Page 107 of A Translation of Desire
“I want you in me.”
He groaned, kissing her before nuzzling her neck. He prodded her legs open with a knee. Rose arched upward when the tip of his shaft touched her feminine folds. They looked at one another. Augustus kissed her. “I love you, always and forever.”
“Forever,” she repeated.
He plunged into her, and Rose gasped. Yes, this was perfection. She would never grow tired of his body connecting with hers. He withdrew and slid back in, heightening the ache in her core. As he pumped into her, Rose began to arch upward, meeting him stroke for stroke. He moaned and she whimpered as her body begged for more.
Augustus thrust into her and ground against her sensitive nub. She whimpered, her aching body overflowing with greed. With every plunge, he swiveled his hips. Watching her face, he seemed enthralled with every gasp and moan she made.
He pushed into her again, and Rose felt her body explode. The ache broke apart, racing through her. Augustus smotheredher loud cry of delight with a demanding kiss as he grabbed her hips, pumping into her, taking all he could. He plunged one last time before pulling out from her and spending.
Rose’s heart hammered as she lay sated for the moment. Augustus cleaned them both up before joining her. He dropped a kiss on her lips. A weird thought popped into her head. Before she could think about it more, she asked, “Do you not want children?”
He smiled at her. “I want as many children as you will give me, but I think it is best if we discuss it first. In the last few months, a great deal has happened. It might be nice to have a bit of time for just us.”
She beamed at him. “I love that.”
He pulled Rose against him and said, “Someday, it will be nice to have a little girl and a little boy.”
“I don’t think we get to pick.”
He groaned and jokingly stated, “My luck, we will have all troublemaking girls.”
She playfully thumped him on the chest. “You would love that, but I have a feeling at least one of our children will be a proper little lord.”
He kissed her. “Whatever happens, all that matters is we are together. I love you my rabble-rouser duchess.”
*
Augustus shook hishead as Benjamin frowned at Rose. Thomas covered his mouth to stop himself from laughing. They were seated in Benjamin’s tent, enjoying a break from the afternoon sun.
Rose glared at her father, offended. “I will not stop working in the field.”
Benjamin frowned at her. “You are a duchess now.”
“There is no reason Rose can’t continue with her work. We will find a way to make that happen.”
His wife beamed at him, and he knew that smile would make him do anything. She turned back to her father. “And, in London, I will do all my work at the Historical Society for Female Curators.”
Her father frowned. “You must think of how your actions will impact your husband.”
Augustus disagreed. He grabbed her hand and kissed the top of it. “She needn’t worry about that. I want Rose to continue her work in London and in the field.”
Rose nodded in agreement. “We’ve already begun to discuss how that may be possible and tasks I can take on to support the dukedom.”
Her father’s eyes became watery. “I can’t believe my daughter is a duchess. Your mother wanted you to meet a gentleman, and now you have.”
The love between father and daughter was evident to Augustus. He greatly admired their relationship. Rose reached over, squeezing her father’s hand. “I wish she was here too.”
“Will you all stay and search for the remaining tablets?” Thomas asked.
Rose and Augustus looked at each other. They’d decided to put the hunt for the last tablets on hold until after they were married in London and could make more long-term plans. He had told Rose they could find a way to stay, but she insisted they return. She wanted his mother to have her dream of hosting a grand wedding for them.
He sighed. “We are headed back to London. The Duchess of Lusby, Lady Hawley, and Lord Hawley are doing everything possible to convince the London Society of Antiquaries to provide the map. Hopefully, we can assist with that in London, and on our next trip out here, we can bring it with us.”
Thomas nodded. “I will continue to look. I won’t be returning to London with you all. I’m happy I was able to be a witness to the first wedding.”
Rose frowned at him. “Are you sure?”
