Chapter 39
Her heart fluttered when the carriage screeched to a halt. She looked out the window with eagerness.
Home.
Not just walls, not just the sprawling grounds. No, Whitmore Estate had become far more intimate than that.
It was shared laughter, the warmth of little arms around her neck, the steady heat of Percival’s gaze on her.
It was hers.
She had missed it desperately. The absence of it had been unbearable, like an invisible hand tightening around her ribs with each passing day.
She was glad to be back now, and she couldn’t wait to go inside.
But before she could so much as lift a leg, strong arms scooped her up from her seat.
“Percival!” she gasped.
She let out a little huff, a mix of humor and indignation, as he carried her effortlessly, bridal style.
“Did you think I would let you set one foot on the ground?” His lips brushed against her temple.
Her heart melted at the protectiveness in his voice. Yet, she couldn’t help but tease him.
“So now you won’t even allow me to walk? What tyranny is this, Duke?” she murmured, pressing a playful kiss to the side of his neck.
Percival tightened his hold on her, his warm breath fanning her hair. “Not until you’ve recovered fully.”
Then, his lips found hers.
His kiss was sweet and possessive, like a promise that belonged to her only.
Aurelia chuckled softly. “If you coddle me any more than this, people will think I am made of glass.”
“They may think what they wish,” he mumbled, and heat gathered low in her belly. “But you are mine to protect.”
Her heart swelled at that. Mine. How she loved it when he said it like that. Like the world could crumble, and he would still be her anchor.
Eventually, they entered the main hall. The familiar scent of polished wood and lilies filled her nostrils.
Aurelia thought she could remain in her husband’s arms forever. But then her eyes fell on the small figure waiting impatiently by Sophia’s side.
“Lottie,” she whispered, her chest aching.
The girl’s face lit up like the morning sun. She was so adorable that it almost hurt.
But Lottie wasn’t here to flaunt her new blue slippers. She wanted to attack Aurelia with as much affection as she could.
With her little legs, she started running, her curls bouncing wildly. “Mother!”
The joy in her voice was so achingly pure that Aurelia’s composure shattered.
Without hesitation, she wiggled free from Percival’s hold, and he set her down gently with a low chuckle. Then, she hurried forward till she collided with the little girl at the center of the hall.
Lottie wrapped her arms and legs around Aurelia with the fierceness of someone who had waited too long.
“Oh, my darling,” Aurelia breathed, hugging her back with equal desperation. She nuzzled the girl’s hair, inhaling the familiar scent of lavender soap. “I am so sorry. So, so sorry for leaving you.”
Lottie clung to her tighter, her small shoulders shaking. “I am not angry that you left. I was just so worried when I heard you got hurt,” she sobbed.
Aurelia felt like her heart would crack open. She leaned back just enough to cup Lottie’s cheeks, her thumbs brushing away her tears.
“See?” She gently twirled the girl with a giggle. “Do I look hurt to you now? I have more than enough energy. I am fine, my love. Perfectly fine.”
She kissed Lottie’s forehead, then lingered as if she could press reassurance into the child’s skin.
Sophia stood nearby, cradling Sir Whiskerton in her arms. Although her expression was stern as usual, Aurelia caught the faintest crack. There was something in her eyes, like a glimmer of relief, of warmth carefully hidden beneath discipline.
Aurelia smiled at her warmly and offered a small wave.
“Even you missed me, Sir Whiskerton,” she teased her cat.
The governess’s mouth twitched, as though to deny it, but then her eyes crinkled with a smile.
“The estate hasn’t been the same without you.” Lottie squeezed Aurelia tighter.
Aurelia’s throat tightened. She wanted to promise her that she would never leave again, that she would never allow anyone or anything to separate them. Instead, she simply held the girl tighter, letting the silence between them be her vow.
Percival’s voice broke through. “Easy now, little one,” he said, stepping closer. “Your mother is still recovering. She won’t admit it, but she tires quickly. Do not squeeze her bones to dust.”
Aurelia glanced at him with mock indignation. “I am perfectly capable of withstanding her love.”
His lips curled into that half-smile she adored, the one that made her insides melt.
He reached out and lifted Lottie into his arms, cradling her against his chest. The little girl beamed at him, as though she belonged there.
Then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, his free arm slid around Aurelia’s wrist.
“Let’s help your mother get settled at home,,” he said softly.
The words made Aurelia smile.
Home.
Yes, this was home.
Aurelia let out a soft, satisfied sigh as she pulled the towel through her damp hair. Her skin glowed from the bath, the water having washed away more than just fatigue.
She moved across her chamber with the grace of a queen who had just reclaimed her throne, the moonlight tracing her steps. Her thin robe clung to her curves as if it had been designed only to tempt the eye.
