Page 13 of The One With the Scoundrel of a Duke (Wicked Widows’ League #31)

L UCAS’S LIMBS MIGHT HAVE felt limp but his entire body was in a state of complete shock. He had experienced a lot of sex in his lifetime, but this had been nothing short of life changing. He felt a fool. He felt lost.

Vaguely, he had recollections and memories from before this moment, but here and now, it felt as though there had not been a life before Audra. What had he been doing all this time? Breathing in and out. Ambling around. It was all aimless.

Until now.

And her magic pussy.

God. If he didn’t know better, he would have thought he was under some kind of spell.

He exhaled roughly and plowed his hands through her hair. There was no chance he could ever go back to whatever semblance of a thing called life he had been living before her. Before this. Before being with her.

She was still sitting wet on his cock and he could not bring himself to move. He needed more of her. Just to be in her presence. But he knew it was more than that. Terrifying, that.

He had heard of friends of his falling in love with women in an instant.

The Ashbourne brothers to name a few. Even Broderick had essentially claimed the same experience.

At the time of hearing those tales, he thought they had been nothing but a myth.

Or something that happened to someone else.

But now he knew the truth. This was the kind of love that was legendary. And it was his. Or…it could be.

But God, right now? Right here? With her?

It took everything in him to maintain a calm exterior, but internally, his organs were all shaken up. His entire world had been tossed around, and it was far too soon to see where it was all going to settle.

But he already knew, almost banefully so, that she was it for him.

He couldn’t imagine falling faster and harder for anyone else in his life because at this moment, he was nothing short of absolutely destroyed for all others.

On the street, at the wedding, the toast, the card game, the book shop.

Every single moment he had spent with her, though few and spanning a short time, had impressed upon him his desire for only her.

He had never been one to pursue women. It had always been that he would make an invitation that the woman would accept.

In this case, he had plastered himself to her side, not wanting to give any man even a whiff of an opportunity to make an offer.

He was the only one to be making her any offers.

Somehow his head must have fallen into his hands because Audra was running her fingers down his.

“Lucas?”

“Hmmm?” He couldn’t look at her just yet. What if it was the last time he ever had her like this? Once was not enough. A hundred times would not be enough. And, he feared, even a lifetime might not be enough.

She was sweet, kind, determined, and courageous. She was utterly unlike any other woman he had ever met. And all he could think about was spending his life getting to know her more.

He was a rake. And she a widow who didn’t seem ready for love—love? Yes, love. Oh my how the mighty had fallen.

But if there was anything he admired about her, it was her bravery. Her song. She let her voice out.

And he knew that if he didn’t take the chance that he would regret it for the rest of his life.

So when she asked him, “Are you all right, Lucas?”

He had to tell he the truth. “I’m not all right, Audra. I’m ruined.”

She chuckled, because really, what other reaction was suitable to a duke claiming to be ruined?

“What do you mean?” she asked after a beat of silence had passed.

He placed his hands on her cheek and looked deep into her ocean deep eyes. “You have ruined me for all other women.”

A sheepish chuckle spotted the air between them.

“I’m serious, Audra.” He stared at her luscious, just-kissed lips, and even though he had just had her, he wanted her again. “I feel as though I’ve been struck by lightning.”

Her bewildered but bashful look encouraged him to plod on desperately hoping she felt something similar, but her eyes gave nothing away.

“You do?” A slight tremor in her voice rattled him to his core, and he wanted to push back up into her.

He couldn’t help the slight arch of his hips, and he watched her body quiver at the gesture.

“I do. Do you?”

“I-I-I’m…” but she was shaking her head. He should have known this would be overwhelming, especially considering what she had shared with him in the middle of making love.

“Audra, I’ve never felt this way before. I don’t want to crush you under the weight of my emotions—I’m not normally a man to share his emotions with women—but I’m compelled to beseech you to be mine.”

“Be yours?”

His heart was aching as he waited for her to speak more. Agree. Concede. At the very least accept his emotions and not resist him. He couldn’t even respond to her question, so a nod was all he gave her.

“In what capacity?”

“In every capacity.”

Her eyes flew wide, and he knew he was terrifying her with his emotions, but it couldn’t be helped.

Life rarely gave such a patently clear door to knock on, so he was going to bang on it for all he was worth until she opened up and told him yes or no.

God, what would he do if she said no? His heart crumpled inside of him, yet he told himself to remain strong.

No , wasn’t the worst answer. Wait , was far, far more painful.

So that’s why he was pressing, banging, waiting now for her answer.

It had to be a yes or a no.

“I know this is crazy, Audra. We hardly know each other. And,” he raked his hand through his hair again, “what you know about me is not all that pleasant. But I want you.”

When she said nothing, he banged as hard as he dared. “As my wife.”

She choked out her reply, “Your wife? Me?”

“Yes.” His cock was throbbing between her legs as he waited for more from her.

“Wife? I thought…I—erm…I thought you were a rake. I thought this was going to be about having fun. Finding pleasure. Like that pink leatherbound book, The One With the Wanton Woman . It was supposed to be my turn for all of that.”

At the mention of the erotic book, his cock twitched, and he thought he heard a soft moan slip from her lips. If nothing else, he knew she wanted him physically, but admittedly that was not enough. Not even close.

“I want that. I want to flip through every page of that book with you,” he said, sliding his hands up her ribcage, pressing a kiss against her throat. Her body melted against his.

“You couldn’t possibly be that sure of me.”

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.” But even with his words, he could hear the reticence in her own words.

He wasn’t getting his yes. But if that was the case, he needed to hear no in order to move on. Whatever that looked like.

“Audra, will you marry me?”

Without an answer, she slid herself back onto his now hardened cock and started to ride him. Her mouth covered his, stifling any and all conversation. If their coupling earlier had been fiery and passionate, this was desperate.

Her mouth was all over him, her tongue eager to taste him. Her body was plastered to his and she wanted every last ounce of him. It was quick. Like a race of sorts. But not the kind of race a person partook in to compete and beat the other to finish. He knew exactly what it was.

It was the last time they would finish a race together.

So by the time he released inside of her, his head had dropped to her neck in resignation and defeat.

“I’m sorry, Lucas,” she panted her soft, warm breath against his ear, “You don’t even know me. I can’t marry you.”