Page 77 of Her Sinful Duke

She was overwhelmed by his words. “I love you, too, James,” she whispered back, completely certain of every word she had just told him.

“You will never have to be afraid again, Penelope, I told you that I have a plan. Do you trust me?”

“With all my heart,” she said, without any doubt or hesitation.

He smiled. “Then believe me when I say this is for the best. I will not let anything happen to you. I will protect you, always.”

Penelope took a deep breath then nodded as a flicker of determination appeared in her eyes. “All right, James. I will do it. For us.”

“Not just for us, but most importantly, for yourself, my dear,” he reminded her. “Now, that we’ve got that out of the way, we have the rest of the morning to enjoy. In fact, I am looking forward to my breakfast.”

He laid her down, spreading her legs. She chuckled. “James, what are you doing?”

“Tasting my delicious wife,” he murmured against the softness of her skin.

His tongue stroked the inside of her thighs, trailing an invisible line. She gasped, lifting her hips towards his lips, giving herself up to him completely.

“Mmm,” he purred into her sweet wetness. “You are perfection…”

Gently, he placed his mouth on her, sucking slowly, tantalizingly. Everything about her was so delicious, so mesmerizing. He relished the sounds of her moaning as he flicked her swollen bud with his tongue, teasing her. His tongue parted her folds, delving into her, deeper and deeper each time. The steady pulses became faster and faster. He couldn’t get enough of her wet heat.

He added his thumb, gently pressing on that sweet spot, watching her hips swivel from the bed, her fingers sinking into his hair, clutching a handful of it.

“Oh, James…” she called out his name in ecstasy.

He lapped at her core with steady pressure, as her body tightened, the fingers gripping at his hair tighter than before. He buried his tongue deep into her, tasting her, drinking her essence. The moans that she made were the sounds of pure pleasure, unlike anything he had heard before.

When he lifted his gaze to meet hers, she looked like a wildling, her hair spilling onto the pillow in whips, her cheeks flushed, her eyes wide.

“I love you so much, Penelope,” he couldn’t resist saying.

“I love you, too, James,” she replied, beaming at him.

“I think I want you for breakfast every morning,” he said, making her chuckle.

“I’ll see what we can do about that,” she replied playfully.

* * *

The dining room was prepared with exquisite care, the long table set with fine china, gleaming silverware, and flickering candles casting a warm glow over the room. Penelope stood beside James, his hand resting protectively on the small of her back as they awaited the arrival of her family. Ciara sat by Penelope’s other side, offering silent, but unconditional support.

Penelope could feel the tension in her body and the way her fingers fidgeted with the fabric of her gown, but she also sensed her resolve. The sound of the front door opening and voices carrying down the hallway announced the arrival of their guests. James gave her a reassuring squeeze, and they moved toward the entrance to greet her family.

First to enter was Vanessa, her face a mask of feigned happiness. “Penelope! It’s so wonderful to see you back!” she exclaimed, rushing forward to embrace her sister. Penelope stiffened slightly but returned the hug, her expression controlled.

“Thank you, Vanessa,” Penelope replied, her voice steady. “It is good to see you as well.”

Next entered her parents followed by Adeline. Penelope greeted each of them in turn, her manners impeccable despite the roiling emotions she felt inside.

“Mother, Father,” Penelope greeted, offering her hand to each. Then, she turned to Adeline and embraced her. “Dear Adeline, it is lovely to see you.” She paused for a moment, introducing Ciara. “I would like you all to meet a very dear friend of mine, Ciara Everton. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for her.”

“Penelope, my dear,” her mother said ignoring the introduction completely, a forced smile on her lips. “We were so worried. What happened?”

“Why don’t we all sit down?” James took over for which Penelope was grateful. “We have the entire evening to talk and… divulge things we know.”

They all moved into the dining room, the atmosphere thick with unspoken tension. Vanessa tried to cling to James’ side, but he stepped away from her, helping his wife to her seat. Then, he took a seat next to Penelope, offering her subtle but constant support. Vanessa predictably positioned herself directly across from them, her eyes flickering between James and Penelope with a calculating gleam.

Throughout the meal, Vanessa continued her charade, making a show of her delight at Penelope’s return. “Penelope, you must tell us all about your time away,” she gushed. “We were so worried about you.”

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