With that,he sprinted away,andSephy’s throat worked with emotion as she knelt beside the mother who looked up at her with soulful brown eyes, if not tinged with a bit of exhausted pride. She smoothed her hand over the dog’s head as tears sprang to her eyes. “You did good, Lady. They are adorable.”
Lady repliedby turning her head and lickingthe palm of her hand.
The duke, who had been leaning against the stable gate, moved forward and crouched down beside her. She started when he reached out and wiped away one of her tears with the pad of his thumb. She turned her head to face him and the breath lefther lungs in a rush to find him so close.
“Have you never seen puppies before?” he asked softly.
She slowly shook her head. “No. I always wanted a dog when I was little, but my mother refused to have them at the brothel. She said it would distract the girls from their more important duties.”
“I see.” He seemed to mull this over. “In that case, once these are weaned, you may have your pick of the litter where it can follow you around wherever you go.”
She gasped. And while she didn’t want to think about how much longer she had to spend with Hunter, she couldn’t help her joyous reply, “Do you mean it?”
His lips twitched. “I do.”
“Oh, thank you!” With that, she threw her arms around him. However, since he was crouched, the surprise of her reaction set him off balance and he collapsed on the hay—with Sephy on top of him.
***
Hunter froze. He tried not to look atPersephone’s breasts,those creamy curves thatwere onlovely displaydirectly in his line of sight.Nor did he dare think about the fact that every inch of the rest of her soft, supple body was nearly covering him from head to toe. And he mostespeciallydidn’t want to imagine both of them naked and wrapped in a torrid embrace, even if his cock was eager to do so, the appendage already hard as a rock and aching to plunge into the feminine heat he’d denied himself for so long.
He gritted his teeth and prayed for the will to make it through this terrible error that he’d made while the woman lying on him laughed and chipped away even further at his resolve. “Oh, dear. We seem to be in quite a pickle,” she said mirthfully, her blue eyes dancing with amusement. Then, as if noticing his sudden discomfort, she asked, “I hope I’m not hurting you?”
On the contrary, I’m dying.“Not at all, but I think it’s best if you move.”
The minx dared to wiggle her tempting bottom. “Like this?”
Hunter hissed and temporarily closed his eyes. Unfortunately, thatdid nothing butheighten his awareness. He attempted his best glare. “Get off, Miss Welton.”
She leaned down to whisper in his ear. “I would love to, Falcourt, but only with your help, of course.”
With that tawdry statement, she rolled off him and left the stables. Hunter clenched his fists at his sides and tried to control his raging body. He was still lying in the middle of the hay next to the new mother and her puppies when Henry returned with the water. With his bucket in hand, he stopped in his tracks when he spied Hunter.
“Your Grace?” he asked cautiously, no doubt wondering as to his sanity.
At the moment, Hunter was thinking the same thing.“I’m fine.” He stood up and brushed the hay off his clothes now that his body wasn’t raging with a noticeable erection. He gestured to the bucket. “Need some help with that?”
Henry opened his mouth, but no sound emerged, so Hunterwalked forward andtook the bucket from his grasp. “A simple thank you will suffice,” he drawled, finally snapping the lad out of his stupor.
“O...of course, Your Grace.”
They worked together for a time, making sure the mother was settled in and the puppies were nursing like they were supposed to, but when there was no reason to delay any longer, praying that Miss Welton was already in bed, he decided it was time to go. “Don’t stay up too late, Henry.”
With that, he headed for the townhouse and walked inside.
The butler wasn’t at the door to greet him, but since this was merely someplace that he had rented out for his “mistress,” he didn’t employ a full staff and he allowed for the rules to be a bit more relaxed.
Still feeling restless, he decided that a brandy and a treatise on philosophy should be enough to put him to sleep, so he headed for the sitting room next to his bedchamber. However, as he passed by Persephone’s room, he noticed that there was a still a light shining under the door.
Instantly, his cock stirred with renewed interest.
He blew out a heavy breath and told himself to keep moving, but his feet refused to obey the command.She’s your mistress. There is nothing wrong with enjoying each other’s company,his mind reasoned. But then his conscience intruded at nearly the same time.Remember your vow and what happened toLouisawhen men refused to control their animalistic urges.
And yet…
He found himself walking toward the door against his better judgment. He knocked lightly on the hard wood, but when there was no reply, he decided it was his duty as her protector to at least check to make sure she was all right.
Thus, he gently eased open the door and peeked inside. What he saw caused a tightness to bloom in his chest. The lamp was still burning on her bedside table, but she was fast asleep in the bed, a paper clutched in her hand.
