Duke of Dishonor (Lords of Scandal 11)

Right now, this moment, her future was hers to decide.

Cross the room and hold his head against her stomach and soothe away his worries—or send him from the room and dissolve their match.

It was her right.

Her choice.

She straightened as his head dropped into his hands.

The truth was, she was furious with him for taking their options away. For forcing her sisters into increasingly dangerous situations.

She was mad as all get out that he’d nearly ruined all of them.

But nearly wasn’t actually and what he’d actually done was save them all. Isabella had landed at Bash’s door.

And Eliza at Menace’s.

And Brandon had solved the mystery and pushed the thieves from their business and, hopefully, from their lives.

What was more, he’d kept his eye on her and made certain that when danger came too close, he pushed it away again.

It had been a risk.

And he’d made choices. Some of them wrong.

He wasn’t the fantastical hero she’d imagined him to be. He was a man. Flesh and blood who’d made mistakes, protected her, married her, cleared his name, and saved hers.

He wasn’t perfect. Neither was she.

Words filled her mouth, but she couldn’t seem to sort them out. She was in love with him. That hadn’t changed.

And he was still everything she’d dreamed of: tall, dark, handsome, strong. Her hero. Only he was more. A man too.

One she could grow with. Change. Or not. But try to learn to be their best selves. Together.

She crossed the room then, stopping a foot from his bent head. “I have a confession too.”

His head jerked up, his eyes meeting hers. “You have a confession?”

She nodded, her hands clasping. “Yes. I do.” She worried her lips as she looked down at him. “And if it changes your wish to be married to me, I will understand.”

“Changes my wish…” his voice trailed off as he shook his head. “What could you possibly have done that would change my mind?”

She shook her head. “I think we’ve established that I’m not likely to have done anything.”

“Stop.” He stood then, and his arms came about her waist as he pulled her close. “Be kind to yourself, Emily. Give yourself the generosity that even now I feel you giving to me.”

“Oh.” Those words hummed through her, softening her insides and making her next words easier. “Ever since you rescued me that first time,” she shifted, bracing herself for the next words. “I’m afraid I’ve been madly in love with you.”

He blinked. “What?”

She tried not to wince. Be brave, she told herself. “It’s true. How is a girl to resist? You’re so dashing, and mysterious, and larger than life.”

A slow grin spread across his lips. “That is your secret, wife? That you love me?”

She nodded her head. “Don’t make fun. It was difficult to say those words.”

“I’m not poking at you at all.” And then he swooped down and kissed her long and slow, his tongue stroking across hers until she forgot all the words she’d been going to say.