Page 60 of The Big Bad Duke (The Shadows #9)

A few months after the events of this novel…

“Yes, and add more honey to that. William loves honey,” Victoria directed the cook as she supervised the preparation of breakfast sweets. She then turned to the other table and, singing an old Russian folk song, began to clean up the flour.

“No, Madame!” a young maid rushed to her side. “Please, let me.”

“Oh, I am almost done.” Victoria loved helping out in her kitchen; it had become her favorite room in the house. Well, after the library… No, after their bedroom, and then the library, and then the kitchen.

The door burst open, and William strode in, whistling as he did so. “There you are,” he said, cutting a path straight to her. “I missed you.”

She turned with a laugh. “I was away for five minutes!”

“Too long,” he said, closing the space between them before she could utter another word.

He kissed her, long and unhurried, his hands cradling her neck and his pelvis pressing against hers. Her fingers curled into his coat as his hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her flush against him. Then his mouth trailed lower, pressing soft, hot kisses to her throat.

She gasped, a quiet moan slipping from her lips. “William!”

“What?” he murmured against her skin.

“The servants are watching.”

He didn’t even glance away from her neck. “Let them watch.”

She let out a breathless chuckle, pushing at his chest. “You’re incorrigible.”

“Yes,” he answered between kisses. “But that’s exactly why you love me.”

He grinned and lifted her effortlessly onto the edge of the table, his hands sliding under her thighs as he stepped between them.

“Mmm…” he moaned against her lips. “I love seeing you on the table,” he said, his voice low and husky. “Perhaps because you’re my favorite meal.” His gaze dropped meaningfully between her thighs.

“William!” she hissed, swatting his shoulder.

He caught her wrist and kissed her palm.

“William, we have guests waiting,” she said in a breathless whisper.

“Let them wait,” he growled, capturing her mouth again.

His kiss deepened, hungry and coaxing. Her thoughts blurred under the weight of his touch, his palm trailing under her skirts, fingers brushing up her bare thigh with agonizing slowness. Her legs parted without thought, welcoming his touch and craving more.

She forgot about the servants, hoping the cook had taken the maid and they had discreetly vanished, or they were about to witness quite a show.

For a moment, the world melted away—no past, no future, no guests, just the heat of William’s hand on her skin and the press of his body between her thighs.

She moaned softly, her hips shifting closer, greedy for the pressure of his palm.

Knock. Knock.

She jolted, her breath catching. “Oh!”

William let his head fall against her shoulder and groaned. “More guests?”

“Seems so,” Victoria whispered, shaking with laughter.

“Damn their timing.” William cursed under his breath, and Victoria laughed, breathless and cheeks flushed, as she gently pushed him back and slid off the table. “Let’s go see who it is.”

“No,” he murmured, nipping at her jaw.

“ William ,” she chided through a laugh, swatting at him again before tugging his hand.

With her free hand, she tried to smooth her skirts and adjust her bodice, which bore the rumpled signs of his attentions. She pulled him along behind her, breath still uneven, heart pounding for reasons that had nothing to do with whoever stood at the door.

The knock came again.

“All right,” she said with a grin, “I suppose they’ve earned our attention.”

“But not my forgiveness,” William muttered, trailing her out of the kitchen with reluctant steps and flushed cheeks.

They made their way through the corridor, William pulling her waist and tucking her against his side, a show of possessiveness. As they reached the entryway, the butler stepped back to reveal two familiar—and road-weary—faces.

“Lavinia!” Victoria cried, throwing her arms around her friend. “You made it! I can’t believe—Uncle!”

She flung herself into Sebastian’s waiting embrace.

“Were you baking?” Sebastian muttered, wiping flour from her cheek.

Her face flooded with heat. “Not exactly.”

“I was about to partake in my favorite meal, but I was interrupted,” William complained, and Victoria wished the earth could swallow her whole from embarrassment.

It took a moment for understanding and equal horror to dawn on the guests’ faces.

“Take care what you say about my niece, William,” Sebastian warned.

“As if you aren’t thinking the same about your wife,” William muttered. “And if you’re not, then my sincere condolences—”

“William!” Victoria chided with a laugh. “Now, where’s my little cousin?”

“She’s here.” Lavinia turned back to reveal a nursemaid carrying Amelia in her arms.

Victoria leapt out the door to embrace her little cousin.

She turned to Lavinia and Sebastian, Amelia safely in her arms. “Now it’s a real celebration. Everyone is finally under the same roof again.”

Sebastian raised a brow. “Everyone?”

“Come,” Victoria said, grinning. “You’ll want to see this.”

They followed her to the breakfast room, where the scent of sweets and tea lingered in the air, mingling with warm laughter.

Caroline leapt up the moment she saw them, hands clasped in delight. “Lavinia! Finally. You took far too long to get here.”

Lavinia laughed and embraced her. “You’ll get all the scandalous travel details later. Preferably with wine.”

Behind her, Kensington rose from his chair, offering a single stiff nod. “Roth.”

“What a warm welcome,” Victoria said with a laugh.

“Better than what Kensington gave me,” William said, settling next to his brother. “What did you say when you saw me?”

“That you look terrible,” Kensington answered. “Still do.”

William smirked. “I am your younger brother; thus, I look exactly like you, except younger.”

Victoria brought her attention to the far side of the table. “And that’s my sister, Anna,” she said proudly.

At the end of the table, a woman sat lounging in a cloud of pale blue silk, a crown of wild dark curls atop her head. One hand fluttered midair while the other wrapped around a cup of chocolate.

“Her husband Ulrich.” He stood and performed a perfect bow.

“And their three children.”

At Ulrich’s feet sat three little children, ranging from about one to four years of age.

Sebastian’s entire demeanor shifted from warm and friendly to awe and concern. “Anna? But… How?”

Victoria’s grin widened. “Isn’t that quite a story?”