Her Beastly Duke (Damsel in Distress #5)

Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

J ulius had a bath, but it was not a warm one. He needed a cold bath to temper his cock’s twitch. A curse left his lips when he sank into the tub, and it was a sobering moment. He was surprised at how much he revealed to Briar. He had never discussed his feelings for Véronique. Julius put it down to the fact that he could not help but be comfortable with her. Bearing his soul to her was easy. It was the only explanation. He felt safe and at home with Briar.

Confiding in her was one thing, and kissing her was something else entirely, even if she was offering her sweet lips to be kissed. She wanted it, and he needed it. It had been years since he had such an urge to kiss a woman, and he enjoyed the feeling that was awakened. He never wanted it to go away; he had to bask in it. Yet, at the same, he knew he was a bit fragile, not having opened himself up to companionship for some time. What he felt today was more than a spark. It was a hot flash in his consciousness, and it took all his strength not to kiss her a second time, even though she asked for it. She was truly bold, this one. Had she stolen a kiss with a suitor during her first season?

Even if Briar had a clandestine kiss, Julius was certain she was otherwise untouched. This was not the French court, and it would do him good to remember that. He would be expected to make an offer if he crossed the line with a lady of noble blood. Julius already knew the reason he was not inclined to think of Briar as a potential duchess. He should be careful in his choice. Julius drummed his fingers against the side of the tub. He would not sit there for much longer. The water was getting colder. None of his rational thoughts had eclipsed his desire to kiss her soft lips and explore her eager mouth. There was no denying it. He wanted her.

Julius completed his bath and dressed. He was looking forward to sitting down to dinner with Briar this evening. The anticipation was different from before. He was even more curious about her now and understood he would only have her company for a short time before they would depart for London. He was sure her family would agree because they would see the advantage. It was a generous offer. He would enjoy her company, but it would be best to refrain from further intimacy. Briar was far too tempting for her own good. It was going to be damned hard to keep his lips off her, if not impossible, but what choice did he have? He must try.

Julius made his way to the drawing room and entered. Briar had not arrived, so he poured himself a brandy and stood by the fireplace, staring into the flames. The flames burned bright and provided much comfort after his cold bath. The door opened, and he spun around to find Briar looking exquisite in a green dress. She had left her hair loose tonight, tresses tumbling over her shoulders. He wanted to bury his face in her hair and inhale deeply, capturing the essence of her. She gave him a wide smile which he returned.

“Would you like a glass of wine?”

“Thank you.”

“I must say that I am curious about something.”

“And what might that be, Julius?”

“Have you ever stolen a kiss?”

A soft gasp from her pink lips. “That is none of your business.”

Julius regarded her, and he did not miss the flicker in her eyes before she quickly lowered her lashes. He had gone too far.

“I am sorry if I—”

“There is no need to apologize, Julius. I have been kissed, but it is not in the way that you think.”

“Whatever do you mean?”

“A purported gentleman, who will remain unnamed, took liberties when I did not even like him. He was interested in me, but I would not court him. I gave him no indication that I wished to be kissed, and we were only alone for a brief moment before he pounced. I was shaken by the incident, and I dared not speak of it for fear I would be forced to marry him. I do not know if my fear was rational or not. I was disgusted by his kiss and pawing hands, and I vowed never to marry.” Briar’s voice had trailed off to a whisper by the time she got to the end of the story.

The tale riled Julius, and he would love to have a word or two with this gentleman who overstepped the mark with his unwanted advance. It was churlish, to say the least. Briar’s eyes remained downcast. A part of him wondered if she was sanitizing the entire episode, and it was worse than she wanted to let on. He was angry that someone had hurt her, even though it was long before they met. The episode was unpleasant enough for her to be mistrustful of men. Women in society were reared to wed and raised a family. Briar’s duty was to run her household and produce an heir.

“I am sorry to learn that you had that experience. Are you sure you do not wish to tell me his name? I could pay him a visit.”

Briar's laughter tinkled. “I shall not, as much as I would like to. Before the incident, I dreamed of a grand courtship, an engagement, and a wedding. I wanted a grand love story, but it was not meant to be.”

Compassion swelled in his chest, for she had taken him as a confidante. It was likely Briar had never shared this intimate detail before, and now that he knew, Julius somehow wished he could have protected her. He wanted no one else to kiss her. Only him.

