Duchess of Seduction (Hearts in Hiding 3)

“Good Lord, Cressy. What are—?”

“Hush,” she whispered as she wrapped her arms about him, one

hand creeping downwards to undo the the buttons of his breeches. He stiffened as she slid one hand into the slit to cup his balls gently. His instant erection, straining against her hand, sent a surge of satisfaction through her, and she raised herself on her toes to press her lips to Justin’s mouth, which had pursed in

surprise.

She heard him swallow. And then his voice, low and warning as

he pulled slightly away, “I have not the fortitude to bear this if you don’t truly mean it, Cressida.”

The air left Cressida’s lungs in a rush as she returned the flat of her soles to the ground. Her determination almost followed. Of course she should have prepared for such a response. Everything she’d put him through would lead to such scepticism.

She tried again.

“Please trust me, Justin. I know I’ve hurt you. But this...this comes from the heart,” she assured him, hesitating as she weighed up whether to continue.

Or should she just stop proceedings and simply explain, in plain and straightforward terms, what had led to this?

He relaxed slightly but he didn’t take this avowal with the unadulterated pleasure that would have made her task so much easier.

Tensely, she reassessed her tactics. Her bravado. No, she couldn’t simply tell him. He had to know how she felt. He had to feel it from the bottom of his heart. If he had to learn to trust her again, then so be it. Now was as good a place and time to start as any.

With one hand on his shoulder and the other fondling Justin’s manhood, Cressida twined her arms about his neck and pressed herself close again.

At first his response was only lukewarm but as she deepened the kiss, her tongue darting inside to explore the cavern of his mouth, she registered his excitement building in tandem with her own.

He’d dropped the billiard cue and trapped her between the edge of the heavy table.

“God, Cressy, I hope you know what you’re doing,” he croaked between kisses, holding her as if he could never let her go.

“I do, Justin,” she reassured him, slithering suddenly to her knees.

“Cressida...darling!”

Yes, this was bold. She’d done this not so long ago as a delaying tactic and in desperation, inspired by the vestal virgins; but now she was doing it because she wanted to pleasure her husband—and it didn’t matter where proceedings went from there.

Gently, she eased Justin’s manhood from his breeches, and weighed it in her hand. Lord! She was fascinated. So this was the power he wielded with such devastating results...under cover of darkness in the bedroom, beneath the counterpane.

With the blood pounding in her ears, she grasped her husband firmly and gently circled the tip with her tongue, thrilling to feel his whole body stiffen.

He held himself tightly as he gently stroked the top of her head. “Oh my God, Cressy, you are full of surprises.” His whisper was delighted and full of awe.

Cressida raised her eyes to slant him a sly smile as she murmured, “While looking for you at Madame Plumb’s, I stumbled upon a tableau not meant for the eyes of a lady.” It seemed only right to hint at her journey to this point. He needed to understand something behind the change in her. “And yet I think we were all ladies at Mrs. Plumb’s, and most of us were looking for the same thing.”

Of course, having a chat at this juncture was not the height of amorousness but Cressida didn’t want him to fear she’d leave him in the lurch at the last moment—as had happened before.

At his frown, she clarified in a low whisper, “Ways in which we might combine pleasure with power.” She stroked him then, still on her knees and looking up at him, kissed him with great tenderness. “I’m so sorry for all that you’ve been through, Justin, but I have learned so much. And do you know who has taught me so well?”

He closed his eyes and shook his head. Perhaps he didn’t want to know right now. No, of course he wouldn’t. Cressida had a lot to learn on how a man behaved under the onslaught of pleasure- giving such as she was used to receiving from her husband.

But...he needed to know .

“I was looking for you, Justin, and I met a woman who was kind to me. A woman who gave me information I desperately needed but...I didn’t know how to ask. She gave her name as Miss Mariah but it was only when I heard her call out to you in the corridor at Mrs Plumb’s that I realised she was—” Her breath hitched in her throat and Justin, seeming to realise what she was about to say, gripped her shoulders to pull her up as Cressida finished, “Madame Zirelli.”

She wriggled out of his grasp, shaking her head as she maintained her position on the floor. “No darling, this is for you. Let me do this in my own way. Just know that I now understand who and what she is: a good woman and no threat to me, as I’d feared.” Putting her fingers to her lips to as she prepared to dip her head once more, she added, “Nor have I the slightest doubt about your constancy .”

“Enough talking, my darling, for I know—” he growled, but whatever else he was about to say was truncated by a deep groan as she took him deeply into her mouth, sliding her tongue around the base of his engorged member, her whole body tingling with excitement, power and anticipation at his responses as she licked and suckled.