She sat nervously listening to the gossip, the torrid love affairs gone awry, the divorce of one couple, the lovers passed thru this and that person. One newly heard was Lady Hannah's husband the Duke was ill, perhaps on his deathbed. Secretly she prayed it was not so because if it was she would no doubt want to sink her paws into Dominic. She looked down at herself. She was nothing like her. She was voluptuous, beautiful, with class and prestige. In truth, she was holding onto something that was impossible, she would never be Dominic's wife. So, why keep him from her?

Night had fallen and like some or other nights, he would sneak in to be with her. They lay awake whispering about each other's day. A slipped giggle and chuckle would be hushed with a kiss, like children they slid beneath the covers and continued their chatter in hushed voices.

The warm fire crackled and the low light from the fire gave the room a soft glow.

Content they lay facing one another.

After a while, she looked away from his eyes and turned on her back. Shortly he moved on his elbow and looked down at her.

"What is wrong?"

She looked into his eyes.

"I heard that Lady Hannah's husband is ill and possibly may die." her voice was low, but he could hear the worry in it.

He stayed silent for a while looking down at her.

"If that happens, she will come looking for you." She murmured softly.

"And what makes you think I would have her." He chuckled.

She lowered her eyes.

"You two have a past. Besides, she is.. Very beautiful and wealthy." she sadly averted her gaze.

He gently caressed her cheek, bringing her eyes to his.

"We have a past, Emilia and that is all it is. A past, I don't love her, I love you. No riches in the world would ever change that. And as far as beauty goes, you by far my love are more beautiful."

"Yes, but...."

As stubborn as he knew her to be, he rolled his eyes mockingly and buried his face in her neck and listened to her blurt out her worries and concerns until she was done.

Looking down at her, he smiled at her caressing her cheek with the back of his hand.

A little bothered that he wasn't taking her worries seriously, her brows furrowed. A look that he hadn't seen in so long, but on her it never marred her gorgeous eyes.

"You know you look enchanting when you get upset. Your eyes darken and your cheeks turn red." He teased.

"m'lord are you listening to me." she pouted.

With raised brows, he looked at her.

"So, we are back to formalities are we now?" he chuckled.

Silently she looked away from his teasing smile.

With a sigh, he pulled her closer and kissed her lips.

Lying above her, he cradled himself between her legs.

"How can I show you that you have nothing to worry about?" his voice husky and warm against her lips.

He kissed her again.

"You are the only one I love."

Her eyes filled with worry stared into his for reassurance; he glided her chemise up to her waist and smiled at her response to his touch. She was ready for him.

His cock hard with need slipped into her tight velvety wetness, the warmth just made him groan.

The sensual slow motion made her whimper. He took his slow time and made sweet love to her. He whispered, his love for her and proved it with each soft stroke.

"I want you to feel me inside of you, how much I need you, the things you do to me when you're close to me."

His hips with elaborate movements made her gasp arching her back.

He slowly worked her into a frenzy of desire.

He sucked on her lips and tongue as she did to him, she writhed beneath him matching his movements and he moaned more sweet words.

The peak of their climax had them panting with each caress of his warm hands on her thighs and rump. The feel of her hands caressing his back made his head spin.

She panted, her love for him, as he brought her over the edge.

He closed his lips over hers to muffle her and cry. Digging her nails into his back, he thrust deep, feeling her insides tighten around him more. Releasing his seed with a shudder and a wave of heat washed over them both as they went over the top.

Slowly they floated down breathless and weak.

Lying above her, he lifted his head to look down at her. Her long lashes fanned her cheeks, he kissed her nose. Slowly her eyes opened and she smiled up at him. Passion still in her stare, he held her gaze.

"I love you, more," he whispered to her.

With that, he turned on to his back and held her close to him. Satisfied and exhausted they fell asleep.

*****

The morning sun met his eyes closed with beautiful colors beneath his eyelids. The soft body next to his inched closer for his warmth. Alarmed, he slowly opened his eyes and his heart plummeted to his stomach. It was broad daylight and he was still in Emilia's room. He slowly lifted his head and looked around only to catch two pairs of doey eyed servants looking at him.

Sarah and Gertrude !!!.

Who knows how long they have been standing there.

He looked down at Emilia, sound asleep, he smiled. It was the first time he has woken up beside her. The lovestruck sighs from the maids made him roll his eyes. Slowly he raised his hands to his lips for them to not make a sound. Gently he sat up, looking at their eyes now widening at his nude state, he pulled the sheets up to his chest with a scowl. Twirling his fingers for them to turn around, he waited for them to do so and he quickly pulled on his breeches.

After a while of small whispers, they said the Duke was still in the house. Now with Emilia awake and nervous the morning became a show, an utter debacle. A tap came at her door with her aunt bidding entry. What unfolded before Emilia sent her into a wave of panic that she began to giggle uncontrollably at how they scampered about figuring out what to do with Dominic.

Quickly Gertrude gestured for him to squeeze under the bed. With shoving him and throwing his belongings with him. They quickly surrounded Emilia on the bed that at the moment could not stop laughing. Now coughing and red in the face her aunt upon entering the room, took her state as being ill.

Looking at her, she neared the bed and felt her forehead with the back of her hand.

"Mon Coeur, you do not have a fever. But, you are severely flushed." Her French accent was so beautiful and endearing.

Sadly, she brushed Emilia's hair from her face and held her chin up to get a better look at her.

"I guess you will not be able to go with us to Madam Claire's Brunch?" she asked.

With a soft nod and another cough, Emilia could not bare the closeness, embarrassed her cheeks reddened more.

