Page 101 of His Scarred Duchess
Adeline turned in his arms, reaching up to cup his cheek. “It already is perfect, Edmund. We’re together, we’re happy, and we’re going to be parents. What could be more perfect than that?”
Edmund smiled, but his eyes softened with concern as he looked down at her. “Are you truly well? I know you’ve been feeling unwell in the mornings.”
“I am,” she reassured him, her thumb gently stroking his cheek. “I promise.”
Relief flickered across his face before it was replaced by something else—something deeper, more primal. His gaze darkened with desire as he leaned down, capturing her lips in a kiss that was slow and tender at first, but quickly deepened, filled with a hunger that sent a thrill through her.
Adeline melted into him, her arms slipping around his neck, pulling him closer.
He groaned softly against her mouth, his hands roaming her back, as if needing to feel every inch of her. The months of anticipation, the changes ahead, all seemed to fuel his need for her in that moment. His lips left hers, trailing along her jaw and down the side of her neck, his breath warm against her skin.
Adeline gasped, her fingers tangling in his hair as heat spread through her, her body responding instinctively to his touch. “Edmund…”
He lifted his head, their gazes locking, his voice thick with emotion. “I love you, Adeline. More than anything.”
Before she could respond, his lips were on hers again, more urgent now, as he swept her up in his arms. His hands found their way between her thighs. He nuzzled them apart, all the while continuing his slow kisses down her body until he reached the center of her pleasure. As his tongue swirled around it, Adeline arched her back.
His tongue continued to flick as he teased her closer and closer to climax before pulling back and slowly trailing kisses back up her body to her breasts.
He rolled over onto his back and tugged her on top of him. As he entered her, he felt her walls clench against him. His hands gently held her waist, guiding her every move until she criedout. When he spilled inside her, she collapsed against him, their bodies spent.
Afterward, they lay together, their bodies intertwined beneath the soft linens, the warmth of their closeness lingering in the quiet of the room. Adeline rested her head against Edmund’s chest.
Edmund pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head, his fingers softly trailing through her hair.
“Are you comfortable, my love?” he murmured, his voice thick with tenderness.
Adeline nodded, a soft smile playing on her lips as she tilted her head to meet his gaze. “More than comfortable,” she whispered. “I feel… content.”
Edmund’s eyes softened as he looked down at her, his hand resting lightly on the gentle swell of her abdomen. “I never thought I could feel like this,” he admitted quietly. “That I could be this happy.”
Adeline’s heart swelled at his words, and she pressed a kiss to his chest, her hand resting atop his. “Neither did I,” she whispered. “But now, I can’t imagine life any other way.”
They lay together in silence for a few moments, the soft crackle of the fire the only sound in the room.
The future stretched before them—unknown, full of both challenges and joy—but in that moment, nothing else mattered.
They were together, and that was all they needed.
As they strolled arm in arm through the gardens later that morning, Edmund found himself seeing Holbrook through new eyes. The sprawling lawns where he had played as a child would soon echo with the laughter of his son or daughter. The old oak tree that had been his favorite climbing spot might one day support a swing for their child.
“What are you thinking?” Adeline asked, noticing his pensive expression.
Edmund smiled, pulling her closer. “I’m thinking about how much love our child will receive. How much joy they’ll bring to Holbrook, to our lives. And…”
He hesitated, a lump forming in his throat.
“And?” Adeline prompted gently.
“And I’m thinking about how grateful I am,” Edmund continued, his voice thick with emotion. “Grateful for you, for the family we’re creating. Adeline, when I think of where I was a year ago, how closed off I was, how afraid to love… You’ve given me somuch more than just your heart. You’ve given me a future I never dared to dream of.”
Tears spilled down Adeline’s cheeks, mirroring the moisture in his eyes. “Oh, Edmund,” she whispered. “You’ve given me just as much. A home, a family, a love I thought I’d never have. Our child will be so loved, so cherished.”
As they stood there, wrapped in each other’s arms with the promise of new life growing between them, Edmund felt a sense of peace and rightness settle over him. Whatever challenges lay ahead— the responsibilities of raising an heir, guiding their child through the complexities of society, and the uncharted territory of parenthood—they would face them together.
And really, he thought as he gazed down at Adeline’s radiant face, what more could a man ask for than this? A loving wife, a child on the way, and a heart full to bursting with joy and hope for the future.
“I love you,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to Adeline’s forehead. “Both of you.”
Adeline’s answering smile was brighter than the morning sun. “And we love you, Edmund. Always and forever.”
As they continued their walk, their hands intertwined and their hearts beating as one, Edmund knew with absolute certainty now.
This—this love, this family, this life they were building together—was his true happily ever after.
The End?