “Never.” Or maybe it was her own thoughts echoing in his voice.

The light coming through Jeremy’s windows an hour later was still pale when Gia woke in his bed.

She shifted to look at him and smiled. He was still asleep, his mouth open slightly, his wavy blond hair seemed to change colors before her eyes as the sun touched each strand.

He was beautiful. Even with the bronze stubble on his chin and upper lip. She couldn’t resist the urge to touch it to see if it was soft or rough.

With only two fingers she traced the line of his jaw, smiling at the raspy sound it made against her skin. It tickled. Or would have if it were applied to a different part of her body.

“What are you doing?” he asked, his eyes still closed.

“Inspecting you.” He was everything a man should be. Not just attractive physically, but kind and funny.

And he’d asked her to marry him.

Actually, he hadn’t asked. He’d assumed it should be because of what they had done. It was simply the act of an honorable man. It wasn’t because he loved her or wanted to spend his life with her.

She knew the strength it had taken for him to make such an offer. He was against marriage. Especially marriages of convenience.

She had not made love with him to lure him into the trappings of marriage and would not allow him to make that sacrifice.

“We’ve only been sleeping a few minutes,” he groaned.

“It’s been longer than that.”

“Not long enough.”

“I need to go.”

He let out a long breath and opened one eye. A moment later he opened the other and then he smiled. And she realized that she didn’t care if every gossip in London saw her sneaking out of his house, it was worth it for this time with him.

“You are beautiful,” he said.

She only had to reach up and touch the mess that was her hair to know that wasn’t true. Was that a piece of straw poking her palm?

Regardless of her state, she didn’t argue because the way he stared at her made it clear he believed what he’d said.

Couldn’t one find beauty in things others didn’t? She’d often used the word when watching a foal stand for the first time, still covered in fluids from birth. To many, it would not be worthy of the word.