Page 34 of Three Nights with the Beastly Duke

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Arthur awoke a few hours later and slipped quietly from Lavinia’s bed. He paused before he left, letting himself drink her in. He wanted more.Somuch more. And she had wanted to give it all to him. But he couldn’t.

It took several moments before he finally was able to pull himself away, but when he did, he headed back to the stairs instead of his room. To his surprise, he met his mother on the third landing. She was dressed for bed, but it was nearly three in the morning, and her presence concerned him.

“What are you doing out of bed, Mother?” he asked, studying her. “Are you unwell?”

Marianne laughed at him and swatted his arm. “Is it not I that should be asking you these questions?” she retorted, giving him a mothering look.

Then, she smiled and took his arm so they could walk down the stairs together. “I am quite fine. I was a little fatigued from my journey earlier and went to bed early. Now, it seems I am wide awake before the new day has had a chance to begin. I think I shall have breakfast with your new bride when she awakens. We did not get much of a chance to discuss anything, as your sister had her preoccupied, and I was most exhausted.”

“I am glad to hear you are well,” Arthur replied, shoving his erotic thoughts of Lavinia out of his mind, “and that you plan on meeting with your new daughter-in-law. I am sure she will appreciate it.”

Marianne gave a curt nod, and they took the rest of the stairs in silence. “How is our new Duchess faring, anyway?” she then asked. “Is she comfortable here?”

Arthur felt a little guilty that he didn’t have a true answer to his mother’s question, but he wasn’t about to explain why he and Lavinia had yet to have a conversation.

“I believe she is finding everything she needs,” he replied instead.

His mother’s eyebrows drew together slightly, and she stepped closer to study his face. “This was the woman you once implored me to accept in Rebecca’s stead,” she said gently. “Are you still of the same mind?”

Yes,Arthur thought immediately. His situation with Lavinia was certainly not ideal, but even so, he knew she was the better choice. He could have never experienced the pleasure he’d just shared with her with Rebecca.

“Yes, I am,” he replied calmly.

“And yet, you took off with your work first thing this morning, or so I heard,” his mother mused.

Realizing how much he did not want to have this conversation at this particular time, Arthur let out a chuff of a chuckle and shook his head.

“There is always work to be done, Mother,” he replied as cheerfully as possible. “One way or another. Which is why I must be off. Take care. Enjoy the day with Lavinia and Susan. I shall try to make it back for supper.”

Knowing her son, Marianne understood that their conversation was over, and she nodded as she reached up to pat his cheek. “Have a good day, my son,” she replied, shooing him off. “We shall await your return.”

Arthur gave her a final nod and then headed toward the door. As he stepped outside, he realized he had no idea where he was going. He had been tired when he’d first gotten home, and the couple of hours of sleep he’d gotten beside Lavinia had rejuvenated him. But his first appointment in the next town wasn’t until seven, and it was too early to rouse the horses or the stablehands.

He couldn’t stand still, though. His body was raging from all of the sexual frustration that was still trapped inside of him, and he needed to do something to let it out. It had beensodifficult to stop himself from burying his cock deep inside of Lavinia, but something hadn’t let him.

Deciding that boxing was the best thing for him, Arthur headed toward the small add-on next to the stables and began wrapping his hands.

CHAPTERFIFTEEN

Lavinia stirred in her sleep, sensing the start of the day. She stretched lazily, her body deliciously satisfied from yet another night of Arthur’s erotic visits, and took in a deep breath. As usual, as her hand stretched over the other side of the bed, she found it empty.

That was the way it was.

Every night since they’d arrived at Whitekin Estate, Arthur would wait until she’d fallen asleep before joining her in bed. And then, in the most delicious way possible, he would wake her so that he could find new ways to devour her body.

Even with almost no light, he had been able to discover nearly every inch of her flesh that made her gasp and writhe the most. Her mons, her breasts, her backside. It was heaven in the moment. But in the morning, when she awoke alone, her heart always felt a little heavier.

“Good morrow, Sister!” Susan greeted in a sing-song voice as she threw open Lavinia’s door.

Quickly, Lavinia wrapped a sheet around her body and flew off the bed. As she did so, Susan and two maids came through the sitting room entrance. The two maids branched off as they normally did each morning to tidy up, and Susan jumped onto Lavinia’s mussed bed.

“Good morrow, Susan.” Lavinia laughed, growing accustomed to her morning antics. She walked behind the changing curtain without being told to, knowing that Susan was going to urge her there if she didn’t go on her own.

“So, tell me,” Susan began as she waited for Lavinia on the other side of the curtain.

As she washed, Lavinia froze. Her sister-in-law had yet to question her about Arthur’s whereabouts or visits. What was she to say? That he had come into her room at night like a hungry wolf, only staying long enough to eat his prey?

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