Duke of Dishonor (Lords of Scandal 11)

“We’ll make certain it is.” He pulled her onto his lap. “I would never allow anything to happen to you, Emily.”

She held him tight. “I’ve always known that.” She drew in a deep breath. “Did I put us in danger by insisting that we return to London?”

He kissed her again, his hand sliding down her body. “No. In fact, if we hadn’t turned, they might have sneak-attacked us in the night when we weren’t prepared.”

She gasped, sitting up straighter in his lap. “So I helped?”

“Of course you did.” He brushed back her hair and then gave her another kiss, his tongue dipping into her sweet mouth.

He wanted to tell her so much more, but as their mouths met again and again, he stopped thinking. They were safe, they were returning to London and her family.

She was everything he needed in this world and she was his.

Epilogue

One week later…

* * *

Emily lay in his large bed, blankets barely covering her as she propped her head on her hand, giving him a sassy smile.

She stole his breath.

“Well, Your Grace…” She gave him another teasing grin. “We did it. We got married. Again.”

He chuckled, moving to the end of the bed and slowly parting the curtains on the end and climbing up the mattress and up her body. “We did.” He kissed her ankle, her knee, the inside of her thigh. “Was it as romantic as you’d imagined?”

She slid onto her back. “It was lovely. But this…” She gave him a long look, a brow quirking. “This is my favorite part.”

He growled out his assent, kissing her hip and then the spot just below her belly button. “Mine too.”

She ran her hands through his hair as he kept kissing higher and higher. He stopped for just a moment to lift his head and look up at her. “After Abigail’s wedding, we can leave on a honeymoon if you like.”

She shook her head just before his lips pressed to her. “No. We’ve already been on one trip, that was quite enough for me.”

He chuckled at that. “We’ll honeymoon here, then. Spend days in bed.”

She slipped her legs about his, the friction causing him to groan again. “Oh. I like that plan very much.”

“I could teach you all the places to kiss a person that will make them moan in pleasure.”

She laughed, pulling his hair a bit as she looked down at him. “And you can start teaching me the business.”

He laughed at that. “I know you are in a hurry, but do you think we could wait a few days for that? My pride is smarting that you’re not swept away by my passion for you.”

She tsked, pulling him up to kiss his mouth. “I have been swept away by you from the first moment I met you. And you…” She kissed him again. “Are helping me to be a stronger person in every way.”

He looked down in the liquid warmth of her gaze. “And you make me a more compassionate one. Thank you, Emily, for allowing me to be your husband. I love you so much, more than I could ever say.”

“I love you too,” she said, and they joined together, making love sweetly and passionately until they were both spent.

When they finally lay in each other’s arms, Brandon stroked her cheek. “I’ll show you the books tomorrow.”

“Really?” She tried to lift her head but ended up allowing it to fall back on the pillow.

“Really. I want whatever is best for you. Always.”

She touched her nose to his. “I know. You are best for me.” Then she closed her eyes. “And perhaps we can wait one more day for those lessons to begin.”