Page 52 of Good Duke Gone Hard

Dipping her toes into the water sent a rush of ice up her legs, but she welcomed the shock and discomfort.

This was the place it had all sparked into being. Her and Jonathan. The man who had, up until that moment under water, had been her competitor, her cheery-eyed, light-hearted, friend.

Now he was a man who had faced death and an infinite amount of unknowns, yet he could still wear the lopsided grin and spray laughter around like water. The depths he possessed with a carefree outlook on life were unmatched.

Staring out at the pond, she could still feel his face between her thighs. As she remembered the moment he nuzzled her, she felt the heat overtake any chilly vestiges from the water. She pressed her fingers to her bottom lip, imagining his overtaking hers.

And then, as if conjured up by her very thoughts, she saw Jonathan approaching.

Chapter 19

JONATHANWASTAKINGWHAThad become a customary stroll around the pond when he spotted Margaret. He had still hoped for a bit of time before he was to speak with her, but maybe fate was forcing his hand.

When he first noticed her, she had her feet dipped in the water. But now that she saw him, she drew her knees up to her chest, resting crossed arms and then her head on top. She seemed unusually calm as he approached.

He waved from a distance and she wiggled her fingers.

“Hello, Maggie.” He lowered himself down beside her and placed his palm on the ground behind her hip. His body yearned to feel her warmth and softness.

She still hadn’t spoken. He intended to fill the silence, but only got as far as, “I’ve got a lot to say.”

A few seconds passed before she uttered what she had been deliberating over, “That’s expected.”

Jonathan noticed a gleam in her eye and a curling of her lip while she still coddled her head in her arms.

She looked so vulnerable and peaceful. He wished he had never hurt her, and in so many ways he couldn’t have helped. All he could hope for now was that what he had done would show her the truth. He breathed a deep breath.

“I’ve been busy this last day and a half.”

She nodded.

“Under doctor’s orders,” he rubbed his face, “I’ve had a lot of time to think about what I want to say to you.”

He could see his words were causing undue alarm. “I just have to start somewhere.” He shook his head. “I didn’t leave you. Before you say you don’t believe me. Just listen first. I remember everything now. At least, from my side of things. Back before I went missing, I left for the army in hopes of making my fiancee at the time cry off from our long term engagement.” He heard Margaret suck in her breath, and he shook his head again. “I can’t get over the twist of fate that met me. I found out my superior office was actually in love with my now ex-fiancee, who by the way married in my absence. Regardless, his unrequited love for my intended was why he encouraged me and then sent me on that mission.” He blew out a loud breath. “If only…”

Margaret slid closer to him and reached for his hand.

“I can’t believe I lost all this time with you.” He rubbed this thumb over her palm as he stared out over the pond. “But I have to thank this pond.” He chuckled. “For so much.”

He leaned over and kissed her temple. “It all started here. Somewhere over there, actually.” He pointed past her body. Then reaching across her, he forced her to lean back, and she rested her head on his bicep as he ran his hand over her waist and up her ribcage.

“Thank the pond, I found you again. You must know how much you mean to me.”

Finally, she spoke. He didn’t realize he’d been holding himself back, until she pressed upon him two small words, “Tell me.”

“You’re everything to me. Your smile. Your joy. The way you think about life and other people. Your passions. Your overreactions. And sometimes underreactions.” He gently brushed her cheek. “The relationships you have with people, like your mother, Mary, and Bella. Your brother. Your loyalty inspires me. You are open to people and learning about yourself. How you paint to rest your mind and share your heart.”

At that Margaret coughed and let out a small laugh. “About that…I’ll have to show you something later.”

Jonathan grinned. “I’m sure it’ll be amazing.”

“And then some,” she rested her hand against his chest.

He imagined he could stay here forever with her. They cuddled in comfortable silence for a few minutes. But he also knew he had plans to put into motion. Reluctantly, he pushed his elbow into the ground and pushed himself up until he could stand. He drew her up as well, took a few steps around the pond, and then stopped.

“Right here. This is the spot where it all started.”

He watched Maggie take in the scene of the pond, and his body warmed, just knowing how much they shared together.

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