The Duke & The Preachers Daughter

handing the reins to his groom.

Now she felt as if she had stepped from the mundane world into Heaven and as the Duke’s lips became more insistent, more possessive, she thought perhaps she had died and was no longer human.

He held her closer still and she knew now that behind the tenderness there was a fire that she sensed rather than understood.

When at length the Duke raised his head, he looked down into her eyes filled with light, the softness of her parted lips and he knew that he had found what all men seek.

He felt he wanted to cry out her name, to let her know that he was near, that he would fight for her and protect her.

He wanted what he had never wanted before – a woman to belong to him, to possess, not just for the night or a short period, but for life.

Is there something on your mind?”

Very tenderly he looked down into Benedicta’s eyes.

He knew that later tonight they would be able to talk more freely – he could tell her what was in his heart and his thankfulness for the wonder and glory of their love.

But now, at the moment, there was no need for words, but those that came spontaneously in the rapture of knowing that she was his.

His lips came down on hers and his arms crushed her against him.

“You are mine!” he breathed. “All mine, my precious darling, and I will love you from now until Eternity, as you will love me.”

He kissed her until he could feel her soft and pliant against him and knew that his lips had awakened in her the first flickering flames of desire.

It was then that he gently undid the buttons at the back of her gown.

He felt her tremble for a moment, but it was not only with shyness, but because of the new sensations he was arousing within her and which she had never felt before.

He kissed her eyes, her cheeks, her lips, the little pulse that was beating in her throat.

Then, as her gown slipped to the floor, he lifted her in his arms.

“This is how I carried you once before,” he sighed, “and I knew then that you were mine and I could never lose you.”

Very tenderly he looked down into Benedicta’s eyes

her love but of his and he knew at that moment that the past was swept away

He looked down at her, sensing with a new perception, the little fear that he had evoked by the harshness of his words

because of what he had discovered about his mother had fallen