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“Very well, I will at the very leastappealto the duke, tell him that I have come to realize the truth and ask him to reconsider his blatant prickish behavior—”
“I appreciate you apologizing to my family,” she interrupted. Haven might never get on with either of her brothers, but at least she wouldn’t have to worry about them coming to blows over dinner. “What will you do with Erasmus? Impersonating a marquess must be some sort of a crime. My brother is a duke. So is Granby. Surely they can both ensure justice will be done.”
“He’ll be a guest of the constable for the next few days. After which Erasmus will be going to Australia. I’ll write to Estwood in the morning. He has property there. I’d rather not drag this matter out. No one remembers my uncle, and I’d like to keep it that way.” Haven had started to nibble down her throat in the most distracting manner.
“I see.” The word crested upward as his hand cupped the underside of one breast. “I didn’t realize Erasmus had any aspirations to visit Australia.”
“Neither did he.” He toyed with her nipple. “Stay with me. Always.”
“Do you promise,” she murmured, her pulse fluttering in her neck, “that going forward, we will have honesty? Not to be wretched. Impossible. Difficult.”
“I can promise you honesty.” The grip on her breast became possessive. “But I can’t offer youanyof those other things. I will always be impossible. Blunt.Wretched.”
“You’re ruining it,” she whispered, though he wasn’t, not really.
“But I can offer up my heart.” His voice grew raspy and rough as he pressed his lips against her throat. “Which admittedly isn’t my best feature, but it belongs to you, nonetheless.” He turned her head and brushed his lips gently against hers. “You haveneverbeen second best. Never odd. Never to me. In my sky,youare the brightest star, dazzling me with your brilliant light.”
A tear ran down her cheek and she wiped it away. “I suppose that was acceptable groveling.”
He ran a finger along her jaw before pressing his forehead to hers. “Iloveyou, Theo. If you believe nothing else, I beg you to believe that.”
