Page 105 of A Deal for the Duke’s Virgin

“Me?” He chuckled, shaking his head. “I cannot take credit for this, for any of it. You were the one who made me like this, Thalia. You changed the way I see everything. You gave me everything.”

He stepped closer, closing the gap between them.

She drew in a sharp breath, skin tingling. Heat flared in her gut, a familiar feeling. She turned back to the fire, stretched out her hands, and saw that they were trembling.

“Nonsense,” she whispered. “You were already this man. You’d just forgotten who you were.”

“If that’s true, I still owe you my thanks. You found my son, Thalia. Thanks to you, I have a past and a future. I… I find that I cannot believe my luck. But without you…” He reached forward, taking her hands in his own. His palms were delightfully warm, fingers strong and sure. “Without you, I am nothing.”

“You’re too harsh on yourself,” she breathed.

“Am I? You have stolen my heart, Thalia. I… I cannot breathe when you are not here. I find myself looking for you in every room I enter. I think about what you might say in this situation or that. I think about our conversations over and over, musing on what you said or how you looked. I cannot breathe when you are near. And worst of all, I cannot be happy that I found my son because I know you hate me.”

She rolled her eyes at him. “For a clever man, Your Grace, you are remarkably stupid. I do not hate you. I… I could never hate you.”

“You’ve shown me that I can have it all,” he breathed, moving closer still, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Thalia closed her eyes, letting the sensation sweep over her. The floor seemed to shift under her, making her giddy.

“I want it all,” he continued, leaning close enough for her to feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek. “My son. A family. Happiness. You. But it all falls apart when I think of my life without you in it. Please, Thalia, believe me when I say that I know I’m wrong. Please stay.”

Stay.

His plea echoed through her, and she shivered. He gathered her closer to him, chests pressing together, and she wondered briefly if he could feel her heart hammering in her chest.

“I want us to make a life,” he whispered. “You and I with the children. Think of how sweet they’ll be and how well they’ll take care of their younger siblings.”

She opened her eyes, looking up at him. “Younger siblings?”

A slow smile spread across his face. “Well, of course. Youngest. The ones we’ll make together, you and me.”

“You… you mean it?” she breathed, eyes widening. “A proper family? A proper marriage?”

“I want everything, Thalia, I told you. I want you. I want a little girl with your hair and endless curiosity. And I want a little boy with your eyes. One of them might wear spectacles like you do.”

She gave a faint huff. “I wouldn’t wish my bad eyesight on any child.”

He chuckled, reaching up to gingerly take her spectacles off her face. “Well, your spectacles look remarkably adorable on you. Bad eyesight or not, I’m sure that our children will be just the same. Maybe they’ll be twins, and they’ll both have fiery-red hair, just like their mama.”

She stared up at him, searching his eyes for any sign that he didn’t really mean it. She licked her lips nervously.

“You… you really do want me, then?” she breathed.

He chuckled, leaning in to rest his forehead against hers. “I’m dying over here, wife. Good of you to notice.”

She had to laugh at that, a throaty, surprised sound that bubbled up her throat.

He kissed her.

The kiss was something of a surprise. Of course, she ought to have seen it coming, but never mind that. Heat rushed through her, a barrage of sensations flooding her. The scratch of his stubble, the gentle insistence of his tongue, the taste of his lips—salt and whiskey—and her own thrumming desire, growing hotter and hotter in her gut.

He swept her up into his arms without warning. She gave a startled yelp, wrapping her arms instinctively around his shoulders. He grinned at her.

“Since our wedding night was a little disappointing,” he murmured breathily, “shall we have another go?”

Desire sparked in her gut.

“Yes,” she whispered. “I think I’d like that.”