He laughed softly and stopped himself just in time before leaning down to kiss her. There were only so many scandalous kisses he could get away with in one evening, and he was afraid he’d already reached his limit.
Their next kiss would have to be stolen. Maybe he could sneak into her bedroom after the guests had left or maybe—
“You’ve taught me something too, you know.”
His shocked gaze met hers. “I have?”
She nodded. “I truly admire your dedication to your family and your responsibilities. I only hope I make you proud as your wife.”
“You will,” he said. “And I hope to make you happy as your husband.”
She grinned. “You will.”
“Right then,” he said. “That’s all settled.” Once more he nearly forgot himself. Gazing down into those delightful green eyes, her lips so soft and parted as though ready for his kiss…
She pushed him back gently. “Careful, Your Grace. I’m afraid we’ve already scandalized the ton and I’d rather not have my wedding day ruined by gossip about my loose morals.”
He groaned but pulled back because she was right. Looking around them he saw just how right she was. “Good God, everyone is staring again.”
She laughed softly. “They haven’t stopped staring, Rhys. Not since you first strode toward me through the ballroom like some sort of knight in shining armor.” She finished with a sigh, but he was hardly listening.
“Say it again,” he said quietly. “My name. Say it again, please.”
Her cheeks flushed. “Rhys.”
He held back another groan at the sheer pleasure of hearing her call him by his given name. It spoke of the intimacy between them now, and what was to come.
“You can’t blame them, you know,” Georgie said, interrupting his thoughts.
“Pardon?”
She nodded toward a crowd of people on the sidelines who were watching their every move as he led her around the dancefloor. “I don’t blame them for being intrigued. What you did, proposing in front of everyone like that…” She sighed dreamily. “It was the most romantic thing I’ve ever seen.”
The force of joy that swept through him nearly made him fall to his knees at her feet. He would have begged her to stay by his side always if she hadn’t said yes. Her power over him was complete and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
He cleared his throat, which felt raw with unspoken emotion. Like years’ worth of feelings were trying to claw their way out from the cold, guarded cage where he’d been keeping them cut off from the world.
The woman who’d wrought this life-altering change in him didn’t seem to notice that he was grappling with the overwhelming force of this new all-powerful emotion. She was beaming up at him and he focused on her happiness and the joy inside him that matched it completely.
“I had no idea you could be such a romantic.” Her eyes still held a dreaminess that he would cherish to his dying day.
“Do you like it?” he teased, for the answer was obvious.
Her smile grew. “I love it.” She bit her lip and he saw a flicker of nervousness in those expressive eyes before she said quietly, “I love you.”
He groaned as he pulled her against him tightly—bystanders be damned. “Oh Georgie, I love you more than anything in the world.”
He kissed her hard and fierce, hoping to show her just how much he loved her. He pulled back too soon, aware once again of their surroundings. Besides, he’d have the rest of their lives to show her just how much she was loved.
She blinked her eyes open with a smile. If she kept smiling at him like that he wouldn’t be able to resist kissing her again, and they’d already provided quite enough fodder for the gossips.
So instead he twirled her around the dancefloor and gave her a teasing scowl. “I’m glad to hear you like this new romantic side since I blame you for it.”
She laughed as he’d hoped she would. “Oh dear. Your cranky tone makes me think that perhaps you’re not happy with your new role as society’s dashing hero.”
“I’m not,” he lied. At this particular moment he honestly couldn’t care what anyone aside from this woman thought of him. But he was having fun making her smile. “I made a fool of myself tonight.”
“Perhaps,” she said with a laugh. “But you were a fool for love. Trust me, those ladies of the list will be swooning over this for the rest of the season.”
He smiled down at her. “Well too bad for them, because this fool has found his duchess and she is far too good for some silly list.”
Her answering laughter filled his heart with happiness.
This was the sound that he hoped to hear in his house for the rest of his life.
