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“Fuck, Ces.”
Xavier appeared to be too lost in, well,meto notice our intruder. And with his other hand locked around my waist in an iron grip, I certainly wasn’t going anywhere.
Unable to stop myself, I offered our voyeur a satisfied smile. She started, like my acknowledgment of her presence was akin to a jolt of lightning.
“Yessss,” I hummed, gripping Xavier’s hair and pulling ever so slightly.
In response, I received a most animal growl.
“Babe,” Xavier hummed against my flesh, “you tastesofucking good.”
It was the key to my undoing, audience or no. My back arched off the desk, my eyes squeezed shut, and it was everything I could do not to scream as pleasure flooded my body in hot, heavy waves. Xavier’s tongue continued its magic until my body was a sponge, every drop of ecstasy squeezed out, and I was left limp, lifeless, and completely satisfied there on his desk.
A meal completely consumed.
When I opened my eyes, Imogene was gone.
“That ought to keep her away for a good while.” Xavier sat back in his chair and removed a handkerchief from his pocket to dab at his mouth as if he’d just finished a particularly wonderful meal.
I sat up on my elbows. “You knew she was there?”
Xavier chuckled, then gently pulled me back up so we were nose to nose once more. “I knew, yeah. Just like I knew you didn’t mind the show, you little minx.”
I flushed even as I gave a half-hearted shove in response. I wanted to argue, but he was right. I hadn’t. In fact, I had been more than happy to let the interfering brat see exactly what she was trying to get in the middle of. That a man like Xavier Parker wanted to get down on his knees for someone like me. That he had made me his duchess for all to see.
“Do you?” I wondered. “Mind, I mean. I suppose I used you too a little.”
“Do I mind you getting a bit territorial?” he posed. “Fuck, no. It’s hot, but also, it’s nice not to be the only one with a jealous streak for once.”
Before I could respond, he cupped my face, urging me to look at him directly. All vestiges of humor were gone, leaving only pure, earnest love in his bright blue eyes.
“You do know you’re it for me, right?” he said. “That you’ve nothing to worry about? Not with her, not with anyone else. I know it’s scary facing all this again. But it won’t be forever, and in the meantime,youare the most important thing to me. Do you believe that?”
I watched him but nodded almost immediately and was rewarded with a smile of singular sweetness. It was an easy thing to believe. Even if it was forever. Even if we had to stay in Kendal and be gentry or even do something else completely different than either of us had ever imagined.
We had each other now. And somehow, I knew that wasn’t ever going to change.
“I know,” I told him. “Though I don’t mind it either when you go out of your way to demonstrate it to any naysayers.”
His black brow rose sardonically. “Is that right?”
A blush warmed my cheeks and neck. “Could be.”
“Minx,” he mouthed again before kissing me once more.
Then he stood, allowing his tall form to cast its shadow over my body, which I found was humming with anticipation all over.
“Well, if you need me to demonstrate it again, my beautiful duchess,” Xavier said as he reached down to unbutton his trousers, “I’ve got a few things in mind.”
TWENTY-FIVE
Xavier took an hour before dinner to train in the estate’s gym, so I decided to go for a walk around the grounds, even dressed as I was in comfortable leggings and one of his enormous shirts belted around my waist. Apparently, men’s dress shirts made perfect maternity wear. Who knew?
It occurred to me that I had generally kept my exploration of Kendal to a minimum over the summer, venturing only where Sofia was interested in going, which was mostly the sheep paddocks and the library Xavier had “given” me. But this whole place was mine now too, in a way. And one day, might belong to the little one inside me. He’d share it with his sister—I’d make sure of that. But the title, the management, all of it would be his if he made the choice to take it on.
And Iwouldmake sure he had a choice. Neither Xavier nor I would ever force this little lord to be anything other than what he wanted. Should he decide that washing windows was his bliss, I’d be the one to provide the very best bucket and rags.
In the meantime, I knew it was time to stop shying from the place and learn to take charge—starting with a tour of the back gardens, which I’d never really explored beyond the library patio.
