REGENCY: Loved by the Duke (Historical Billionaire Military Romance) (19th Century Victorian Short Stories)

by Tencia Winters

  Less than half an hour later, he stumbled up the front steps to bang loudly on the door. It took several moments for the door to finally crack open, revealing the haggard face of his father.

  “Is Eleanor here?” Luke asked despairingly. Augustus looked at his son for a long minute before answering.

  “She’s here. And she doesn’t want to see you, son. Now go home.” He moved to shut the door again, but Luke stopped him.

  “No, I’m not leaving until I see her. I have to talk to her, to explain.” His father just sighed sadly, shaking his head.

  “Explain what? What excuse could you have, Luke?”

  “I…” he paused, the words painful to speak at first. “I love her. With all my heart. I thought it was impossible, I thought…But she changed all that. She’s changed me, father! She made me…She makes me want to be a better man, for her. I just need a chance to tell her that, that’s all I’m asking.”

  “You already did, son.”

  “What?” Luke had barely got the word out before he saw her, standing behind his father with tears glistening in her clover green eyes. And then she was running towards him, throwing her arms around him as he stood stiffly there in shock.

  “I believe the polite response is to reply in kind.” Eleanor smiled up at him, and for the first time since she’d walked out it felt like he could breath again. The next moment his arms were wrapping around her lush curves, holding her as close as he could, promising himself that he would never let her go again.

  Because he couldn’t stand another minute without, he leaned down and kissed her, pouring out all of the love, all of the passion and tenderness that he could. A throat clearing roughly from the doorway had him finally pulling away.

  “Right, well, yes. You kids get on home now, alright? And stop acting like love sick fools on my front lawn.” Augustus said gruffly, but he didn’t miss the warm light shining in his dark eyes, and neither did Eleanor. She ran up and gave him a hug, and a quick peck on the cheek that had him blushing to the roots of his gray hair.

  “Thank you.” She whispered, and Augustus just smiled and nodded as he slammed the door on them. Luke laughed, relief and affection rushing through him. Some things would never change. He reached out a hand to his wife.

  “Let’s go home, my love.”

  Chapter 7

  “…they attacked you?” Luke asked in outrage as they sat in front of the warmth of the fireplace, Eleanor wrapped firmly in his arms. She just shrugged.

  “It’s alright, Luke. Your father came, he saved me–.”

  “No, it’s not alright. The way I acted, the things I said…” He trailed off as she laid a soft fingertip to his lips, cutting off his self recriminating words.

  “Hush, it’s forgotten. It is in the past, and now, we will look toward the future. Our future.”

  He looked down into her bright eyes, shining with patience and love and kindness and all of the things that he didn’t deserve.

  “You are the most amazing thing that has ever happened in my miserable life.” He whispered the words against her cheeks, drawn to be closer to her, as close as he could be so he knew that she was there, that she wasn’t going to leave.

  “Luke…” His name was just as soft as it fell off her lips, the sweetest sound, full of heat and wanting. So tenderly, he kissed her cheek, the curve of her ear, down the side of her neck until she was melting in his arms.

  “Will you,” He paused swallowing the lump in his throat, “will you go to bed with me, my wife?”

  She stared up at him, eyes suddenly wide, but she nodded firmly easily placing her hand in his as he drew her up his body, raising them both to their feet. Silently, he led her down the short hall and up the stairs, pausing to kiss her every few steps because he had to.

  With every touch, every kiss, the heat firing through her body burned hotter and hotter. She couldn’t breath, she couldn’t think. It was like Luke had cast a spell over her, and she willingly gave herself up to him.

  They stumbled through the doorway together, blindly reaching for the bed, so wrapped up in each other all they could see, all they could feel was their bodies entwining, their hearts beating rapidly together as Eleanor collapsed on top of the mattress, and Luke followed down after her.

  More slowly than she ever could have imagined, he stripped off her clothing, piece by torturous piece. Finally, he had her, naked and trembling, every nerve ending shrieking from his touch, his kiss. And he obliged her. Sending his fingers skating over her body until she was squirming restlessly beneath him.

  “Please, Luke. Please. I can’t stand it.”

  His grin was feral in response as he kissed her, harder now, more intense as he shed his own clothes quickly, separating their bodies only long enough to slide his shirt over his head. He eased himself between her open thighs, the hot tip of his hard length resting at her soaked entrance. He held himself there, staring down at her with tight eyes.

  “Are you sure?”

  She let out a rough laugh. “Yes, now please–.” Her words ended on a drawn out moan as he sank deep inside her. Sliding out with delicious friction before thrusting back again. She cried out, unable to keep in the sound at the amazing feel of him. The closeness and the pleasure almost enough to overwhelm her.

  Eleanor rode the waves of pleasure crashing over and over one another, building until she thought she couldn’t take anymore, and then pushing her even higher. The tingling started in her center, flooding our across her thighs that were wrapped around Luke’s thrusting hips. Every move he made seemed designed to give her ever more pleasure. It was almost unbearable. It was heaven.

  She held back as long as she could, fighting against the mounting storm raging inside her, every muscle tensed beneath him.

  “Let go, Eleanor. Let go, my love.”