Briar gave him a bold stare. “I would rather put it out of my mind and think of more pleasant experiences.”

Damn .

She was thinking of the kiss they shared, and immediately, Julius felt the tension fill the room. His eyes dropped to her lips, but he was saved from doing exactly what he promised not to do. Otis entered the drawing room to announce that dinner was ready. Julius led Briar into the dining room, where they had a pleasant meal. Well, the morsel that they had. All the tension from the drawing room had accompanied him into the dining room and settled in the pit of his stomach. He was hungry, but he could not eat. Briar had not fared better, for she placed bits from each dish on her plate and then pushed it around. She had the occasional piece here and there but most of her meal went back to the kitchen. That was when he knew that she was feeling it, too.

Briar drank her wine and was attentive during dinner. Julius realized he had not thought about his mask all evening. The meal ended, but Julius did not want her to go. He wanted her close just for a while longer.

“I have not danced for some time and will be expected to when we arrive in London. We should practice the waltz so that I can feel comfortable holding a lady in my arms again.”

“You wish to dance now?”

“Yes. We could go to the drawing room and practice the waltz there.”

“As you wish.”

Julius led Briar into the drawing room. They stood facing each other.

Julius held out his hand to her. “Shall we? If I remember correctly, the gentleman starts with the left and the lady with the right.”

Briar accepted his hand and her long, elegant fingers gripped his lightly. “That is correct, Julius. I am sure you recall the essence of waltzing is keeping the beat.”

Julius placed his right hand on the small of Briar's back and kept his left hand out. Briar grasped it and placed her left hand lightly on his shoulder. Their bodies did not touch, but they may as well have. Julius swallowed, and the sound seemed loud in his ear. His fingers at her back ached with the need to touch her even more.

They were in position, and it felt so good. He lowered his voice. “We will pretend that we are dancing to On the Beautiful Blue Danube. I will lead.”

Julius brought his right foot next to his left and then stepped in place with his left. Then, starting with his right, he did the same in reverse. Briar counted the beat … one, two, three. Even without the music, they were in sync, so fluid that he almost felt like he was flowing like a liquid around the room. Julius and Briar swayed in perfect harmony. They had no audience, so he could openly gaze at her beauty. Instantly, he forgot everything else. Briar’s dancing was just like everything else about her. Perfect . She had such poise and elegance that they could have been in the ballroom of a prominent family home in London.

Their eyes locked as they held each other and moved to the beat. Her eyes were shining, glossing over and softening. The dance was so tender … they could have been lovers. A burning fire held the depths of her gaze, threatening to engulf him. Julius pulled Briar close to him in a rush as they crashed into each other, chest to chest. He tilted her chin and covered her mouth, unleashing all the pent-up tension he felt all evening. He was hungry for her, and his lips devoured her. To hell with everything else. He traced his tongue along her jawline, down to her neck, and she sucked in a deep breath of pleasure.

A warning bell rang in Briar’s head. It told her what she desired was bad, but he tasted so, so good. She wanted him to kiss her until she was breathless. She ached for him to kiss her all night. Julius put his lips to her neck, and a shiver ran down her spine. He finally broke the kiss with a lick of her lips and looked at her hair.

“I have wanted to touch your hair all evening.”

“Then touch it.”

Julius gave a soft groan as he placed both hands on the side of her neck and combed through her hair. Briar wondered how such a small action could be so soothing and sensual. Julius swiftly crushed her mouth, pulling her even closer. His tongue in her mouth and hands in her hair prevented Briar from having any further thoughts. Briar reached for Julius’s hair, and his breath quickened.

Julius raised his head, and his thumb brushed her lips. “This is what I wanted from the moment you sat down for dinner.” His lips brushed hers tenderly.

He stopped kissing her but only to secure the door before he led her closer to the fireplace. Julius stood behind her and kissed the nape and side of her neck while he slowly undressed her.

“I want to see you, all of you.” He whispered between kisses.

Soon, Briar stood naked before him, yet she was not cold. The fire that burned within her made her skin hot and flushed. Julius’s gaze lingered on her breasts and curves, and when his eyes shot up to meet hers, the raw need caused her lips to tremble.

