Page 80 of Dubious about the Duke (Second Sons of London 5)

“I don’t believe I choose to do so,” Win said, slowly moving toward her. “I am a duke, Sera. I do whatever I want.”

“No, no, no,” she moaned. “I will be ruined.”

He reached her, the back of his fingers grazing her cheek. “That is the point.”

Her eyes nearly popped from their sockets. “Youwantto ruin me?”

“Absolutely.”

His arms went about her, pulling her to him. She felt his warmth. Smelled the bergamot’s spice. Then Sera began wriggling, trying to keep the bath sheet around her while she tried to escape.

“No,” Win said firmly. “You aren’t going anywhere.” His arms tightened about her.

Fat tears rolled down her cheeks.

“No, my darling. Please, don’t cry.” He brushed away her tears with his lips. “I never want to make you cry unless they are tears of happiness.”

Her mouth trembled. “How can I be happy? I am standing here naked, a duke in my bedchamber! That is a recipe for disaster. I will never be able to hold my head up in Polite Society.”

He grinned. “You overthink things, Sera Nicholls. I find the idea of you naked and in my arms utterly divine.”

She began weeping. Her head fell to his broad, muscular chest. She gulped for air, feeling as if she were suffocating.

One hand came up and tilted her chin until her watery gaze met his. “I never took you for a coward.”

“I am not!” she protested.

“You left Woodbridge without saying goodbye to the boys. Without saying goodbye to me.”

“Oh, Win.” More tears streamed down her cheeks. “Don’t you see? You are a duke. From the highest echelons of society. I am barely on the lowest rung of theton. You are magnetic, drawing people to you, where I wish to hide in a corner and keep from being seen. You want to wed a woman without giving her your heart. I want the heart—and the love—of the man I hope to wed. Yes, I do love you. Desperately. But I know you could never love me. I won’t settle for a marriage of the kind you wish to have. I may be meek but I am not a woman who would look the other way while her husband had a parade of mistresses.”

His dark eyes penetrated her, seeing to her soul.

“Don’t you understand, Sera?” he asked softly. “You don’t have to change a bit. I am the one who has changed—for the better—because of your influence. I convinced myself I wanted a typicaltonmarriage because I didn’t feel worthy of love.”

Win smiled. “And then I found you. You were nothing that I thought I wanted. Yet everything I needed and desired. I love you for who you are and who I am when I am with you. I want no other woman to be my duchess. My lover. My best friend. My partner in life.”

His thumb stroked her bottom lip. “You are the woman I will spend the rest of my life with. I was going to ask you to marry me last night at dinner. I had thought to do so at tea and have the boys be a part of the proposal. Then I thought you and I would prefer a more private moment.” He paused. “When I found you gone, Sera, I went mad. I am lost without you. You complete me in a way I never knew existed.”

She sucked in a quick breath.

“I love you, Sera Nicholls. I may have from the time we rode in the carriage together to Percy’s townhouse. You have rattled the cage I imprisoned myself in long ago. I never knew I was in jail—or that a beautiful, kindhearted, auburn-haired beauty possessed the key to set me free.”

Her tears flowed freely now.

“So, what will it be, Sera? Will you marry me? Spend the rest of your life with me? Build a family and grow old together?”

“Yes!” she cried. “Yes to all of those things. Oh, Win, I do love you.”

He smiled ruefully. “Dare I hope you love me and are not merely agreeing to wed me because you love those rascal nephews of mine?”

Sera laughed. “Oh, I love them, too. But I absolutely, totally adore and loveyou, Your Grace.”

“It’s about time you said so.”

Win’s lips met hers in a searing kiss. His hands pushed into her damp, tangled hair as he held her still, ravishing her mouth. Desire filled her as she longed for this man. For all of him. For all time. Sera answered his kiss, pouring every ounce of love into it.

They kissed for what seemed like forever. At some point, her bath sheet slipped to her waist. Win broke the kiss, staring down at her breasts.

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