The Reluctant Duchess (17 page)

“
Please.”

He smiled and followed her into the study, taking a seat by the fire as she got a second glass and poured two measures from the decanter. She came to join him and handed him a glass.

“Thank you.”

Now that he was here, Annabelle was finding it difficult to find the right words to apologise
.

“I came to see you earlier,” she
began.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there.”

“No, I’m the one who should be sorry. I know that I can be difficult,” she sighed, sounding defeated. “I’m sure you could list my faults better than I could, but I am very sorry. I should never have said those things, they were cruel and unkind and you didn’t deserve that.”

“Thank you.”
Richard smiled warmly.

“So, what have you been up to?”
she asked.

Richard immediately thought of Ada but dismissed the thought before he could say something silly. “Not much,” he confessed. “I don’t think I’m cut out to be among the idle rich.”

“Didn’t you tell me your friend was suggesting you get into politics?”

“I did, and I’ve been considering it.”

“Would you enter the Commons or the Lords?”

“Lord
s would be easier, I could be appointed at any time but I’d have to wait for a general election to be appointed to the Commons.”

“You sound like you prefer
the Commons,” she stated.

“I think I would,” he agreed. “I like reforms that the Whigs are making, they could be a real force for change in this country. You look surprised.”

“I suppose I am. You are the King’s nephew, I would have thought you’d be a royalist.”

“After the revolution in France, I don’t think
that we can turn a blind eye to the unfairness of our system. Getting rid of the rotten boroughs and enfranchising property owners was a big step, but the House of Lords fought against it. Still, there’s a lot of turmoil at the moment. My uncle isn’t a big fan of Melbourne, there’s talk that he may dismiss him soon, in favour of Sir Robert Peel.”

“I thought
Robert Peel was away?”

“He is, in Italy,” Richard smiled, seemingly impressed by her knowledge. “I think that’s the only reason that Melbourne is still Prime Minster.”

“It sounds as if such a career would keep you busy.”

“It would,” he said with a wry smile. “The problem is, I hate politics!”

“But you just said that reform was good?”

“And it
is, but to get there you have to compromise on your principles; you scratch my back if I scratch yours, that type of thing. I have no time for that.”

“Surely your estate gives you purpose? Although I realise that I am keeping you from it
at the moment.”

“You aren’t keeping
me from anything,” he assured her with a smile, reaching over and taking her hand. “My father put good people into place and while he was ill, they basically took over. The few times I have tried to get involved, I feel surplus to requirements.”

Annabelle noticed that he
hadn’t let go of her hand, but she wasn’t complaining.

“You must think me terribly pointless,” he said. “You work
ten hours a day, sometimes more. My complaining must seem very petty to you.”

“Actually, I think the fact that you don’t want to become one of the idle rich
speaks very well for you.”

Richard smiled, raised her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. Annabelle felt her pulse quicken.

“You’re too kind,” he said, his voice deep with emotion.

Suddenly the air around them seemed charged and Annabelle wanted desperately to run into his arms.
Seemingly Richard’s thoughts were along similar lines.

“I want to kiss you,” he said boldly.

Annabelle smiled and got to her feet, pulling him up by the hand she still held. They fell into each other’s arms and kissed deeply; the wait since they had last seen each other increasing their desire exponentially.

Annabelle’s arms slipped under his dress coat and around his back, feeling the planes of his back through his waistcoat but she needed more. One of Richard’s hands went around her waist, holding her to him,
whilst his other hand slowly travelled up from her hip to her breast, feeling her through the material of her dress. He felt practically afire with need and began to undo the buttons on the front of her dress.

Suddenly Annabelle pulled away and Richard worried that he had
gone too far.

“I’m sorry-“

“Shh,” she smiled warmly at him and took his hand.

Equal parts eager a
nd disbelieving, he allowed himself to be led from the room, up the stairs and into her bedroom. She closed the door, then reached around him to turn the key in the lock.

“Are you sure?” he asked her. “We don’t have to do this.”

She smiled, pleased that he cared. “I want to,” she assured him.

Richard didn’t need telling twice. He leaned down to kiss her again
whilst his hands went to her bodice, undoing the buttons there. In turn, she grabbed his lapels and slipped his frock coat from his shoulders, causing him to groan in frustration as it stopped his progress momentarily. Then she began unbuttoning his waistcoat and slipping that from his shoulders.

“
How many buttons does this thing have?” he complained as he had to stop once again for her to remove his waistcoat.

Annabelle giggled, which he thought might be the sexiest sound that he had ever heard.

She took hold of his cravat and began to walk backwards to the bed, pulling him along with her. He felt like a lion being led by a lamb. He had met sexually aggressive women before but that didn’t describe Annabelle, this was something different, something more.

Finally he ha
d finished with her infernal buttons and slipped the dress from her shoulders. She stepped out of it and turned around, allowing him to untie her petticoats, which also fell to the floor. He quickly undid the laces of her corset, until finally she was just in her chemise and stockings. She turned back around, looking hesitant.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured before kissing her again. He wanted to pull her chemise up and over her head
and take her now, until he remembered his vow to take things slowly with her, to worship her. He stood still as she pulled his suspender off his shoulders and removed his shirt, then tentatively kissed his chest.

