Drake kissed her fingertips one by one, then pressed her palm to his mouth. “I believe you,” he told her, his breathing ragged. He drew her into his arms, lowering them both to the bed. “I trust you,” he whispered against her mouth. He gazed solemnly into her exquisite face. “I love you.”

Alex blinked, afraid to believe her ears. “You love me … ?” she repeated, in a soft, hopeful voice.

“With all of my being,” he answered, his own voice rough with emotion.

Alex sagged against his powerful body, feeling weak with joy and relief. But it was not over yet. Not until they had talked—about the misunderstandings of the past few days and of the past few months. “There is so much I need to tell you, so much you must understand.”

“I know, princess, I know.” He kissed her cheeks, her chin, her soft mouth. “And I will listen to everything you have to say, tell you all that you need to know … later tonight. Right now I need to hold you; to convince myself that you are really here, unharmed, in my arms. Can you understand that?”

Alex gazed up at him with all the love in her heart. “Yes,” she breathed, sliding her fingers into his thick hair. “Because I need that, too.” She tugged his head down to hers. “I need you to take the ugliness of the night and make it disappear beneath your touch. I need you to tell me over and over that you love me. I need you to show me how much.” She brushed her lips against his. “Will you do that … please, Drake?”

He enfolded her against his heart, covering her mouth with his in a tender, passionate kiss that claimed her totally, body and soul. “I love you,” he murmured, sliding the sheet out from between them, shrugging out of his own clothes with determined, hurried movements. “I love you,” he reiterated reverently, melding their naked bodies together. “I love you.” He breathed the words, feeling the familiar sensual magic storm his senses. Familiar, yet so much stronger, so much richer because of the bond that had been forged between them.

Drake rolled Alex onto her back, gliding his hands up and down her bare arms, pausing to intertwine their fingers.

“You are mine,” he told her in a husky whisper.

Alex felt treasured, warmed by the emerald fire that glowed in Drake’s eyes. “And you are mine,” she replied.

Soberly Drake nodded. “Gladly and forever.” He bent his head to kiss her throat. “Tell me that you love me,” he demanded against the scented hollow.

Alex smiled, giddy with pleasure. “I love you, Captain Drake Robert Barrett, the Duke of Allonshire, the Marquis of Cairnham, the Earl of Laneswood, Earl of Ravleton, Viscount Manvell, and Baron Winsborough. I love you.”

Drake raised his head and, in the light cast by the bedside lamp, Alex saw the laughter on his face. “You are still the most outspoken of women, princess,” he told her tenderly, nibbling on her chin.

“A tyrant, I believe you said,” Alex reminded him, wrapping her arms around his broad back.

He kissed her again, a long, slow exploration of her mouth that left them both breathless, wanting more.

“There are compensations to being married to a tyrant,” he managed, sliding his fingers through the tumbled waves of her hair.

“Mmm,” she agreed, licking lightly at his mouth. “Just as there are compensations to being married to a man who is two different men.”

Drake grew serious. “Just one man, sweetheart. One man who adores you and always will.”

There were no more words as he covered her body with his, blanketed her in his love. He savored the taste of her, touching every inch of her skin with light caresses of his open mouth. Alex sighed, sensual pleasure coursing through her in great, surging waves. Every place Drake’s mouth touched tingled with pleasure, ached for more.

He was more than happy to oblige the silent urgings of Alex’s body. He ran his hands along the perfect contours of her hips and waist, finally cupping her full breasts in his trembling hands.

“Ah, Alex … what you do to me,” he breathed against her mouth. Lightly he stroked her nipples with his thumbs, feeling the breath catch in her throat. He followed his hands with his mouth, circling, tasting, teasing the hardened peaks until Alex moaned, tossing her head from side to side. Drake slid down her body, defining it with his mouth, watching the flickering light cast its golden glow upon his naked goddess. It had been so long since he had made love to her in the light … so long, for until now, he had been afraid of what he would see in her eyes. But no longer.

Down, farther down the bed he moved, lost in the wonder that was Alex.

He reached the slight swell of her abdomen and froze, staring down at the obvious physical change in her body.

Alex felt Drake tense and raised her head to meet his stunned gaze.

“Alex?” He searched her face for the answer to his unspoken question.

Alex smiled, knowing that there could not be a more perfect time to tell him.

“I’m carrying our child,” she whispered, her face radiant with joy.

For a moment Drake just stared at her in utter disbelief. Then, slowly, he lowered his gaze back down to the absolute proof of Alex’s words. A baby. Alex was going to have his baby.

He rose to his knees at the foot of the bed, his gaze greedily raking her body for every telltale sign of pregnancy, signs that the darkness had obscured from his view. Transfixed, he stared from the swell of her stomach up to the ripe opulence of her breasts, the darkening color of the nipples that were still wet and taut from his mouth. Alex lay still, watching Drake learn of his child in the most beautiful way possible.

When he once again met Alex’s gaze, Drake’s eyes were damp with emotion. He lifted a shaking hand to stroke Alex’s smooth cheek, lowering himself carefully beside her on the bed.

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