Stopping at the wide window, her gaze fell on the silver moon. So luminous.
She smiled before confessing to the night, “I deserve this peace. At last, I do.”
Then, she closed her eyes, wanting to absorb the affirmation. Soon after, a knock sounded at the door, freezing her smile.
Slowly, she turned toward the door. “Lottie?” she whispered.
Or Linda? Or Sophia, perhaps?
A shiver raced down her spine as something occurred to her.
Or could it be… him?
The thought alone made her fingers tremble.
Taking a deep breath, she crossed to the door and opened it with a slight tug.
Air rushed out of her lungs.
It was him. Her duke. Her Percival.
He stood there, framed by the golden light in the corridor. Tall, broad-shouldered, devastating in his quietness.
His blue eyes pierced straight into her soul, with an intensity strong enough to steal every word from her tongue. Enough to make her knees weak and leave her body trembling with sudden need.
A need that was all too familiar.
She knew instantly that the wetness between her thighs had nothing to do with the bath.
“Percival.” Her voice came out in a husky whisper. “Why aren’t you asleep? Do you need something?”
He stepped forward without a single word. With just two strides, he was close, close enough to reach for her. His hand curled around her waist, causing her lashes to flutter. Her breath caught. The possessiveness in his grip wasn’t lost on her; it matched the fire in his gaze.
“Nothing much,” he murmured, pulling her closer until her damp robe brushed against his fine shirt.
Aurelia fought the urge to look down. To watch his fingers slowly trace her arm. Even though she was nearly drowning, she still looked him in the eyes.
There was a tenderness in those blue depths. But beneath it, there was hunger. Desire. That fire that could reduce them both to ashes.
He broke the silence again. “I missed you. So much that I cannot bear to spend a night without you.”
Her lips parted at the emotion in his confession. The words were raw, heartfelt. Her mouth opened to answer when his lips descended. Not to claim her mouth, but to brush her forehead.
The kiss was unexpected, and it touched her deeper than any fierce embrace ever had.
She couldn’t help the tremulous smile that curved her lips. The delicious turn of power. How beautifully the tables had turned.
She melted in his embrace, holding his wrists as his hands slid dangerously close to her breasts. She swallowed hard before mustering the courage for a shameless confession.
“I… I don’t want to be apart from you either. Not for a second. I want to sleep next to you. Always.”
Her words were hesitant, but they burned with truth.
He slid his hand further up to trace the slope of her collarbone with a patience that made her want to arch into him. She swallowed when his hand moved lower, not pulling away.
A moan tore from her throat when his hot, wet mouth pressed against the side of her neck. He sucked lightly, almost making her knees buckle. She clutched his shoulders, her nails digging into the fabric of his shirt as if to mark him.
“Percival…” His name came out as a plea.
She arched against him, shameless and needy.
“Take me,” she begged, unable to bear the torture. “Take me to your bed.”
Percival froze. For one agonizing second, he simply held her there. His lips brushed the side of her neck, his breath tickling her skin.
Then, his voice came out, horse and honest. “I am not sure… I am not sure I could stop, Aurelia. Once we start, once I stop holding back, it will consume us both. And you…” He paused, the mere thought of hurting her making him sick in the stomach. “You are still recovering.”
Her fingers tightened on his shoulders, and she tilted her face up to his, close enough that he could see every tremor.
“I can handle it,” she whispered fiercely. “All of it. I want everything you have to give. Break me apart, Percival.” Then, with a reckless smile, she added breathlessly, “We will be careful not to make children.”
Percival lifted his head, his eyes sweeping over her face like a map he had memorized. His expression darkened into something stronger than longing, a mixture of promise and warning.
Without a word, his lips trailed from her throat to her jawline. The command was instant. Her eyes fluttered shut, her lips parting on a whimper.
And when his lips finally hovered over hers, he murmured, “I am done being afraid.”
His words were somber. Most importantly, they carried finality.
“Not because of Lottie. Not because of duty. But because of you. Because I want it, too. I want to love you wholly. To prove it with more than words. To create proof of our love. Children.”
His confession landed like thunder and lightning at once. Her heart swelled, thudding so hard that she thought it might burst out of her chest.
But she couldn’t speak, not when his mouth finally claimed hers. Whatever words had been hanging on the tip of her tongue faded into moans.
There was nothing soft about the way her husband was kissing her. It was raw, hungry, desperate.
His lips moved against hers like a forgotten lover who had been recently found. Like her mere kiss assuaged his deepest fears.
It was the kind of kiss that seared and soothed at the same time. And she melted into it without a second thought. She offered herself without pretense, whimpering wantonly.
He groaned into her mouth as his tongue dueled with hers, his hands tightening on her waist. Their warm breaths mingled, and Aurelia knew there was no turning back.
The night had only just begun.