Chapter Nineteen #2
She breathed a laugh. “No, it’s not just physical—though I admit, the physical part is wonderful. No, you make me feel…happy. Content. Joyful, safe, adored.”
Lawrence’s heart skipped a beat. How had he ever questioned if they were right for each other? How had Alan ever made him wonder whether Julia was working for Mortimer, of all things!
If it had not been for his cover, they would surely have found each other sooner.
But then, perhaps not. It was not something Lawrence thought too much on—the potential consequences were terrifying to the extreme—but it was possible, perhaps, that they could have met at Almack’s, and…
Passed each other by. A lady with no title nor great fortune and a duke. There was no reason why they should have been introduced.
Lawrence shivered at the very thought.
“What’s that for?”
He smiled at Julia’s curious expression. “Just thinking what my life might have been like had we never met.”
Her smile disappeared. “That sounds awful.”
“Exactly,” Lawrence said briskly. “And I have far more important things to consider. Just how many jewels I am going to shower you with, for example.”
She snorted, Lawrence trying not to look at the way her breasts quivered at the movement. “Do not think of showering me with jewels!”
“You don’t like diamonds?”
Julia turned, curling a leg onto the sofa so as to properly face him. “Do I look like the sort of woman easily impressed with diamonds?”
Lawrence arched an eyebrow. “You were impressed by my ability to knock a man unconscious.”
“Precisely.”
“You heathen.”
Desire rushed through him as Julia leaned forward, her curves becoming all the more obvious. “Definitely.”
Lawrence groaned. How was a man supposed to stand it? The tantalizing promise of pleasure was seated just before him, more and more of her breasts becoming visible with every inch more she leaned.
How could he distract himself?
“You mean to say that you don’t want to be draped in pearls?”
Julia shook her head slowly, her gaze drifting from his face to his chest. “No, that’s not what I want at this moment.”
Lawrence swallowed, mouth dry. All he had heard about well-born ladies suffering through lovemaking were entirely untrue.
All the better for him, once they were married. But keeping his eagerness for her in check was getting harder with every passing moment. And that was not the only thing getting harder…
“You surprise me,” he said aloud, trying to prolong the conversation on more sedate lines. “I know you did not fall in love with me knowing I was a duke, but I must admit, I thought you’d enjoy some part of it.”
Julia halted, then leaned back. A strange expression flittered across her face, so swiftly Lawrence barely caught it. But it had been there, and it was…shame?
What on earth could Julia have to be ashamed of?
“I had avoided fortune hunters even when living under my name, and as mere Lawrence Madgwick, it was a little…freeing, I suppose, to merely meet people who could judge me for who I purported to be.”
A small smile tilted Julia’s lips. “Judge you by your cover.”
“I suppose so.” He grinned. “And here you are, unimpressed by the title, the wealth, the prestige—”
“It’s not that I don’t—I am sure I will adore being a duchess, your duchess,” Julia said hastily. “It’s more…well. My favorite memory of us is…”
Lawrence leaned forward himself now, his sleeve brushing past a cushion. “Yes?”
She looked down at her hands before replying with a nervous smile. “Eating those pies, sitting on the bank of the Thames.”
For a moment, he just stared, delight sparking through his bones. Then Lawrence threw back his head and roared with laughter.
“Lawrence!”
“Well, it’s just—”
“Your Grace?”
The door to the hall had opened, a footman standing there looking utterly perplexed.
Lawrence managed to control his laughter. Well, this was an opportunity he could take advantage of, could he not?
“All is well, Blenkinsop, all is well,” he reassured the worried footman. “But please let it be known that Miss Dryden and I will be discussing something very grave and serious for the next…oh, next hour? And we are not to be disturbed—under any circumstances. You understand?”
Lawrence watched the footman’s nervous gaze flicker from him to Julia, who was staring imperiously back.
God, he’d make her a duchess yet.
“Y-Yes, Your Grace,” stammered Blenkinsop. “Not to be disturbed for an hour.”
“At least an hour.”
“Yes, Your Grace.” The footman snapped the door behind him.
Julia was frowning. “A serious conversation?”
He nodded, not yet willing to let himself reveal all. After all, this had to be approached very carefully, did it not?
“You fell in love with me before you knew who I was,” he said softly, reaching for her hand. Julia gave it willingly. “Before you knew what I could offer, when you thought you would be lowering yourself to become my wife.”
Julia smiled gently. “And you fell in love with me knowing that. It’s all a bit of a tangle, isn’t it?”
Lawrence nodded, excitement rushing through him. “And you say your favorite memory together is eating the pies?”
She nodded, eyes bright. “Just talking and eating terribly good food, it really was criminal how good it was. The sunlight on the water, no one knowing where I was, no Mama trying to force me to marry some dolt…”
Her voice faded, and Lawrence’s heart started pattering swiftly. Yes, this was perfect. He would take advantage, by God.
“Well, that is a real shame,” he said with a mock sigh.
The light left Julia’s eyes. “It is?”
Lawrence nodded seriously. “Yes. My favorite memory is when I ravished you so completely, you cried out my name in sweet ec—”
“Lawrence!”
Julia’s cheeks were scarlet, her gaze darting to the door, but Lawrence saw no point in holding back. Not any longer.
They were alone, engaged to be married, and already knew the sweet delights of the pleasure they could share. Why not have a little more?
“Julia,” Lawrence said quietly, creeping forward as Julia leaned back on the sofa with a growing smile, covering her body with hers. “I suppose we shall have to make some new memories.”
“Oh, really?” Julia raised a quizzical eyebrow as her hands started untying the cravat around his neck. “You think you can do better?”
He could feel her heart quicken under him as her legs curled around him. Lawrence groaned, trying to focus, but tendrils of pleasure were already teasing around his thighs as he nestled between her.
“I think,” he growled, kissing her neck and moving slowly up toward her mouth, “you are going to have to learn to be very quiet.”
“No better time to start practicing,” Julia gasped, capturing his lips with her own.