Page 37 of Starlight and the Duke
Rob’s panther eyeswere piercing as he stretched out on the bed beside her, his expression intense and territorial, silently proclaiming that this was where he belonged.
Not for the length of a week. He was demanding to be here every night for the rest of their lives.
She could have hurled back a string of reasons why he needed to marry someone else, but she had neither the heart nor the desire to lecture him. Instead, she gave herself over to him as he undressed her and made fierce love to her.
Once. Twice.
Intense. Scorching. Unmistakably devouring. Untamed. Clothes off and bodies entwined.
With each kiss and embrace, he proclaimed his love for her. As sure as the sun rose every morning. And as surely as the silvery moon marked the impending night.
She wanted to cry a thousand tears for the impossibility of it all. How could something beautiful ever spring from their coupling? She would have begged, pleaded, crawled on her knees if only it would do any good.
She closed off her painful thoughts and gave herself over to his exquisitely gentle touch. Would her skin feel so soft or her breasts fill the cup of his hands so perfectly if they weren’t meant to be a match?
Would their souls have been cut from the same bolt of celestial cloth if they were not destined to be together?
Her heart beat so strongly for him sometimes, she was certain it would pound through her chest.
He made love to her a third time as dawn approached, no doubt feeling a physical ache at the thought of their separation. But he had to leave her, or her servants would talk.
Not yet.
A few more minutes. They still had a little time before the traitorous dawn stole him from her side.
They took no precautions, enjoying each other without limitations, since there was no risk of her conceiving. Rob had readily agreed to this careless arrangement, because what did he have to lose? Nothing at all, especially if she were proved wrong and found herself with child.
She saw the hope in his eyes. Then he would gain everything. The wife he wanted. A child, no matter whether a boy or girl. Only a son could inherit his title, but how was this a problem once it was shown she could be fertile? They could always try again for a son if their first was a daughter.
If only this were possible. But what were the chances?
Nil. Impossible.
Fiona’s eyes began to tear.
Noticing this, he rolled off her and brought her along with him as he rested on his back. She nestled within the circle of his arms. Were they making a terrible mistake by indulging in this week-long love fest?
She wasn’t feeling very festive. Nor was he.
This was what worried her most. Were they working toward a happy outcome? Or merely making their inevitable heartbreak worse?
Fiona drifted off again, and opened her eyes to find the morning sun brightly shining upon her face. Rob must haveopened the drapes for her before he left her bedchamber, because it was still too early for Molly to come in and wake her.
Feeling unsettled, she tossed on her robe and padded across the carpeted floor to peer out the window, not surprised to find Rob striding from the stable toward the house after his morning ride. This had become his routine these past few days.
She enjoyed riding, too. But their nighttime frolics had left her sated and shamelessly lazy. These nightly activities were new to her and quite exciting, but they also took an overwhelming toll with each coupling.
It was not only because Rob’s body was flawless and the scent of him divine. Nor was it merely that his arms were the perfect amount of strong and solid, and she particularly enjoyed falling asleep while wrapped in his muscled embrace.
She would have enjoyed waking in his arms, too. But he was always careful to leave her bed before anyone in the household stirred.
Having him all to herself this week had filled her with dreams and possibilities, but she knew allowing these feelings to slip into her heart was dangerous. The entire point of their seven days together was to gorge themselves on each other and be done forever.
But it was having the opposite effect.
Rob glanced up and smiled upon seeing her at the window. “Good morning.”
She smiled back and waved. “I’m meeting with my estate manager this morning. Care to join me?”
