A Gentleman's Curse (Avenging Lords 4)

“Except for Dariell,” Drake added.

“I’m not so sure. The last time I saw Dariell, he looked besotted. But I’m sure he’ll tell you himself when he returns to town.”

Drake arched a brow. “What will you do now?”

“Do?”

“About the fact Claudia is your wife in everything but name.”

“There is only one thing to do. I shall make Miss Darling an offer.”

One he prayed she would not refuse.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Perhaps it was the traumatic events of the last few days that forced them to slide into bed as soon as the doctor waved goodbye at the door. Perhaps it was lust that caused them to strip naked amid frantic pants and groans, lust that made Claudia take Hudson’s impressive erection into her mouth.

The urge to control and dominate proved to be a powerful thing.

But it was love that brought tears to her eyes when Hudson entered her body. Love that made her wrap her legs tightly around him, not wanting to let go. Love that split her heart in two when she realised the grave error she had made by not being completely honest with him in the beginning.

Everything had come to a climax quickly. She was speaking of betrayal and deceit, for the man lying sated between her damp thighs had a stallion’s stamina.

Fear over what would happen now Hudson had satisfied his need for retribution played havoc with her mind.

“You’re quiet,” he said, lifting his head to look at her. He could not mean during the act of lovemaking for she had writhed and moaned from the dizzying heights of pleasure. “Are you thinking about the problems at Falaura Glen, about Emily?”

Claudia gave a weak chuckle. “I have my lover’s sweat-soaked body between my legs, and you imagine I’m thinking about the repairs to the cottage roof?”

“I don’t like it when you use that term.” Disapproval rang heavy.

“What? Lover?” Oh, she’d give anything to say “husband.”

“There’s more to our relationship than that, and you know it.” He sighed. “You were thinking about something. You had that hazy look in your eyes.”

She could say it was the look of desire but decided on the truth.

“I cannot help but feel sad that things are coming to an end.”

“Coming to an end?” Hudson came up on his knees, a frown marring his brow. “Love, it is only the beginning.”

“You know what I mean,” she said, drinking in the sight of his bare chest and the flaccid manhood she could tease to attention in seconds. “We learnt the lines, played the part. Now, it’s as though we’re reading from a blank script.”

“Then we make our own scenes. We decide on a structure, what form our lives will take. And then we live, and we love, and we make a life together.”

How could she make a commitment when bound by Mr Thorncroft’s ridiculous contract?

Foolishly, Claudia had put the problem to the back of her mind. She had not felt the need to tell Hudson, believing that the fantasy of becoming his wife would come to naught, and so she would pay Mr Thorncroft and go back to her quaint existence.

“It sounds like a wonderful dream,” she said, her heart heavy, aching. “But I cannot consider my own needs when there are problems at home.”

“Of course you must consider the upkeep of your home, the welfare of your sister.” Tension radiated from the hard muscles in his shoulders. It clung to every word, every syllable. “I’m not asking you to abandon your responsibilities.”

What was he asking?

She was frightened he might tell her, might make a beautiful declaration for her to trample over, spoil and ruin. How could she tell him she had made a commitment to marry another man? How could she tell him she had accepted this role because she cared only for the money?

Heaven help her!