Page 22 of The Duke’s Lessons in Temptation

“Good evening, Cora,” he said, walking to a table and pouring himself a brandy and her a wine.

“Why am I here?”

“You appeared upset earlier,” he stated.

She rolled her eyes. “Of course not. I was overcome with excitement because Christopher kissed me.”

He took a large gulp of his brandy. His eyes flared with anger. “Overcome?”

“Yes,” she said, taking a sip of her own wine.

It had been nice and wonderful, but the actual word “overcome” was probably a stretch. Honestly, she knew it was. No, the kiss that still lingered in her mind came from the man standing in front of her. How many ladies had he made just as breathless? At least, Lady Clark she bet.

He placed his drink on the mantel of the fireplace and stepped toward her. “Bellamy may be who you want because of some irrational idea of how you think things should be but admit he doesn’t inspire passion in you.”

She slammed her wine down. The red liquid sloshed as it hit the surface of a small side table. This man thought he knew everything. “He inspires a passion in me that you would never understand.”

He glowered, moving toward her. Cora stepped back as he advanced until her back smacked the wall. Damion pressed his hand against the wall near her head. “You long for him? He makes an ache flare between your thighs?”

Cora’s eyes widened at his words. He smirked at her and leaned closer. “When he walks by, you fantasize about your body pushed against his? You long to have him buried deep within you?”

She swallowed. No one had ever spoken to her in such a way. And to her horror, an ache bloomed in her lower half. This man was such an unwelcome distraction. She’d been foolish to ask for his assistance.

Lying, Cora bit out. “Yes. It is something so pure and heartfelt a man like you would never understand it.”

He touched his mouth to her cheek and leaned his body along hers. She forced herself not to moan. “It is shameful to hear such lies on your lips.”

Their lips were only a breath apart. Her anger and desire warred with each other. She should tell him goodbye and leave. Her tongue darted out and ran across her lower lip.

He groaned, “Why are you such a temptation?

Cora didn’t respond because his lips were on hers—demanding and hungry. She should hate his touch, but her entire body spurned such a thought. No, she felt desired and needed. She wouldn’t think about what that meant. Rational thoughts and his touch were too much. She slid her tongue into his mouth, taking what she wanted.

He gasped with delight and pressed himself harder against her. Her most feminine area became more heightened with wanton need. Damion broke from their kiss and dropped his mouth along her throat. She tilted her head back and allowed him to feast on her.

He murmured. “Tell me you don’t crave this, Cora. Tell me you don’t think of me when you are alone at night, and I will walk out of this room right now.”

She gripped his arm, unable to fathom him leaving right now. He chuckled darkly, but she was too fixated on needing him to be angry. He yanked at the tie of her wrap and pushed it off and away. His fingers clutched her nightgown and slowly pulled it up.

The cool air hit her legs, and she kissed him. Their mouths mashed together as one of his hands slid along her bare hip. Was she really bare waist up right now in front of Damion? She didn’t care. He leaned forward more, dipping down and pressing his shaft still in his pants between her thighs.

Cora saw stars. God, why did this feel so good with him? She ground into him, needing more of the sensation. Still, he moved back a little, and a whimper escaped her.

“You, my sweet Cora, are meant to be brought to the heights of pleasure,” he said.

Cora didn’t know what that meant, but she wanted it. Right now. His hand slid closer to the apex of her thighs as her hips rocked. He went back to kissing her throat as his fingers reached her quim. He applied pressure, and she whimpered, pleasure shooting across her stomach and downward.

Her eyes locked with Damion’s. She expected to see victory on his face, but instead all she saw was tenderness and desire. Something wanton and moving filled the space around them. He applied pressure to her sensitive nub with his thumb, and she cried out. Cora wanted more. Quietly, Damion said, “You must be quiet, my Cora. Can you do that?”

“Yes,” she said as his thumb continued to stroke her.

Her hips bucked under his touch. Damion slid two of his other fingers in her, and she pushed her back against the wall. The ache throbbed within her. “Damion, I need more.”

He withdrew his fingers from her wet center and lifted Cora, wrapping her legs around him. His cock still in his pants pressed against her quim. She moaned and he thrusted. Cora tilted her head back and reveled in the sensations coursing through her body. He continued to grind into her. The ache was so heightened. “Please, more.”

His thrusts quickened, and Cora wondered what it would be like to have him truly deep within her. She wanted that. Clinging to him, she almost cried out loudly during his next thrusts. Damion covered her mouth with his, drowning out the sounds.

The throbbing in her lower half reached a heightened precipice and then exploded. She broke the kiss, breathing heavily, and tilted her head against the wall. The ache now pulsated through her entire body. She’d never felt anything like it. Cora's eyes connected with the man who’d given her so much pleasure.