Page 68 of Raising the Duke’s Unexpected Twins

He didn’t answer, and he felt Cordelia shift in his arms. She rose up on an elbow and looked down at him. Reluctantly, he turned to face her, and his heart ached to look at her. He had known for a long time, but now, it was so obvious to him that Cordelia was the most beautiful woman he had ever known, and he felt unworthy to have been with her, to be in her bed. His stomach made a little flip when she reached out and brushed a hand to his cheek, moving down to his chest. He could feel her trying to see him, and all resistance built inside him again.

“If the twins are too loud or if they make a mess with their food, will you say that that is their fault?”

He frowned at her. “No. They are children.”

“Exactly. So why must you be so harsh on yourself all these years later? You were a baby too.”

He scoffed. “It is not as simple as that.”

She sighed and laid down again, snuggling up to him. “Tell me something about David. How did you meet?”

He cleared his throat, grateful to be on surer ground. “We met at Eton. I went earlier than other boys and stayed on most holidays.” He could feel Cordelia’s hand squeeze his arm. “My father wished me away as much as possible so that he could bring his parade of mistresses to the house as freely as he could wish. David was kind to me, and we found a kinship I’d not found with anyone else. I suppose it was the fact that our fathers were uninterested in us. Leonard, my cousin, is someone else I trust, but he was not the same as David. David was –” his voice broke a little at the memory that his friend would never come back again. “A dear friend.”

He felt a moisture on his shoulder, and he knew Cordelia was crying, and crying for him.

“I am sorry that you did not have a loving father, Nicholas, that he wished you away from him. Everyone deserves love, and you did not deserve that. Despite his father, David turned out to be a good husband and father.” She sighed. “Goodness, but Helen was lost to that man as soon as she saw him.”

Nicholas chuckled, turning to look at her. “Ah, so you like a rake then?”

“Yes,” she said, her voice softer, and her eyes fluttered closed. “In fact, I do. And they can certainly turn into a good man.”

Nicholas laid back, thinking over her words for a little while, his heart beating fast at her admission. David was always better than him in every way, and she was merely acknowledging that he had been a good man. It was not the same for him. He was not so redeemable. And yet, his heart wanted to believe it. For her and for himself. But before he could come to any conclusions, his fatigue overtook him, and he fell asleep beside her.

* * *

In the morning, Cordelia felt a warm body next to her, and with her eyes still closed, a smile appeared on her face as she moved closer to him, the memories of last night rushing into her mind. The sound of rain pattered on the roof, and the scene felt cozy and warm and comfortable. She could feel Nicholas’s steady breath and hear the steady beat of his heart as she laid on his shoulder. Opening her eyes, she looked up at him. His eyes were closed, and his lips were ever so slightly parted as he slept. They were still both naked and had not moved from where they’d slept all night.

She breathed in and let out a long, contented sigh. He was still here with her, and she felt like that was something of an accomplishment.

If he had not wanted to be there, he would have rushed off, would he not?

The night before had been nothing short of a feverish dream. As she replayed the heated, passionate moments in her mind’s eye, she could not believe it. The man had not only brought more pleasure out of her body than she had ever experienced, but there had been a connection there that had made her hold him closer, kiss him deeper, wish him to never leave again. And while that terribly frightened her, it excited her too.

Perhaps she had been far too negative about the entire situation, and there was more hope than she’d realized.

He will need time, of course, but perhaps…perhaps…

Her old ways told her she was being foolish, but she had seen something in his eyes that night and had felt something in his touch and his kiss that –

“Ah, and what has you so thoughtful this morning?” Nicholas said, turning to her. She blushed, and he smiled. “Still blushing after last night, love? I wonder what else I have to do that will stop that blushing habit of yours?”

“You don’t like it?”

He kissed her, and her heart lifted as she pressed a hand to his cheek and then down to his neck, pulling him close. His kiss was warm and gentle, and she felt a stirring inside her once more when his tongue brushed against her own.

When he pulled away, she felt the absence, wanting more. “In fact, it is one of my favorite things about you, Cordelia. Don’t stop.”

He was smiling, and she was smiling back at him, but then she saw the moment when he returned to his shell. He licked his lips and then he moved away slightly.

“You should know, Cordelia, that there are some things happening at the club in the next few days that I need to be there for. We are going to start renovating, and a number of our investors would like to see the progress.”

He was talking a little fast, and she held her breath, wondering if at the end of it all, he’d tell her something sweet, something hopeful, something that would keep her from the disappointment that was waiting on the other side.

“I see.”

“I just wanted you to know that I will be busy in the coming days. My assistant is overwhelmed managing on his own. This happens every so often.” He pulled more fully away from her, and Cordelia felt a tightness in her chest. She sat up in bed as he stood, reaching down to pick up his clothing.

When he pulled on his breeches, she slid under the covers, feeling exposed now that he was covering himself and she was still open to his gaze.