Page 14 of Good Duke Gone Hard

Knowing she would face Jonathan soon automatically rerouted her thoughts to him. It should be easy to be cautious around Jonathan. Margaret knew she desired nothing less than to be someone’s shining star, and Jonathan had long ago rejected any illusions of that happening with him. He had drawn the lines, she just wasn’t within them.

She recalled their last kiss three years ago in her bedchambers making her want to press her abdomen into her mattress and put a pillow between her legs, as if anything could replace the hardness of his shaft against her aching need.

She remembered kisses and let her mind amble down through the memory she had staved off for so long.

“Maggie, you couldn’t possibly make me want you anymore.” Jonathan was lying next to her with his leg atop her, pulling her closer to him. As if she could be any closer. His breeches were not thick enough to disguise the size or heat emanating from him. Nor should they be.

She felt a surge of fire light, a column in her core, and arched into him, crushing her breasts against him. The steel of his rod was enfolded in her thighs.

“Johnny, trust me,” she panted in his ear, “I’ll make you want me so hard that you’ll never want for anything again.”

A low growl tumbled out of his throat. His body was begging for her. The power she had over his body was too much and the dizziness forced her to stay lying down.

“Make me yours,” she pleaded. “Only yours.” He tore at her dress while she continued her supplication. “And I’ll make you mine.” If she had known his secret, she wouldn’t have continued prattling on with her pleas and promises. “We’ll be one. Together. Always and forever.”

Then he stopped. His head was bowed reverently between her still fully clothed breasts. She could feel the heat and moisture from his breath.

“I can’t.” He mumbled. “I’m sorry.” He propped himself up on his elbows and dry-washed his face with his hands. “How did I let it get this far?” Smacking the mattress, he pushed himself up.

“God, Maggie, why?” He met her eyes for a brief second and then ripped his gaze away. “Why did it have to be you?” He mumbled.

“Johnny?”

“Please. Don’t. I’m sorry. I never should have–”

“What’s going on?” She knew to never ask a question she didn’t want the answer to, but she truly, from the depth of her heart, thought she wanted the answer. She believed to the furthest extents of her soul that no answer to that question could make her shun him. Her spirit was bonded to his in a way that no sealant could compare to. So when he finally answered her question, she wondered when she would ever trust her heart, soul, or spirit again.

“I’m betrothed.”

His utterance was a raspy whisper, but it was clear enough. Except it wasn’t clear at all. If he was betrothed she would have known. She would have heard about it. He would have told her.

He was sitting up on the edge of her bed now.

“What do you mean?” She asked, certain she wanted, needed, the answer.

He shrugged his shoulders.

“Don’t you dare shrug your shoulders at me. Bloody hell, Jonathan! What the devil are you doing with me? You dratted rake! Damn you.”

She pushed him. He acquiesced to her intention and stood up.

“It’s been arranged since birth.” He shrugged again, as if to ease the burden. “I had hoped she would have married someone else by now, or cried off. There was no reason for her to hold out for the second son. But she has, lord knows why.”

“I don’t care about her. What about me? I’m ruined. What the hell, Jonathan?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Your sorry means nothing. What are you going to do?”

“I can’t do anything. It was arranged by my father since my birth. Something about a mutually beneficial match.” He trailed off and shrugged again. “He signed the papers. I can’t cry off. Her father would call me out. ”

“What about me?”

“No one knows about us. You’ll be fine. Gregory will take care of you. You have plenty of suitors.”

Any thoughts that Jonathan was a gentleman had vaporized like a cloud. Had she ever truly known him? No. The man that had nearly been inside of her was a complete stranger.

“I’ll ruin you.” Margaret clenched her jaw under the hollow threat.

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