Duncan paused when he saw what she wore, but before he could feel disappointment or upset at the sight of it, Iliana reached for the ring of keys on the rough wooden table beside the bed. When she singled out the odd-looking key he had noticed on a much earlier occasion and moved it toward the lock, Duncan caught her hands and relieved her of the ring. He would undo the lock himself. He had fantasized doing so for quite long enough.

Holding the keys in one hand, he offered her his other and urged her to sit on the side of the bed. Once she had shifted to sit as he wished, he knelt on the floor before her and set the keys on the bed.

“Do you not wish to—” Iliana began with bewilderment, then fell silent as his lips covered hers. This time, it was she who sat still and breathless as he kissed her, but not for long. Groaning as his tongue swept inside her mouth, she slid her arms around his neck and clutched him closer as he seemed almost to devour her. It was a sore disappointment when his lips left hers to wander across her cheek, but then they nibbled eagerly at her earlobe as he breathed into her ear, and Iliana shuddered, arching instinctively until her breasts brushed across his chest, the hair there teasing her nipples to small, pebble-like peaks that seemed to beg for his attention.

As if they begged out loud, Duncan suddenly kissed a trail down her neck and over her collarbone, dropping lower still until he found and laved one eager nipple.

Iliana knew she was moaning, and embarrassment made her pause briefly until she realized that her husband was not silent either. He was muttering words of appreciation and grunts of pleasure as he suckled at her. Those sounds only managed to enflame her more and she clutched her hands in his hair, tugging on the soft strands slightly until he released her nipple and peered at her. Iliana kissed him with all the pent-up passion within her.

This time their kiss was rough and hungry. They were both panting heavily when he suddenly tugged his lips away and knelt to attend to her breast again, nipping and biting gently at the tender flesh there. Crying out, Iliana tossed her head back and clutched him closer to her. When he pushed at her shoulders suddenly, she tumbled backward onto the bed. She lay with her legs hanging off of it, her belly rippling and quivering as his lips traveled across it. He licked her flesh along the top of the belt, his hands sliding down to grasp her hips and hold her still as she began to thrash slightly on the bed.