Epilogue
Two months later…
Georgie leaned forward, the sheet tucked under her arms while she jotted down a note to herself on the side table. She’d snuck out of bed to retrieve the quill and parchment before returning to her place in bed beside her husband, who she tried her best not to wake.
Poor dear deserved his sleep.
They’d only been married for a week but she wasn’t certain they would ever leave bed at this rate. For two people so different, it seemed they’d finally found one passion which they both shared.
Making love was a most excellent use of time. However, at some point they would have to make an appearance in society as newlyweds, and then there were the social obligations on her part and business duties for her husband and—
The feel of his hand on the small of her back interrupted her thoughts. He trailed a lazy circle on her bare skin making her shiver all over. When she turned to face him, she saw the handsomest face in all the world.
To her, at least. He might still look brooding, particularly in the early morning like right now. But she now knew with full certainty that the man beneath that fierce scowl was one of the kindest and most generous she had ever known.
As he tugged the sheet down with a wicked grin she took a moment to appreciate just how generous he was…in their marital bed.
Goodness but the man knew how to make her happy.
“What are you doing awake?” he grumbled, tugging her down so she was pressed against him, her very favorite place to be.
Except that she’d determined today be different from every other day since they’d wed. At some point they had to return to real life, and today would be that day.
She held herself back gently when his kiss threatened to turn into something more. “We need to get out of bed,” she said in what she hoped was a stern voice but which came out rather sad.
After all, she was enjoying this little post-wedding holiday as much as he. But she was also determined to be the best duchess the Roxborough dukedom had ever seen. And that began now.
He frowned at her. “Why must we get out of bed?”
She grinned. “There are these pesky things called obligations,” she said teasingly. “Duties. Responsibility.”
He laughed as he rolled until he hovered over her. “I cannot believe that I am getting a lecture on responsibilities from my wife. Weren’t you the one who is forever espousing the benefits of diverting entertainment?”
She nodded. “Oh yes. That has not changed. But how is a wife to surprise her husband with an illicit picnic in their bedroom over luncheon when said husband never leaves the bedroom?”
He pretended to mull that over. “Ah, I see the dilemma.”
She arched her brows knowingly.
His gaze was caught by quill and paper beside the bed. “What were you working on?”
Honestly she’d been distracted by the way his deliciously hard chest was pressing down on her and the way his thigh fit so perfectly between hers and had no answer. “Uh…pardon?”
His grin was wicked. He knew exactly where her mind had wandered. “You were up early fulfilling some mysterious duty?” he prompted before dipping his head to plant a quick kiss on her neck.
Too quick. She bit her lip before she could ask
for more. Duties, remember? Obligations.
What had he asked? Oh yes, her list. “I am planning our first house party as man and wife.”
He arched his brows. “A house party?” His disappointment was clear. “Must I share you with others?”
“I’m afraid so. But not until we return to the country after the season is over. I was thinking a holiday house party.”
He scowled down at her but she knew better than to take that frown seriously. “To what end?”
She laughed. “To what end? Have you never attended a house party before?”
He waited patiently for an answer. Clearly he saw through her innocent routine. She did have an ulterior motive, but it wasn’t anything duplicitous. “Oh, all right. I thought it might be nice for you to spend some time with my family. They’re very important to me and they’d like to know you better.”
“I’ve met your family. They were at our wedding, remember? Well, except for Anne, though it is hardly my fault she birthed a child so soon after we became betrothed.” He had that look which told her he was arguing just to argue. Her husband loved to bicker, probably because he loved to make up even more.
“Yes, but aside from Claire, you don’t know them well. Why, you’ve barely said more than a few words to Collin and the twins.”
“All right,” he said slowly. “I would be happy to spend more time with your family. Anyone who is important to you is important to me.”
“Thank you,” she said. “And I think it will be good for your mother, too. Haven’t you noticed that she seems to be less consumed by her grief when she’s surrounded by friends?”
He nodded. “So what is the other reason then?”
She sighed and rolled her eyes. She should know better than to try and hide anything from her all-seeing husband. “Oh, all right. I’d like to see Jed and Nicholas mend their rift, and what better way than to put them together in the same house?”