“You are beautiful.” He ran his hand lightly over her shoulders.

“I want to see you.” Briar swallowed as Julius sucked in his breath.

He removed his shirt, and Briar saw the scar that ran across his chest. A question haunted his eyes, and she gave him the answer he needed. Briar ran her hand along the length of the scarred flesh before gently kissing it. She could feel his heart thumping in his chest. Julius stepped back and quickly removed the rest of his garment, which fell into a crumpled pile on the floor. He swooped her in his arms and gently placed her on the rug before the fireplace. He lay beside her, propped up on his elbow, gazing at her, his eyes dark with need.

“What do you want me to do, Briar? Tell me what you want?”

“Kiss me.” She pleaded in a breathy whisper.

Julius swiftly crushed her mouth with a kiss that echoed her hunger. He gave her what she wanted. Briar gripped his shoulders, pulling him closer, and caught the little growl that left his throat. She yearned for him to kiss her neck again, and as if on cue, his lips were there, and she savored it. His lips found her breast and suckled on a nipple. Oh God . The sound that left her was somewhere between a gasp and a moan. Briar turned herself over to the sensation that was wreaking havoc inside her, hot and heavy. Julius nipped her nipple, and it sent a jolt through her core. Briar experienced a new sensation of moisture between her thighs and a yearning for something she needed there. Julius continued to suckle and nip each nipple until Briar bit her lip so she would not scream.

She wanted to give him pleasure like he was giving her. Briar felt for Julius’s nipple, her hand grazing his scar, and he moaned against her breast. She pinched his nipple, and a low, rumbling growl left his throat. Julius moved out of her reach to trail kisses down her belly, and she sucked in her breath when he parted her thighs. His fingers lightly skimmed over her thighs, something dark and wicked that set liquid heat pooling through her. His finger slipped inside her hot desire, and she gasped at the pleasure of it. He removed his finger, but she did not want him to stop … that was until he stroked her nob, the strokes gentle, lingering then demanding.

Briar gave a small mewl when Julius’s tongue replaced his finger, sucking slowly and rhythmically. Her hands swept through his hair as she moved beneath him. His tongue licked her, and his finger found her hot core, slipping deep inside her. She slowly exhaled, her legs trembling.

“Julius.” She breathed a raspy breath.

He raised his head. “Do you want me to stop?”

Without hesitation, “No.” She wanted him to taste her more than she could ever say. She felt his hot breath before his lips found her and pressed a kiss to her soft skin, sucking and nibbling, wreaking havoc on her senses. Her fingers tightened in his hair, and when his teeth gently grazed her, she cried out her pleasure. Julius groaned as she felt the wetness of her thighs on his finger as he slid all the way inside her. Julius trailed kisses up her belly before he positioned himself over her. She felt the length of his pressed against her before he took a nipple in his mouth, gently squeezing the other. Briar was pure desire.

His hard length nudged at her entrance, and instinctively, Briar clutched him to her as he pressed inside her. Julius stopped as he moved to kiss the other nipple, and when his teeth nibbled, she groaned, and with a strong stroke, he was inside her. There was an ache in the center of her, but it was soon forgotten when he claimed her lips. Their tongues met in heat and fury as he licked, sucked, and stroked. He slowly moved inside her, stroking her heat as he kissed her again and again. Briar was losing herself with every stroke, her breath coming faster and faster when he delved deep within. She rocked against him, gripping his shoulders, wanting to find that pleasure again when his tongue made her scream out.

She felt his hot breath on her neck, then her ears, before he buried all of himself in her. He pulled back to gaze at her, his eyes hot and dark. He was inside her but not moving. Briar moved her hip against him, and he groaned. Julius slipped in and out of her wet heat, slowly at first, then increased the rhythm until she felt herself tightening around him. Briar gripped his hair and closed her eyes as pleasure washed over her, and she screamed her release. He stroked her deeply until she felt him stiffen before he withdrew from her and spilled his seed.

They were both breathing heavily when he collapsed beside her, cradling her head on his chest. In the aftermath of her raging desire, reality set in. She had wanted him, probably too much, and she did not exercise any caution when she gave herself to him. Her raging need had blocked any thought of restraint, and she could not resist him. Briar wondered what would happen now that she had given him a part of her.