Silas seemed to have other plans, though, leaning down to give her a chaste kiss before lowering himself to settle between her legs again. Confused, she propped herself up on her elbows, eyes widening as he kept his gaze firmly affixed on hers as he leaned down and licked at her center.
Agnes was barely able to hold the whimper that threatened to escape past her lips, dropping down on her back as he continued to lap at her ready wetness. The sensation was insane, and she quickly found herself lost to it all, how his tongue lashed inside, working her open with masterful strokes, slowly but surely driving her wild.
Her hands found solace in his hair, her fingers burrowing into his soft curls in a bid to find some sort of footing as he continued to lick and suck like a man that had been dying of thirst. His grip on her thigh held her in place while the other hand trailed to where his face was buried, his fingers joining his tongue in tantalizing and exploring her. It had become too much, too good to remind herself to be quiet, and she moaned uncontrollably, unable to fight the currents of pleasure pulling her under.
When she succumbed to it, her back arched off the furniture, and she pressed herself against his face, sinking her teeth into her lower lip to keep herself from screaming as her body shook, the overflowing sensation sizzling through every part of her.
He came back up to nuzzle against her cheek, and when she turned to kiss him, she could taste herself on his tongue and lips, the realization causing her to smile a little. He noticed and pulled back with a smug expression.
“You seem as though you thoroughly enjoyed yourself.”
There was no need to deny it. Not when she felt this good in his arms.
“I suppose you could say that I did.”
Chapter Sixteen
Even though it had happened on two separate occasions, there was still a fraction of doubt lingering in Agnes’ mind on whether the Duke would keep his word and continue to reward her in the manner he had decided to.
But it seemed he was intent on doing so, much to her surprise and mild relief. For the next few days that led up to the horse competition, they had established something of a routine between them. Silas would show up in the mornings to watch her practice, and at night, after she had reported her training session to him, he would pleasure her in his study.
The entire affair felt unimaginable – unreal, almost – and it took place day after day. Silas never sought to benefit from the new addition to their deal, always focused on showering Agnes with attention, guiding her to a state of desire and lust, always ensuring that she fell off the edge, and always holding her afterward.
This interaction granted her some hope for their future. It went against his initial requirements of their marriage – regardless of whether he was willing to address it. If he was willing to be this intimate with her, then perhaps he would eventually open up his heart to her.
If he hadn’t already.
Sometimes, while he rewarded her, there were moments when he was so gentle, his actions so tender, she felt he was not doing this merely as a means of expressing his gratitude. Something in the way that he held her told her that something had changed between them, perhaps for the better.
Agnes wanted to believe that although this had begun because they both had something to get out of their marriage, maybe they could make the most of it. Perhaps she could have everything, after all: her sisters and a loving husband. It left her in awe because she had never really considered wanting that – even when her father had expressed it was something she wished for in her stead.
“Aggie, your mother was my entire world. When she gave birth to you and your sisters, it felt as though my world grew a lot more. But after she passed… it felt as though the foundation of that world vanished.” He had told her once, staring blankly into the fireplace. “I don’t have any regrets. Even though some days, I can’t breathe and other days leave me feeling lost, I would not trade the years I had with her for a single thing in this life. Absolutely nothing. I hope you find a man who makes you hisworld. One who cherishes you relentlessly and keeps you safe and loved for the rest of your days.”
It had seemed too good to be true, to attain love as great as her parents once had, and so she simply believed it was not meant for her.
Now, this man she was betrothed to – with their wedding merely three days away – had caused her to dream of that very same love. She hoped that he would ache for her as she did for him, prayed that he would come to love her as she had come to love him.
It had hit her on their third night together how deeply she cared for him. He had been stroking her hair as she lay on his chest, sated and blissful, and she had noticed their hearts were beating in sync. It felt like a sign to her, exposing her innermost thoughts and feelings that she had not allowed herself to acknowledge while also hinting at his own feelings.
She was in love with him. And perhaps he felt the same way.
“You should do something nice for her.”
Silas did not turn to look at who had spoken, but he held his elbow out so she could hold onto him, the parasol a servant had been using to keep her out of the sun’s harsh rays covering him as well.
“What for? I have already expressed my gratitude. Countless times,” he replied, watching as Agnes guided Scar into making a jump, smiling when the horse landed flawlessly.
“As kind as it is that you decided to offer your thanks with words, women often prefer to receive acts or gifts expressing the emotions a man feels for them,” his grandmother pointed out.
For a moment, Silas considered telling her just how he had been expressing his gratitude to her, but then he decided otherwise, knowing that she might just enjoy hearing about it too much. Then his mind nitpicked at her words, and he stiffened.
“I have no feelings for her,” he stated coldly.
“Gratitude, dear. Even gratitude deserves to be rewarded properly. Or do you wish to tell me that you have no reason to be thankful to her? The girl handled most of the preparations foryourwedding while also trainingyourbeloved horse. She is up at the crack of dawn to walk him, then plans with us, and then she returns to the stables to train the horse. She has done nothing but work since she arrived – befriending the staff, familiarizing herself with duties she will take over from me once you are married. I doubt you have spared a single thought about all that.”
She was right, he hadn’t. At first, it was due to his efforts to not care about her at all, but then it seemed as though her time was spent either training Scar or planning their wedding. He had no clue what she did in between those moments, what the rest ofher days consisted of. And he wished to know, but he was afraid it was too late.
He also hadn’t given up his plan to refrain from any sort of attachment, but he was not particularly fighting off his attraction to her either. He felt confused and conflicted, and all he knew was that he did not wish to hurt her anymore.