He let out a snort that was part amusement but mainly disbelief. “Do you really think Jed will forgive and forget that his best friend nearly ruined your sister?”
“But it didn’t happen like that,” she protested. “Oh, never mind. If they don’t mend their rift, then perhaps you and Jed could have a better understanding, at the very least.”
He grunted an acknowledgement at that. Her eldest brother had declined an invitation to the soiree of the season, as it was now being called. He hadn’t exactly been delighted to learn that Rhys had proposed to her, in front of the ton’s elite, no less, without asking his permission first.
It would have been all for show, of course. After all, Rhys was a duke. But her brother’s pride was still wounded over the whole Nicholas and Claire episode and Rhys’s untraditional proposal had not helped matters.
Rhys’s grimace was filled with chagrin. “That was wrong of me. I really should have asked his permission first.”
“Yes, but that would have ruined your lovely romantic gesture in the ballroom.”
He gave a wry grin. “I did apologize to Jed.”
“Quite beautifully, too,” she said, with only a hint of teasing. “Lord Malcolm had better be careful or he might be replaced as society’s reigning poet.”
Rhys groaned good-naturedly as he tackled her once more with nuzzling kisses beneath her chin that left her gasping for air. When he leaned back his dark eyes were filled with a passion that mirrored her own. “Tell me again, wife, about these obligations we need to tend to?”
“Oh, you devil,” she said with a breathless laugh as she twined her arms around his neck once more. “All right, you win. I suppose we can put obligations on hold for one more day. The real world will still be there in the morning.”
He grinned down at her before leaning in for another kiss. “Something tells me mornings like this are the new reality,” he said. “And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Thank you for reading A Duke’s Distraction! If you enjoyed it, reviews are greatly appreciated. If you missed Anne and Davenport’s story, you can find it in Earl of Davenport, a standalone novella from the multi-author Wicked Earls’ Club series.
Did you miss Claire and Nicholas’s story? You can find it in A Rake’s Ruin.
Stay tuned for A Gentleman’s Gamble, releasing August 2018, in which Jed Cleveland meets his match.
About the Author
MAGGIE DALLEN IS a big city girl living in Montana. She writes romantic comedies in a range of genres including young adult, historical, contemporary, and fantasy. An unapologetic addict of all things romance, she loves to connect with fellow avid readers. Subscribe to her historical newsletter at http://eepurl.com/dgUNif or her contemporary newsletter at http://eepurl.com/bFEVsL
LINKS & OTHER WORKS
Facebook: facebook.com/MaggieDallenAuthor
Twitter: twitter.com/Mag_Dallen
Website: maggiedallen.com
Check out Maggie’s other books:
Historical Romance
The Reluctant Spy
The Reluctant Bride
One Night at Sea
Barely a Fairy Tale Series
Cinderella Blackmail
Snow White Espionage
Rose Red Rebellion
Beauty & The Heist
Starting from Zero Series
Love Times Two
Less Than Three
The Plus One
Chance Romance Series
The Accidental Engagement
The Accidental Boyfriend
The Accidental Elopement
Sexy in Spades Seres
Lust for Life
Passion for Players
Desire for Days
Reel Romance Series
Her Leading Man
His Leading Lady
Her Leading Hero
What the critics say about Maggie’s books!
"What an absolutely delightful romantic romp....The Accidental Engagement is such a lighthearted, simply fun read. I could easily picture this as a romantic comedy movie...I would definitely recommend this for anyone who loves to... well, fall in love. Indulge yourself and enjoy."
—KEEPER BOOKSHELF
"A fun read, I recommend The Accidental Engagement for any romance reader looking for something sweet."
—HARLEQUIN JUNKIE
"I loved every minute of this story and couldn’t put it down until the very last page...I can’t wait to see what Maggie Dallen has in store for her other characters...Maggie Dallen is now on my must-read list."
—EYE ON ROMANCE
A Duke’s Distraction Page 15