Page 96 of The Duke Not Taken

No. Too bland.

I have come to declare my intentions.

Well, she wasn’t proposing marriage, and she wasn’t inviting a duel, so that wasn’t right, either.

As she mulled it over, she came upon the path that Joshua had taken the day of the storm. It went through the forest and skirted along the river. It was almost midday. She paused, considering that path. If she arrived at Iddesleigh now, she’d have to take lunch with Beck and Blythe, and she couldn’t bear even the idea of that in her current state.

She turned onto the path and continued walking. She recalled there was a point in this path where it turned toward Hollyfield, a bend very near the river. When she reached it, she noticed a large, flat rock. It was such a fine, warm day, that Amelia decided to continue her rumination here. She spread her shawl over the rock and lay on her back under the warmth of the sun. She closed her eyes, thinking through all the things she could say.

And imagining what it would be like to love him. To live a life with him. She pictured the two of them at supper. Or riding. Or fishing. Or pretending to argue about silly things, like who was the better dancer. She imagined their bed, and the way the firelight would dance on the ceiling while they came together.

I think I’m in love with you. Except that I know I’m in love with you. I know I am in love with you because I realize I have never really loved anyone until I met you.

The clank of a bridle made her sit up with alarm. She looked to the path and saw the rider coming from Hollyfield. It was as if she’d summoned him—Joshua came loping into sight.

He was startled by the sight of her on that big flat rock. He pulled up on the reins and stared down at her as if he was trying to understand how she had come to be there.

“Bon dien,” she said.

He came down off his horse without a word. He took off his hat and dragged his fingers through his hair. “Are you all right? What are you doing here?”

“Walking. Well, actually, resting. I came from the school.”

He said nothing, just stared at her.

“I heard you called on the school.”

He swallowed. He looked at the ground. “I did.” He lifted his gaze to her again, and his eyes looked full of sadness. And something more. Something softer.

Amelia stood up from the rock. “Lady Mathilda claimed you dug a row for them.”

“Well... I repaired a row they had dug. The lot of them are exceedingly bad at digging.”

She smiled. She stepped up on the path toward him. “What are you doing here?”

He shrugged lightly. “Thinking. Avoiding others. I can’t seem to escape Lord Clarendon, and I—I need to think.”

“Oh.” He seemed so serious. She looked at the river.Courage.“I’ve been thinking, too.” She turned her gaze back to him.

He looked suddenly uncertain. As if he might speak, but wasn’t certain what he wanted to say. Well, she knew what she wanted to say, and this seemed her moment—either she’d speak, or she’d go home to Wesloria and nurse the biggest regret of her life. “Joshua... I’ve been thinking about you.” She stepped closer. “I’ve been thinking somuchabout you.”

“Amelia.” He held up his hand. “Before—”

“Please, I need to say this.”

He was suddenly moving, striding toward her. She didn’t understand his intention and took a step back, but he caught her hand and pulled her into his embrace. He roughly caressed her face, held it in his callused hands and searched her eyes.

“You are—”

He kissed her before she could say he was what she wanted. He kissed her so deeply, so fervently, that she was immediately lost in the sensation of it. All her thoughts flew out of her head and all her emotions turned raw.

The kiss turned passionate; he moved to her neck, to her ear. Amelia wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to the rock. Joshua braced himself above her.

Any inhibitions between them evaporated. The desire was as mutual as it was intense. Their hands roamed each other’s bodies as they kissed. He slipped a hand into her bodice and freed one breast of the fabric of her gown, and with a groan of want, took it into his mouth.

The pleasure was almost more than she could tolerate, and Amelia dug her fingers into his shoulders as he moved his attention to the other breast. She felt like she was undulating, her body liquid against his. She pressed her thigh against his erection, and explored his shoulders, his arms, his back with her hands.

His slid his hand down her body, caressing the flare of her hip, then down her leg, to her ankle. He slipped his hand under her skirt. Amelia’s heart raced with anticipation; she put an arm around his shoulders and found his mouth as he began to slide his hand up her leg again, between her legs. Her breath quickened and she moved beyond rational thought when he slipped his fingers into her sex. Her head fell back as he began to move his fingers on her, in her, around her. She could feel the desire building to a crescendo. She gave a strangled cry as her body released into her desire, throbbing with the deliverance. He kissed her, withdrew his hand. He rolled onto his back and brought her to lie on top of him, kissing her again. She could feel he didn’t want to let her go. Her heart was so tender toward him, and she felt everything she’d ever imagined she could feel for the man who would be her husband.

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