  His words were all it took to have her flying apart, crying out his name louder and louder as he kept thrusting inside her, hitting that spot again and again, so deep, so perfect. It wasn’t long before he was tumbling down after her, a low groan of satisfaction hissing out of his lips.

  They collapsed in a sweaty heap, and Eleanor wrapped her arms even tighter around his shoulders, holding him as tight as she could as the most amazing feeling swept through her. It tightened her chest, and had her eyes glistening wetly.

  He pulled away, smiling down at her, but as he noticed the tear that slid slowly down her still flushed cheeks, it faded. “Eleanor, sweetheart, what’s wrong? Did I hurt you?”

  “No! No, it was…You were perfect. It was perfect,” She smiled tremulously up at him, her heart exploding inside her. “I’m just so happy. For the first time in so long, I’m happy.”

  His smile was back, sweeter and softer, but shining from his dark eyes as he drank her in. He laid the gentlest kiss on her swollen lips before whispering against them.

  “Me too, my love. Me too.”

  Prologue

  Christmas day, 1844

  The sound of a baby’s cries echoed loudly through the large house, and several sets of hands reached to quiet them. One set of hands reached the child first, picking him up carefully, and cradling him sweetly against his chest.

  Augustus Wilder smiled smugly at the other two, holding the four month old baby boy proudly. “Now, you just let me take care of my grandson.” He tsked, walking into the other room, fussing quietly over the small bundle held lovingly in his arms.

  Luke just shook his head at his father’s retreating back. “Some things will never change.” He smiled at his wife as he said it. She grinned back at him, that familiar fire burning like green fire in her eyes. She walked closer, reaching out to tangle her fingers with his. Leaning into him, she stared at the giant Christmas tree, memories of the past year, and the last Christmas swirling through her thoughts.

  When she remembered her old life, it seemed so far away, as if she had been a different person altogether. She glanced sideways at her husband, so handsome, so kind, thinking of how much they had
both changed. She had never been happier in her entire life, and she owed it all to the man at her side.

  Finally, she turned to him, placing a hand over her stomach. Eleanor had suspected for a while, but now she knew for certain.

  “Well, not all things stay the same, my husband.” She grinned up at him, her secret smile, and he looked down at her quizzically before noticing the hand over her middle. His eyes widened, warmth flooding through him.

  “Really? Are you…are you sure?”

  Eleanor nodded her head, smiling tearfully up at him.

  “Yes, Luke. I’m sure. We are going to have another baby.” Joy shot through her as he let out a loud whoop that had Augustus running back into the room, his eyes wide with panic.

  “What? What is it? What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. Nothing at all!” Luke shouted, running to him and squeezing his father before rushing to Eleanor before lifting her up and spinning her around before finally putting her back on her feet.

  “Let go of me, you brute!” Eleanor laughed up at him as he slowed, but still didn’t let go of her.

  “I love you.” He said, his words full of sweet tenderness. She stared up at him, marveling at how lucky she was. She must have been silent for too long because after a moment he cleared his through, smiling down at her. “I believe the polite response is to reply in kind.”

  She grinned up at him, laughing despite herself.

  “I love you, too, my heart. My rogue cowboy.”

  THE END

  Loved By The Seal

  Chapter 1

  Jenna was exhausted as the day had been long and tiring, she hated stocktaking in her dad’s general store for two reasons, one it was boring and two because her dad was such a pain in the ass about everything being just right.

  His business was successful though, and his keen eye for detail had probably kept the shop going as long as it had. The reasonably sized general store sold just about everything you could hope to find in the small town of Laconia, Indiana. Jenna had started working there when she was still at school and now at 23-years-old she still worked there.

  She didn’t have the heart to tell her parents that she wanted to do something else with her life and see the world. They wouldn’t have understood as to them Laconia was a way of life, everybody knew everybody and nothing ever changed.

  It was approaching Christmas and Jenna had promised to help her dad decorate the store after the stocktaking. She enjoyed this time of year and had to admit that Laconia wasn’t a bad place to be as the season to be jolly approached.

  “You done with those novelty gifts?” her dad’s voice boomed through to the small stock room.

  “Yep all present and correct, can we start on the decorations now?” Jenna replied, growing ever impatient with her dad.

  “Yes, grab the box on your way back out here,” her dad shouted.

  Jenna skipped excitedly toward the staff room where she’d left the box brimming with Christmas decorations earlier that day. It didn’t even occur to her that for a 23-year-old woman of 5’4” perhaps she should start acting more grown-up.

  Jenna’s black frizzy hair bounced as she skipped, it sat just below her shoulders and was her nemesis never doing what she wanted it to do. Most days, like today she’d simply give up with it and allow it to claim its victory over her. There was the odd occasion it behaved and she’d be able to tame it enough to pop it up in a ponytail, but other than that, it lived its life as an unruly mess.

  She reached the staff room, and as she bent over to retrieve the box, her sweater lifted up showing the silky-smooth ebony toned skin on her curvy back. She placed the box on the table and pulled her sweater back down shivering with the cold as she did so.