He sat her on the edge of the bed and quickly removed his boots, trousers and undergarments.
He saw her blush as she looked at his manhood for the first time, erect and ready for her. She quickly looked away, which he found amusing, since it had been pressed against her many times.

He knelt before her, causing her to look up as he raised her chemise to mid-thigh, where her
white stockings ended. He undid the small buckle on her blue garter, then very slowly, he pulled the stocking down her leg, kissing the skin that he exposed in his wake. She gasped with the first few kisses, which pleased him immensely. He went even slower with the next leg, savouring every moment and once the stocking was off, he worked his way back up her leg, causing her to fist her hands in her covers with frustration.

He
stopped when he reached her chemise again and smiled up at her. Her face was flushed with desire. He stood up and drew her to her feet, then slowly lifted her chemise up and over her head. Her flesh was goose bumped but not from cold. He leaned down and took one pert nipple in his mouth, savouring the taste of her. Her hands threaded themselves in his hair and her appreciative moans told him that he was having the desired effect on her. After a few moments, he turned to lavish attention on the other breast.

“Richard!” she called, her voice weak with need.

He left her breasts in peace for a moment, stooping lower to the waistband of her drawers, untying them and letting them slip to the floor.

“Lay on the bed,” he whispered, and she did, climbing into the middle and laying back. Richard watched her for a few moments, until she began to feel self-conscious and tried to cover herself with her hands.

“Don’t,” he admonished, crawling onto the bed beside her. “Don’t hide yourself from me.”

She smiled tentatively and nodded. Slowly she reached out and touched his chest but when he moved to kiss her, she withdrew her hand, as if frightened. He stole the kiss he desired, then turned to lay on his back his hands behind his head.

“Explore,” he told her, closing his eyes so that she could relax.

She began tentatively, running her fingertips across his flesh, then her whole hands and finally she took his nipple into her mouth and teased it with her tongue.
He moaned appreciatively when she did something he liked. As she leaned over to his other nipple, he cracked one eye to peek at her, and fell in love all over again as he saw the expression of wonder on her face. He closed his eyes again as her hands began to roam further afield, one hand going down to his stomach as the other traced his hip.

He cracked an eye again and saw her bite down on her lip as she looked at his length, then she reached out and
gently traced it with her fingertips, causing it to jump. Her hand withdrew as if she had been bitten.

“Sorry, he does that when he’
s excited,” Richard explained, unable to keep the mirth from his voice.

She turned to look at him, so he opened his eyes.

Emboldened, she reached out and grasped his length loosely in her fist. Richard groaned and closed his eyes again. Her other hand cupped his balls and he could stand the torture no longer, and brought one hand down to cover hers, gently pumping his length. She soon took up the rhythm and he removed his hand, but he was already excited that she quickly brought him close to climax, so he captured her hands and turned her onto her back.

“You didn’t like it?” she asked, seemingly completely unaware of the effect that she had on him.

“On the contrary, I liked it rather too much. Now it’s your turn.”

His lips captured one nipple and
his hand tweaked the other, before moving down to trace circles on her stomach, slowly making its way closer and closer to her loins. He ran his fingertips through her curls, causing her to cry out, then he spread her lips and ran his finger over her clit. She moaned in pleasure and she was already wet. He began circling her clit.

“Oh, Richard, Oh!” It took all of his self-control not to take her then but he knew it would be painful for her. He built her to a sexual peak until she was begging him and mewling in pleasure, then he moved between her legs and positioned himself at her entrance. He continued to stimulate her until her orgasm crashed over her, then he thrust inside, hoping that the pain would be lost among the pleasure. Her tight sheath was clamping down on him as waves of pleasure rippled through her and he began to thrust into her, as his need consumed him.

To his surprise, once she had recovered a little, she began to meet him, thrust for thrust. She closed her eyes and reached
up to to kiss him but he pulled away.

“Look at me,” he demanded.

She lowered her head and looked up at him. The eye contact added an additional dimension to their intimacy, and Richard had never before felt anything like the intensity of the climax that finally crashed through him. He maintained eye contact until he collapsed onto her, feeling exhausted emotionally, as well as physically.

Her hands, which had been demanding, now caressed him
tenderly.

“Kill me now,” he said,
although his words were rather muffled by her shoulder. “Heaven cannot be any better than this.”

Annabelle giggled again and raised a hand to run through his hair.

Suddenly he raised himself up on his arms and looked down at her. “Are you all right?” he asked, looking worried.

“I’m fine,” she assured him.

“You aren’t sore?”

“I
don't think so. Maybe a little.”

“And I didn’t hurt you?”

She shook her head and cupped his face in her hands. “No.” she reached up and stole a kiss. “I enjoyed it. I didn’t know it could be that pleasurable.”

Richard grinned
, pleased with her praise.

“That’s gone straight to your head hasn’t it?” she said, rolling her eyes, although she was unable to keep the smile from her lips.

“Who’s head should it go to?” He teased.

As his erection
softened, he pulled out of her and turned onto his back, pulling her with him and nesting her into his side. She settled one of her legs between his and moved until her head rested on his chest.

Alt
hough he knew that he shouldn’t, he felt so content at that moment that he couldn’t stop himself from drifting off to sleep.

Annabelle awoke to the odd sensation of her back being chilled but her front feeling warm and toasty. She opened her eyes to be confronted with a chest and she smiled as memories of last night came back to her.