MAIL ORDER BRIDE: ARISTOCRAT: The Duke’s Engagement (Historical Victorian Duke Romance) (New Adult Romance Short Stories) (80 page)

When they came back to the stable after their ride Bella asked if she could rub down the horse herself. If Luke was surprised by her request he didn’t show it. Bella spent the next hour blissfully engrossed in taking care of the horse speaking to her in soothing tones while Luke went about his regular duties. Once she was done she thanked him.

              “If you want I can have the horse ready for you tomorrow morning before you start your day…”

              “You would do that?”

              “I don’t mind. I’ll have her saddled for you by 5:30AM.”

              “Thank you.” Bella said softly.

CHAPTER TWELVE:

The next morning as promised Star was saddled and ready for her, she saw Luke’s horse also saddled and felt an odd thrill at going riding with him again, although she squashed the thrill and sniffed at him in displeasure.

              “You’re coming too?”

              “Of course.”

She sighed heavily in exasperation and he ignored her completely. They rode silently again that morning, speaking only at the end of their ride when he said he would be waiting for her the next morning.

By the fourth ride they were exchanging some words here and there and having short conversations. By the end of the week Bella found herself avidly looking forward to the one hour she got to spend with Luke riding. Over the next few weeks they talked about almost everything under the sun except their lives. Because she was so wary of being probed about her past she never asked him any questions about his. She discovered he was self-taught and loved books, he was intelligent and had ambitions for a better life than that of a groom. Her respect and admiration for him increased every day. If Bella had stopped to think about her life, she would have been surprised to discover how much she was enjoying it, even the housework she was getting better with!

When her next day off rolled around he was ready for her. Star was saddled as usual but his horse also had a bulging parcel strapped on its back.

              “What is that?” she asked him.

              “A surprise. Today I’ll lead the way.”

Curious to know what the surprise was she didn’t argue with him and followed him willingly as he led her across the fields and towards the woods. They trotted carefully through the woods for an hour until they suddenly came upon a clearing with a lake.

Bella clapped her hands with delight as she took in the sparkling blue water.

Luke got down for his horse and unstrapped the parcel.

              “I thought we could have a picnic today.” He explained as he lay out a blanket and took out bread, cheese and cold chicken.

Bella was so taken aback by the gesture she didn’t know what to say. Instead she joined him on the blanket. They ate in silence. A comfortable, companionable silence and Bella realized she had never felt so comfortable with someone in her life. Her hair which she had tied in a loose braid had come undone on the ride and it hung in loose waves down her back. She caught Luke watching her and she blushed, she knew instinctively he was going to kiss her and she also knew she wanted it to happen.

When his lips came down on hers it was even better than what she remembered from the night in the garden. As he kissed her he lowered her onto the blanket and lay next to her, his hands roamed her body, his touch burning through the layers of clothing she wore. When he started to undo the lacings on her bodice she sat bolt upright remembering Thomas again.

              “I can’t do this.” She said echoing her own words from the night in the garden. “I’m betrothed.” She blurted out the words in a rush, surprising herself.

              “Oh?”

Having blurted out a partial truth, Bella knew she had to divulge the full truth to him.

              “I’m not a maid Luke.”

She could tell from the expression on his face he had known that all along.

              “I came here pretending to be a maid to escape a marriage I don’t want.”

              “Why don’t you want it?”

              “Because I want love and I don’t want my life decided for me.”

              “And how is you being here going to get you out of your marriage?”

              “Because the man I’m engaged to man who is a Duke, when he finds out I’ve run off he’ll be so scandalized he won’t want me anymore and he can break off our engagement.”

              “And what about me?”

              “What about you?” Bella knew exactly what he was asking but she skirted around it trying to buy time.

              “Why did you let me kiss you? Not once but twice? Why do you go on these rides with me?”

              “Why do you?” she snapped back angrily.

              “Because I want you.” He said the words bluntly with no trace of shame. Bella’s face flushed with heat.

              “I want you not just for your body or your face but because of you. You’re funny, you’re witty and I like you. But I’m just a groom and you’re a lady.”

Bella got to her feet feeling disturbed by the conversation. Luke’s blunt words had shaken her and she didn’t know how to respond so she was cruel instead.

              “Yes, that’s right. You’re just a groom and I’m engaged to be married to a Duke.”

              “Now you suddenly want the Duke?”

Without another word Bella got on her horse and galloped away refusing to look back. For the next three days Bella stayed away from the stables and avoided Luke at all costs. Mrs. Pumps had informed the staff earlier that week that the Clarence family after weeks of delays would be arriving any day now. Bella devoted herself fully to her getting the house ready and looking forward to Edith’s arrival. It would be wonderful to see a familiar face again. As much as she longed to get away from London, she found herself missing people.

              But no matter how hard she tried she couldn’t stop thinking about Luke, she dreamt of him every night and thought of him every waking moment, until one night a week after their unfortunate picnic, driven by an urgent need to see him, to be near him, she crept out of her room and headed to the stables. Even this late at night, he was busy doing work. She wondered idly if he ever stopped working.

              Luke looked up when he heard the sound of her footsteps. His face immediately softened and he hurried towards her. Concern etched on his face.

              “Is everything alright? What are you doing here?”