  Jenna tucked her hair behind her ears and glanced in the small mirror hanging on the wall, she noticed how her dark green eyes looked tired today. She’d had a restless night and had woken up feeling as though she’d not even been to bed. She still lived with her parents just across the street from the store.

  She picked the box up and went back into the store slowly as the box covered her eyes and she couldn’t see a thing.

  “Really dad this box gets friggin heavier every year, what do you do add to it throughout the year?” she muttered as her boot covered feet stepped carefully forward. She banged into someone and heard some of the decorations as they hit the tiled floor. “Seriously dad you can see I’m struggling here and you go and get in my way, really.”

  “Umm sorry I honestly didn’t see you there,” a deep voice mumbled.

  Quickly realizing the voice belonged to a potential customer Jenna put the box down on the floor and as she straightened up she was taken aback by the perfect physique she was looking at. A tight-fitting cream-colored sweater adorned a broad and obviously muscled chest.

  She tilted her head back and looked up at the handsome face of a guy around 27-years-old. Jenna really had to look up, as the guy in front of her had to be 6’4” with very short blonde hair. His chin had a chiseled appearance and as he smiled down at Jenna her knees weakened, his smile was so sexy. His soft pink lips were closed, it wasn’t a broad smile and the right side of his mouth was smiling more than the left side.

  Jenna had never been so taken with a guy’s smile. His skin was pale with the smoothness of cream making it look like velvet.

  She realized she was staring at him and hadn’t actually spoken, “That’s ok, I’m sorry for my outburst I thought you were my dad.”

  “It’s cool here let me help you,” he said bending down and picking the box up as though it were a feather.

  She shifted so she was in front of him in the store’s aisle and asked him to follow her as she walked toward the counter. She could feel his eyes burning on her curvaceous figure and was glad she’d chosen her more flattering black jeans today to match her blue hooded sweater; her boots had a small heel on them so she naturally wiggled as she walked.

  Jenna glanced behind her and saw that his eyes were fixated on her shapely ass and as he caught her looking at her his pale cheeks reddened. She turned back and smiled to herself.

  “Here’s fine thank you so much,” she said as she stared at the hard muscles of his arms through his sweater coupled with the bunching muscles of his broad shoulders.

  “You’re welcome, I’m Riley,” he said as he smiled his sexy one-sided smile.

  “Jenna,” she whispered glancing up at his sheer masculinity and vigor, he was in amazing shape.

  “Have you worked here long?” he asked leaning casually against the counter as he spoke.

  As she gazed into his pale blue eyes; her breath caught in her chest, and as her ample breasts moved up and down rapidly while she caught her breath, his eyes never left them.

  “Yes I started while I was at school, it’s my dad’s store,” she whispered trying so hard to focus on the conversation and not on his incredibly sexy body.

  “If only I’d come in sooner and then we’d have met before. I pass here often on my way to Salem where my folks live,” he said with his eyes now back on her face and not on her cleavage.

  “Coming from where?” she asked hoping her question wasn’t forward.

  He didn’t seem to mind as he replied, “From my Navy Seal base.”

  “I knew it!” she exclaimed and then covered her mouth with embarrassment while he laughed at her outburst.

  “Excuse me?” he asked smiling at her.

  “You’re so, ummm physically fit I knew you just had to be in the military or you worked out on a regular basis,” she mumbled awkwardly staring at the ground and wishing it’d open up and swallow her.

  “Why thank you,” he beamed at her with a great big grin on his handsome face.

  “Jenna are you actually working here today or not?” her dad shouted from the front of the shop where she could see a big queue of customers forming.

  “Oh shit, I better go, it was a pleasure meeting you Riley the Navy Seal,” she said smiling at him as he stood up strai
ght.

  “And you Jenna right I must go and buy what I came in for before I was distracted by a beautiful young lady,” he whispered as he walked by leaving her to walk to the front of the shop on shaking legs, his breath had been hot against her smooth cheek.

  “There you are,” her dad said with a sigh of relief as she hurried behind the counter to serve the agitated customers.

  Laconia wasn’t generally a busy town but for some reason today, the general store was packed, on all the days when Jenna could’ve done with some quiet time to chat to Riley. She looked up and saw him joining the end of the queue, he grinned at her over the top of the other customers that he literally towered over.

  She giggled under her breath as she served the other customers quickly.

  “Wow lightening fingers there on the cash till Jenna,” he said and as he said her name, her skin erupted in goosebumps and she noticed her dad’s head shooting up and looking toward Riley.

  She put his goods through the till and held out her hand to take his money, as he passed it to her his fingers brushed the palm of her hand and she jumped at his light feathery touch. She dropped his money all over the counter.

  “Jenna careful,” her dad shouted.

  “It’s ok sir it was my fault I made her jump,” Riley said as he helped Jenna pick the money up.

  “Sorry dad,” she whispered as she lightly squeezed Riley’s hand and mouthed the words ‘Thank You’ at him as he looked at her.

  He smiled back at her and she rang his goods through the till.

  “Thanks Jenna,” he smiled down at her and as he took his bag of goods from her, he pressed something into her hand and left the store. She could feel her dad’s eyes burning a hole in the back of her head so now the store was clear again she went through to the staff room.