Read Online Eleanor And The Duke (Berkshire Brides Book 1) by Margo Maguire - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Margo Maguire
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Regency, 19th century, Intrigue, guardian, 1800's, Second-Chance Love
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your appointment in town?”
“I postponed it.”
“Not on my account, I hope.” As much as she wished to leave, she could not get out of the water. Her chemise would be practically transparent now, and she had no intention of inviting the kind of trouble that would bring.
She dove deep to give herself some distance. Could she outlast him by staying in the water until he was so bored that he left? Somehow, she doubted it. He had not come all the way to Berkshire only to be deterred from his quest.
Not that she was about to capitulate. All she needed to do was persist in saying no and avoid his company, and eventually his own estate or his duties in London would require his presence. He would then leave her to her own devices.
Perhaps she ought to invite Joshua to dinner. Not tonight, of course, for they’d been together just that afternoon. But in the next day or two. Even so, she knew Joshua was not fully in agreement with this deception. She was going to have to convince him to help her.
She surfaced and took a deep breath. And just as she realized Beckworth was not sitting next to the tree, she felt a terrifying tug on her leg.
He came up next to her, wearing . . . well, she could see he was not wearing a shirt.
She gave out a quick squeal and started to swim away, but he was too quick. He grabbed her and pulled her against him.
“Release me, Beckworth! This instant!” she cried.
But he did not. He drew her up against the length of his body, which seemed to be entirely bare.
Her breath caught in her throat when he slid his arms around her waist. She felt his broad chest against her back, and then his lips touching her neck. Against her will, she tipped her head, giving him better access to that wildly sensitive spot where her shoulder met her neck.
“You are the most extraordinary woman I’ve ever known, my lovely Miss Easton,” he whispered in her ear. All while driving her mad with his warm breath, and the feather-light caress of his lips upon her skin.
Ellie could not speak, not when his hand was inching its way up her midriff to her breast that was unfettered by stays or any decent covering. She leaned into him and felt the hard length of his body against her. She remembered it so well – had never forgotten how it felt to lie in his arms as he caressed her skin, ever so gently.
He moved them closer to shore so that his feet touched bottom, but Eleanor still floated against him. He turned her in his arms and lowered his hands to her buttocks while he dipped his head down to kiss her.
And she was lost.
His mouth melded to hers in a perfect fit, and she could not suppress her low groan of pleasure when his tongue touched hers. She opened for him, and when he pulled her hips against his, she felt his arousal against the juncture of her thighs.
She told herself she did not want this, even as she slid her hands up his chest and her fingers into the wet hair at his nape. Andrew deepened their kiss, and Ellie felt as though she were floating in a sea of pleasure.
Now she knew for certain he was naked, and she felt every bare inch of him against her thinly-clad body, especially when he drew her legs up and around his waist. Sweet heaven, it felt so right. It was what she’d missed during all those months she was away.
A powerful rush of emotion filled her, and she felt a hot burning again at the back of her throat and tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She wanted her father back . . . She wanted Andrew . . .
And she could have neither.
CHAPTER TEN
Andrew broke off the kiss when he felt Eleanor’s soft sob against his chest. He could see tears forming in her eyes.
“What is it, love?” he murmured against her temple. He’d been so certain she felt the same pull of desire that had driven him to kiss her. She wanted him as desperately as he wanted her. And yet . . .
“I m-must go back.” She pushed away from him and half-swam, half-walked back to the shore where she quickly
“I postponed it.”
“Not on my account, I hope.” As much as she wished to leave, she could not get out of the water. Her chemise would be practically transparent now, and she had no intention of inviting the kind of trouble that would bring.
She dove deep to give herself some distance. Could she outlast him by staying in the water until he was so bored that he left? Somehow, she doubted it. He had not come all the way to Berkshire only to be deterred from his quest.
Not that she was about to capitulate. All she needed to do was persist in saying no and avoid his company, and eventually his own estate or his duties in London would require his presence. He would then leave her to her own devices.
Perhaps she ought to invite Joshua to dinner. Not tonight, of course, for they’d been together just that afternoon. But in the next day or two. Even so, she knew Joshua was not fully in agreement with this deception. She was going to have to convince him to help her.
She surfaced and took a deep breath. And just as she realized Beckworth was not sitting next to the tree, she felt a terrifying tug on her leg.
He came up next to her, wearing . . . well, she could see he was not wearing a shirt.
She gave out a quick squeal and started to swim away, but he was too quick. He grabbed her and pulled her against him.
“Release me, Beckworth! This instant!” she cried.
But he did not. He drew her up against the length of his body, which seemed to be entirely bare.
Her breath caught in her throat when he slid his arms around her waist. She felt his broad chest against her back, and then his lips touching her neck. Against her will, she tipped her head, giving him better access to that wildly sensitive spot where her shoulder met her neck.
“You are the most extraordinary woman I’ve ever known, my lovely Miss Easton,” he whispered in her ear. All while driving her mad with his warm breath, and the feather-light caress of his lips upon her skin.
Ellie could not speak, not when his hand was inching its way up her midriff to her breast that was unfettered by stays or any decent covering. She leaned into him and felt the hard length of his body against her. She remembered it so well – had never forgotten how it felt to lie in his arms as he caressed her skin, ever so gently.
He moved them closer to shore so that his feet touched bottom, but Eleanor still floated against him. He turned her in his arms and lowered his hands to her buttocks while he dipped his head down to kiss her.
And she was lost.
His mouth melded to hers in a perfect fit, and she could not suppress her low groan of pleasure when his tongue touched hers. She opened for him, and when he pulled her hips against his, she felt his arousal against the juncture of her thighs.
She told herself she did not want this, even as she slid her hands up his chest and her fingers into the wet hair at his nape. Andrew deepened their kiss, and Ellie felt as though she were floating in a sea of pleasure.
Now she knew for certain he was naked, and she felt every bare inch of him against her thinly-clad body, especially when he drew her legs up and around his waist. Sweet heaven, it felt so right. It was what she’d missed during all those months she was away.
A powerful rush of emotion filled her, and she felt a hot burning again at the back of her throat and tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She wanted her father back . . . She wanted Andrew . . .
And she could have neither.
CHAPTER TEN
Andrew broke off the kiss when he felt Eleanor’s soft sob against his chest. He could see tears forming in her eyes.
“What is it, love?” he murmured against her temple. He’d been so certain she felt the same pull of desire that had driven him to kiss her. She wanted him as desperately as he wanted her. And yet . . .
“I m-must go back.” She pushed away from him and half-swam, half-walked back to the shore where she quickly
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