Page 84 of Married to the Forbidden Duke
“I think,” he whispered, sliding a hand into her hair and bringing her mouth down on his, “I can promise that.”
EPILOGUE
Three weeks later
Frederick winced as he took his place beside Alice in the pew. She gripped his hand tightly, glowering up at him. “If you hurt too much, you should never have come,” she whispered, though she knew he would never agree to stay away.Sheshould have seen he was still in pain and insisted that he stay behind.
“And miss Helena’s wedding?” he demanded in a whisper. “I could never have done such a thing.”
Mr. Kingsley stood at the head of the church, his hands tucked behind his back, the picture of calmness. But Alice spied the way he kept wiping his forehead.
“A summer wedding,” she said. “It is auspicious.”
“Are you suggesting that our wedding was not?”
“Our wedding was the best thing that could ever have happened to me,” she smiled, leaning against his good shoulder for a moment. “But even you must admit, it was far from auspicious.”
Frederick laughed and linked his fingers more firmly through hers. “Very well. I will admit it was not auspicious. Yet we defied the odds.”
Alice’s smile felt soft on her face. “That we did.”
She could hardly believe they were here now. A month ago, when Charlotte had drugged her and attempted to ruin Frederick’s reputation, she had thought the life she had come to love was over. But here they were—in exchange for Charlotte recanting all the rumors she had spread, admitting her fault, Frederick had agreed not to summon a magistrate or seek justice—and he had forgiven Alice.
Helovedher. And she loved him.
Every time she thought about it, she felt giddy.
The doors opened and the organ played, and Helena walked down the aisle, accompanied by her brother. Lord Denshire glanced at them as he passed, and although there had never been any love lost between the two of them, she thought he inclined his head in a show of respect. Helena was radiant, filled with pure joy for the man standing opposite her.
A small pang filled Alice, that she had never experienced that, but then she remembered the man beside her. As though he knew what she was thinking, he squeezed her hand more firmly.
It wasn’t proper to tell one’s husband you loved him in public, so she squeezed back, hoping he would understand what she meant. And by the manner in which he glanced at her, an incandescent expression in his eyes, he did.
After the wedding breakfast, they returned home. Frederick made his way to the library, as was their routine, and Alice followed, as had become her habit. He moved slowly, laboriously, and she altered her plans as he finally sank into the armchair by the fire. His ribs still pained him.
The love they had seen in the church still ran through her, and she sank to her knees before him. His eyes widened, darkening almost instantly. She would never tire of the reaction she provoked from him.
“I have something to say,” she whispered. “And I hope you will come to agree with me.”
“And what’s that?”
She slid her hand across him where he was already hard. He shifted, pushing his hips into her, and she smiled. “When wefirst came together, Frederick, I expressed a desire to… I asked you not to make me with child.”
He stilled. “What are you saying?”
She reached inside the fall of his breeches and withdrew his length, then pressed her lips to it. “I have changed my mind. I love you, Frederick. I want to bear your children—I want a family with you, and—” She yelped as he reached down with his good hand, bringing her up so he could kiss her on the mouth.
“I thought at one point this day would never come,” he said huskily. “Do you know how long I’ve dreamed of this?”
“I would not have been a good mother before now. But now I want to be the mother of your children.” She glanced at him shyly, trying to read his response. He kissed her again, silencing any of her doubts that he didn’t want her. Yes, he most certainly did. “Does that please you?”
“Yes.Lord, yes, Alice. You can’t know how much.”
“Then stay there,” she grinned, pulling back and seating herself before him. She kneeled by his feet, taking his erection in her hands once more and bringing it to her mouth. He watched in avid fascination as she slid him past her lips, taking him deep. A groan wrenched from him, and she smiled a little as she withdrew, then sank back down on him.
There were few things she loved more than giving her husband pleasure. This was most certainly one of them.
How she loved him. There were so many things she wanted from their life together, but for the first time in her life, she had no doubts about what her future would bring.