Bella stared at him mutely for a moment, she didn’t know herself why she was here, she knew only that she had to come here. But as she stared into his eyes, an overflowing tenderness filled her and in a blinding flash she realized why she was here. She loved him. Groom and all, she loved Luke.

              “I wanted to be with you.” She said simply.

              “What about the Duke?” he asked her. “You’re betrothed. And I’m just a groom.”

              “No, there won’t be a Duke, I can’t marry him. And I don’t care if you’re a groom. Can you please kiss me now?”

Luke needed no further invitation. He pressed his lips to hers hungrily.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:

He could feel her breasts and nipples crushed against him and hot, hard desire flooded through his body giving him an instant hard on. He pushed his tongue deeper inside her mouth, wanting to devour every ounce of her. She tasted incredible! She arched her back and moaned with desire taking his tongue as deeply as she could in her mouth, sucking on it gently. The whimpering noises were chipping away at the control he was trying to hold on to dearly. The experience of kissing her was amazing and he wanted to give in to the urge and explore every inch of her body but he worried about what it

She wrapped her arms around his neck and gently tugged on the locks of hair curling at the nape, enjoying the silky feeling between her fingers.

“You have such soft hair.” She said in wonderment.

Luke smiled down at her and kissed her in reply. This time she was ready for it and she didn’t want to wait for the delicious sensation of his tongue coiled around hers. She parted her lips and bit his lips softly to urge him.

He obliged by exploring her mouth with his tongue, the sensation was electrifying. Bella couldn’t believe how wonderful it felt, she pressed herself against him, wanting more. Their tongues snaked and danced with each other, passionate and taunting. A loud moan escaped her lips, every part of her body was on fire aching for something she couldn’t define.

Women and love making were not new experiences to Luke, he was very well versed in both and was an extremely skillful lover who had had his share of women. But Bella was something different entirely, her touch was igniting a passion he had never experienced before. The simple act of kissing and touching her was enough to undo him. She had yielded a powerful hold on him from the very beginning, from the night in the garden when he had been unable to resist kissing her, even though he knew he shouldn’t have. But she had looked so beautiful and so desirable he had given in to temptation and now he was lost.

She bit his lips again and sucked on his tongue, shyly hesitant. The simple gesture was his undoing, she was turning the sweet kisses into something carnal and Luke stopped fighting the feeling and embraced it instead. The feel of her was driving him crazy. He could feel the hardness of her nipples under the thin, cheap fabric of her maid’s uniform. He briefly wondered if she was wearing anything else under her dress. He pressed her closer to him and his hand snaked around her waist and slid up to rub the soft mounds of flesh rising from the low neckline of her dress. She gasped in pleasure as he slipped a finger between the valley of her breasts reaching for a nipple. With his other hand he undid the row of buttons running down her bodice, he was right, except for a very thin, silk slip, she was wearing nothing else under her dress.

He cocked an eyebrow at her and she blushed.

              “It gets hot during the day with all my chores, besides maids don’t need to be fancy.”

He kissed the top of her nose and pulled the laces on her shift until her soft, rounded breasts sprang free.

“My god.” He whispered hoarsely, “You’re beautiful.” He cupped one in his hand, ready to devour her but he wanted to take it slow, enjoy every minute of it. He started along her collarbone and ran his tongue down in a slow, lazy journey until he found the warm flesh of her breasts. Bella squirmed and twisted with desire, she was moist and hot and wanted all of him. He seemed to read her mind because he wrenched his lips away from her breasts and pulled her along deeper into the barn. He took a cloak hanging on a hook and made them a makeshift bed on the hay. Bella knew now was the moment to turn back, if she stepped on to the cloak all would be lost. But in that moment all caution was thrown out the window. She couldn’t have cared less if the Duke of Chambray himself had come charging through the barn doors. All she knew was that she loved Luke and she wanted all of him.

She looked Luke in the eyes and stepped on to the cloak. Luke knelt beside her and started where he left off, taking one rosy hard nipple in his mouth while rubbing the other with his thumb. She had the softest skin in the world. His body surged with pleasure and he wanted nothing more than to tear her clothes off and plunge himself into her but she he knew he would have to tread slowly and make it as painless for her as possible.

But it was Bella who couldn’t wait any longer. With feverish fingers, she tore at the buttons of his cotton shirt and yanked them down his arms. He followed her cue and unzipped his pants and eased them down. His penis sprang free and Bella gasped out loud in a mixture of fear and admiration at its powerful size. She stared at it doubtfully, unsure of what would happen but Luke guided her hand towards him and urged her to explore it. To her surprise she liked the feeling of the rock hard flesh erect in her hands. Luke pulled down her dress and shift until she lay naked from the waist up. His hands found themselves under her dress searching for her warm center, when he found it he gently eased one finger inside of her and she soft rapturous scream escaped her lips. Her hands moved over his chest and stroked the crest and ripples of his hard muscles. A warm, moist heat spread between her legs and something alien took hold of her body, she arched her back and thrust her breasts in his face feeling reckless and wanton. Luke knew she was almost ready for him. He pulled her skirts up and moved his lips away from her breasts to the most sensitive part of her body between her legs. He eased his body on top of hers, positioning himself carefully, his manhood settled comfortably between her legs. The long length of it sliding against her moistness. He looked at her scared he had startled her but her eyes were rolled back on her head and she was moaning with ecstasy. The feeling of flesh against hers was too much and Bella knew whatever the magical experience was she had to have it now.