"Very well, you stay in bed do not over work yourself." she looked sternly at the maids.

I will over work her alright. Dominic smirked, laying beneath the bed shaking his head.

"She stays in bed, eh!" She gave them a warning stare.

"We will see you later, today we will be out most of the day till the night." She turned to look at Emilia.

With quick nods, they agreed.

With a soft kiss on each cheek, she gave Emilia one last concerned glance before leaving.

Following her to the door Sarah waited for a while, then locked it.

Relief and fright washing over her, she leaned against the door and let out her breath, watching Gertrude and Emilia breathe and plop down on the bed.

Dominic finally crawled out from under the bed only to give Emilia a gaze that had her in a fit of laughter again. Shaking his head, he scrambled to her on the bed and began tickling her. Gertrude and Sarah sat back and giggled at the two. It was a breath of fresh air to see two souls such as them in such a state.

With that knowledge they waited for her aunt and uncle to leave. He stayed long enough to eat breakfast with her. Which was the best start of his morning ever. With one last kiss for the day until he saw her again, he left.

*****

The word was out and although it was sad, indeed the Duke was ill and was taking the turn for the worst. Lady Hannah was a young vibrant woman still in her prime not yet ready to settle with the fate she was cruelly delt. Her eyes were set on Dominic McAllister and she was going to have him. The lustful trysts' and the fierce desire he had felt for her were not going to die down so soon for some stupid little chit like Emilia Westham. She has come too far to let him slip through her fingers. She had to put some movement in motion to get her out of the way. She stood naked before the mirror eyeing the woman before her.

Long muscular fingers found their way around her waist and glided down between her thighs. Leaning her head against the shoulders that cradled her, she watched her image being stroked. Her breasts squeezed and her nipples teased and rubbed.

The fingers between her thighs rubbed her bud in a circular motion; she let out a soft moan.

Grey eye's looked at her image enjoying his handy work, watching her melt before him. He walked her over to a nearby table and pulled her leg up and leaned her forward taking her from behind. His thrusts were hard and rough just like she liked it, She begged him for it. He yanked and pulled her hair as he drove her into a climax with his roughness. With a whimper, her wetness tightened around his cock.

"Oh! Adam" she cried out in a pant.

With a groan heavy with lust, he slammed into her letting out a curse spilling his seed into her.

Still breathless, he pulled away from her and stretched out on his bed. She turned trembling leaning against the table and looked at him.

A little hurt that he showed her no type of affection or the least a caress.

Slowly she went to pick up her dress before he yanked her and pulled her onto the bed with him.

She looked an absolute mess and he mockingly pointed that out to her.

Scowling she yanked her arms away and stood from the bed getting dressed.

Silently he looked at her.

"So what was it you wanted to talk to me about?" he broke their silence.

Standing bolt upright, she contemplated her words.

"The night of your aunts ball, I saw you dancing with a girl," she breathed heavily.

Smirking at her, he gave a smile.

"I danced with many girls that night. Why do you mention it?" he paused. Then gave a devilish grin.

"Are we jealous, m'lady? "

Shaking her head, she turned to face him.

"You danced with Emilia Westham. Do you remember her?" She asked a bit agitated.

"Ah yes! She is beauty. I would not mind getting my hands on her" He smiled.

He watched Hannah's nose flare in anger.

He looked at her sideways.

"Why do you ask?"

She turned around to look away.

"I want you to court her; I want her out of the way far from Dominic."

He let out a hearty laugh at her ridiculous request.

"You're ordering me to court her?" he laughed with an incredulous stare.

Turning, she angrily answered.

"Yes," she hissed.

"Your husband's corpse has barely cooled in the ground and yet you are making plans to be with your lover?" he laughed.

She stood silently.

"Besides, I don't see why you would bother with him. It clearly shows he has interests elsewhere. I would not even doubt if it's one of the Jennings twins. That Margo is fire, there is just something about a red head in bed that gets you..." he shivered then smiled.

"Pure speculation and gossip." she fumed.

He yanked and pulled her struggling into his lap.

"Besides, what makes you think he would want you? It's been three months since he last touched you, am I correct,"

She did not answer.

"And, what is in it for me, what do I gain?"

She frantically searched her mind for that answer.

Hesitating ,she looked at him.

"Your gambling debt... I will pay it all off for you." She sat nervously in his lap watching his eyes turn to an icy steel.

With a harsh grip, he grabbed her hair and pulled her close.

"I do this you are going to pay my debt and much more. As you may know I am one for a VERY lavish lifestyle."

She silently waited for him to continue tears running down her cheeks.

"And, if this does not go as planned m'lady, I'm going to let Dominic know what a whore you really are, that he was not the only one slamming you. We were just the few of the men you fucked."

Angrily, she lashed out at him. He tossed her on the bed on her back and lay above her lifting her skirts he forcefully separated her legs.

Wetting his cock with her wetness, he placed it between her thighs. Pressing hard she tried to push on his chest, but he pinned her down and push it in. With a cry, she ground her face into his shoulder and whimpered. He thrust hard reveling in her moaning.

Yanking her head back by her hair, pulling her close, he whispered in her ears.

"I wonder what he would say once I confess to him about how you have been slobbering all over my cock, and that your pussy has been used so much its tightness has gone."

He slammed hard into her all the way to the hilt of his shaft that she squealed.

Finally, he reached his climax.

Quickly he stood from the bed and got dressed.

He turned to look at her, she lay curled up crying.

Ignoring her, he finished getting dressed.

"Fix yourself you look a mess, and hurry you must leave before anyone notices you."