Page 74 of The Formation of Us

Duke’s arms tightened in a gentle hug, as if he understood her heartache, and that words would never console her.

“She wanted to live here in a small house with a big porch and a rose garden, but she never came back.”

“Why not?” he asked softly, echoing Faith’s own relentless question. Why not? Why hadn’t she dared what Faith and her aunts were doing? What had stopped her?

“I don’t know.” Faith sighed. “Maybe it’s best. She would have been disappointed to know there are horse thieves and men like Archer living here.”

“Weeds grow in every garden, Faith.”

She laughed at his analogy. “You’ve been spending too much time in my greenhouse.”

He nuzzled her neck. “I like spending time with you.”

What she felt for him went far beyondlike. Hot desire, deep admiration, and an embarrassing fondness for his kisses could only begin to describe her feelings for him. Her body was tingling in a so many places, she would sound like the peepers if her nerve endings could emit sound. She wanted to make his body sing like hers, to give him one good reason to marry her. Wasn’t that what mattered most to a man? To have a submissive and pleasing wife?

“Faith, why don’t you ever talk about your late husband?” He may as well have shoved her into the cold pond. “Doesn’t Cora ask about him?”

Her heart clamored, but she warned herself to stay calm. “I don’t want her to know the caliber of man who fathered her.”

Duke turned her to face him. “Did he hurt you?”

“Not the way you think,” she said, trying to find an explanation that would allow them to permanently bury the subject. “Her father was corrupt. I was relieved when he was no longer part of our lives.” Her conscience barely balked, because every word was the truth.

And she was done talking about her life for the night. She wanted to head toward her future, not linger in her past. For her own sake. For Cora’s and Adam’s sakes.

She frowned and upended her empty glass. “We should have brought more wine.”

“Are you thirsty?”

“No.”

“Nervous then?”

“Yes. I’m not used to standing in the dark with a shadow man.”

His mouth quirked. “This shadow man would like to kiss you.”

“Permission granted,” she whispered, and lifted her mouth to his, giving him her trust and her passion.

His arms slipped around her waist, his empty glass dangling from his long fingers, hers resting against her thigh as their bodies met. She thrilled to his touch, and her wishful heart beat hard, begging him to hear her prayer, to marry her and make her dreams come true. And she would give him the one thing she’d never been able to give another: her heart.

His mouth grew more eager and she fit herself against body, making him groan. He kissed her hard and fast, like he was starving and couldn’t control his greed. But maybe she was greedy. She felt desperate and needy. He ground his hips against hers, his hard thigh riding high between her legs as he kissed her like she’d never been kissed in her life.

Because none of the men before Duke had cared about her. She was a whore’s daughter unworthy of them.

Her body trembled as she broke the kiss. “Have you ever been in love?” she whispered.

He braced his chin against her forehead, his breathing ragged. “Once,” he said. “When I was ten.”

She smiled at his honesty, and at the thought of him as a dark-haired, wide-eyed boy.

“She was my teacher, and she had the nerve to marry a man her own age and move away.”

Touched by his mix of humor and sincerity, Faith caressed his warm cheek, loving the prickle of new whiskers breaking through his recent shave. “You are so charming. I don’t know how any woman could walk away from you.”

He leaned back, revealing the sculpted shadows of his face. “Don’t walk away, Faith.”

“I won’t.”