Page 103 of Duchess Material

“When Natalie finally gets over her internal dialogue about being an independent woman who refuses to compromise, she will marry Ed. I will be tasked with planning that damn wedding. Forgive me if it sounds exhausting.”

Winston chuckled.

“It doesn’t matter. You can’t just elope easily here. This isn’t Vegas. And a marriage in Vegas wouldn’t be good. Nor would it be valid—”

“We can file a marriage license and wait a month. No one could complain. We can have a party later if you want. Make it fun. Lower the stakes. No one objecting or anything.”

Lucy looked at Winston’s sweet face. His eyes showed genuine love and care. She brushed his cheek with her cold hand. She’d never had anyone say they’d marry her next to a trashcan in the middle of a crowded London street. On paper, she realised that would not look good, but those were somehow the sweetest words he had ever said to her. It didn’t matter to Lucy where it happened.

“I don’t mean to suggest that it’s not… that we shouldn’t have a proper wedding—”

“What is a proper wedding, Winston?” Lucy asked, her face going from concern to a slight smile.

“You know. A great big wedding. The whole thing. Big white wedding dress. Flowers. All of it.”

Lucy laughed. “I don’t need a huge wedding, Winston. I need you. I want to build a life with you and start a family.”

“But the church?”

Lucy giggled. “Like the one we live in? I wake up in a church every morning. Really, you’re doing me a favour. There will be no debate about being married by a Catholic priest.”

“Want to apply for marriage licence tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” Lucy laughed. “Let’s do it.”

“We still must tell your parents.”

“I know. “But the pressure… it feels… gone. What will people do?”

“They will either be happy, or they won’t be. Lucy, we will make it out alright. We always do. The finish line is so close.”

“I know.” Lucy leaned in and kissed him.

It felt ridiculously good. Everything about it felt right. He knew she was enough. Lucy might take some time to believe it herself, but he reassured her.

Winston’s lips against hers felt like heaven. He played with her hair the way she liked—slowly running his hands through her tresses and the pulling ever-so-gently. It was slightly possessive. Winston ran his hand over and up her dress. Lucy pulled away as he kissed her neck. It was intoxicating.

Lucy gasped, not wanting to shut things down. “We’re so far from home.”

“The backseat is pretty spacious, you know?”

“I’ve never done it in a car before,” Lucy said. “What if we get caught?”

“Out here? Nah. This is all Dad’s property.”

“You just want to stick it to him by sticking it to me?”

They both broke into laughter. Lucy finally reeled him back in, kissing him slowly before squeezing over the console into the backseat and tossing her shoes and tights aside. Winston ran around to the backseat. Thankfully, the G did have the room to accommodate them.

Lucy vibrated with excitement of the bravery she mustered in the moment. She was powering through her worries to have sex in public. It was thrilling, if not terribly uncomfortable. It was lovely to kiss Winston knowing that they’d just made this big declaration. She was his. He was hers. Nothing would change. A year ago, she’d been trying to carrot-and-stick an engagement with a man she loved but wasn’t getting the same in return from. In contrast, Winston declared his intent to marry her—anywhere, anytime. The big wedding faded. It didn’t matter. What mattered was his love.

The sex wasn’t slow and sweet. It was passionate and swift. It was raw and impulsive. The aftermath left them breathing heavily in a car. The windows were steamed up. Lucy couldn’t have loved Winston more. She wanted to do this forever. That was the point.

Lucy touched his face again. “Thanks for just loving me.”

“Thanks for putting up with me, Lucy.”

“I will always do my best, Winston.”

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