Page 128 of Bound By the Duke
Aurelia’s throat tightened. She wanted to promise her that she would never leave again, that she would never allow anyone or anything to separate them. Instead, she simply held the girl tighter, letting the silence between them be her vow.
Percival’s voice broke through. “Easy now, little one,” he said, stepping closer. “Your mother is still recovering. She won’t admit it, but she tires quickly. Do not squeeze her bones to dust.”
Aurelia glanced at him with mock indignation. “I am perfectly capable of withstanding her love.”
His lips curled into that half-smile she adored, the one that made her insides melt.
He reached out and lifted Lottie into his arms, cradling her against his chest. The little girl beamed at him, as though she belonged there.
Then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, his free arm slid around Aurelia’s wrist.
“Let’s help your mother get settled at home,,” he said softly.
The words made Aurelia smile.
Home.
Yes, this was home.
Aurelia let out a soft, satisfied sigh as she pulled the towel through her damp hair. Her skin glowed from the bath, the water having washed away more than just fatigue.
She moved across her chamber with the grace of a queen who had just reclaimed her throne, the moonlight tracing her steps. Her thin robe clung to her curves as if it had been designed only to tempt the eye.
Stopping at the wide window, her gaze fell on the silver moon. So luminous.
She smiled before confessing to the night, “I deserve this peace. At last, I do.”
Then, she closed her eyes, wanting to absorb the affirmation. Soon after, a knock sounded at the door, freezing her smile.
Slowly, she turned toward the door. “Lottie?” she whispered.
Or Linda? Or Sophia, perhaps?
A shiver raced down her spine as something occurred to her.
Or could it be… him?
The thought alone made her fingers tremble.
Taking a deep breath, she crossed to the door and opened it with a slight tug.
Air rushed out of her lungs.
It was him. Her duke. Her Percival.
He stood there, framed by the golden light in the corridor. Tall, broad-shouldered, devastating in his quietness.
His blue eyes pierced straight into her soul, with an intensity strong enough to steal every word from her tongue. Enough tomake her knees weak and leave her body trembling with sudden need.
A need that was all too familiar.
She knew instantly that the wetness between her thighs had nothing to do with the bath.
“Percival.” Her voice came out in a husky whisper. “Why aren’t you asleep? Do you need something?”
He stepped forward without a single word. With just two strides, he was close, close enough to reach for her. His hand curled around her waist, causing her lashes to flutter. Her breath caught. The possessiveness in his grip wasn’t lost on her; it matched the fire in his gaze.
“Nothing much,” he murmured, pulling her closer until her damp robe brushed against his fine shirt.
