Page 58 of The Duke and the Accidental Bride

“Such as?”

“You wouldn’t understand.” Isabella winked.

Even I do not fully understand. And I am the one doing it!

It was hard to put into words exactly what was happening between the Duke and Isabella. Where it had come from. What it meant. And what it may or may not lead to in the future – if it led to anything beyond what it was already.

All Isabella knew was that she was enjoying it. An understatement of the highest order, as Isabella more than simply enjoyed the passion-injected debauchery that she and Duncan engaged in. She loved it. She worshipped it. It was like oxygen to her, needed to maintain life itself for without it she was certain to wither and die.

Now, was that a tad hyperbolic? It most certainly was. But that just spoke to how amazing this week had been.

It was just so unlike her. Still, a week later, and she struggled to believe it was happening. Growing up, Isabella had hated being told what to do. She had despised being treated like a little girl. And she loathed being made to feel less than or worthless in another’s eyes. But when Duncan did it to her...

She did not understand it. She did not know what it meant. All she knew was that with everything going as well as it was, there was no need to stop.

What was more, she was certain Duncan was of the same mind as she.

“So, the two of you are happy then?” Louisa scoffed as if she did not believe it, suddenly sounding almost upset by the notion. “Congratulations, I suppose.”

“Do not sound so happy,” Isabella laughed.

“I am,” Louisa assured her, not sounding like she meant it. And indeed, Isabella gave her a dismissive look which had Louisa hurrying to justify herself. “I am sorry if I sound a little upset – I am not. I am just surprised, that is all. The woman sitting before me, my own twin as I once knew her, would have rather peeled the skin from her own body then submit to married life as you have. With a man who just seven days ago you seemed to despise! It is just strange, is all.”

Isabella shrugged. “Believe me, I am equally as surprised as you are.”

She scoffed again. “And smitten, by that look in your eyes.”

“Oh, I am not,” she shot back quickly... a little too quickly. “I am just... content.”

To this, Louisa flashed her eyes wickedly. “Ah, now I see what this is. Why you are being so coy. When did it happen, Isabella? More importantly,howdid it happen?”

“How did what happen?”

She widened her eyes. “You and His Grace. You have fallen in love!”

“We have not!”

“No, no, do not deny it,” she tittered. “And do not act as if it is such a bad thing either. Honestly, one cannot win with you. You act proud and haughty when describing how much you loathe the man with whom you share a bed...” She looked pointedly at Isabella, as if expecting her to denounce such a comment. When she did not, Louisa’s grin grew. “Yet you act like a child when it comes to admitting what any happily married couple, as you so claim, should be championing.”

“We are not in love,” Isabella said truthfully. “Far from it.”

“Just happy?” Louisa tittered again.

“Is something wrong with that?”

“Not at all...” Louisa could not have looked more pleased. “I for one am glad to hear it. I could not behappierfor you.”

Isabella eyed her warningly but did not push the subject. Mostly because she did not want to keep discussing it, as that would force her to consider the one topic that she had refused to so much as contemplate all week for fear that it might suck the joy from the moment and utterly destroy the state of being that she and the Duke had found themselves in.

As well as everything had been going for this past week, Isabella could not help but notice how surface level it was. Oh sure, she and Duncan were closer and more comfortable with one another than they had ever been before, but it never went beyond the amorous.

They did not speak to one another unless fighting.

They did not discuss personal matters, save for using them to throw barbs and humiliate to cause anger.

They did not hint at a future beyond what was the current, both happy to exist in this state because it was easy and fun and pleasure filled beyond what should have been possible.

Yet as good as that was, as wonderful as it was, surely it could not go on forever? And when it did come to an end, what would happen next? Would they go back to hating the other? Or was there a chance at something more real?

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