Page 78 of How to Ruin a Rake

“Thank God.” He lay back down again. “Now perhaps you might consider coming over here and using that lovely mouth of yours on my cock.”

CHAPTER 15

Max woke up with Allegra in his arms and her head on his shoulder. She looked very peaceful, very desirable, and a lot easier to deal with than when she was awake. He’d never claimed to understand women, and Allegra’s behavior since he’d turned up at Musgrove Hall had confounded him. She wasn’t herself. He missed her honesty and the way she could disarm him with a look. She seemed resigned … ​and that didn’t suit her.

Why she’d reacted to the necessity of marrying him in such a way made no sense. If she’d hated the idea, she could’ve spoken up, and he would never have forced her into it. But she’d agreed and then walked around looking like she’d just lost her fortune, which, if he was being honest with himself, was rather insulting.

Of course, with all the wedding preparations, they’d barely had a chance to speak to each other. Now that they were married, perhaps, they would be able to sort things out, because he couldn’t stand the way things were.

Allegra made a small sound and opened her eyes. “Max.”

“Yes, I’m still here.”

She yawned and eased out of his embrace. “What time is it?”

“I have no idea.” He threw back the covers and walked over to the bell pull. “Shall I ring for your maid?”

He made the mistake of glancing back, and the sight of her naked body made everything male in him come instantly to life.

“Or we could stay in bed a while longer?” he suggested.

“Whatever for?”

Max cupped his balls and caressed his cock and was gratified when Allegra immediately blushed.

“Oh, that.” She scrambled out of the other side of the bed and made a run for the dressing room. “Actually, I think I’ll get up.”

Max rang the bell and retrieved his banyan from the floor. His valet, Claude, appeared with a jug of hot water and fresh towels, and Max set about making himself decent. It appeared that his suspicions were correct and that the truce between them only existed when they were in bed together, but it was a start. Max had a feeling that Allegra would have to unburden herself of her worries at some point, because she was terrible at keeping secrets.

“Will you inform my wife that I’ll see her at the breakfast table, Claude?” Max said. “I don’t think she’s finished dressing.”

“Yes, my lord, I’ll tell her maid.”

Max went downstairs and was directed into the breakfast parlor, where a vast array of covered silver dishes on the long sideboard hinted at a feast worthy of a man after his wedding night. There was no one else present. His mother always had her breakfast in bed, and his father, who was an early riser, had probably been and gone.

“Good morning, my lord.”

Max looked up to see Stephen, the duke’s secretary, coming through the door.

“Good morning,” Max said. “I suspect it is you I should thank for arranging the wedding in such a short time.”

“I did what the duke asked me to do, my lord.” Stephen allowed himself a self-congratulatory smile. “I thought it all went off rather well.”

“It was splendid.”

Stephen piled up his plate and sat opposite Max. “The duke asked if you and your bride could present yourselves in his study at eleven. I believe he wishes to go over some of the new arrangements.”

Max nodded, his attention half on his food, and half on the door through which he hoped his newly acquired wife would soon make an appearance.

She eventually arrived, looking somewhat flustered and dressed in her favorite blue. Max and Stephen both stood as she came into the room.

“Good morning,” she said.

Max came around the table to kiss her hand and led her over to the covered dishes on the sideboard.

“There’s plenty to choose from,” he said. “I’ll ask the butler to provide you with a pot of tea and some toast.”

Allegra helped herself to a large plate of food and sat beside Max, who was still eating.