My Darling Duke (The Sinful Wallflowers Book 1)

But it went against her nature to give up anything, and this…this was a forever kind of love.

A man once lauded as an orator in parliament for his speeches championing the indigent found himself bereft of words.

“Charlotte may not make it; her mother has forced her to take a carriage ride with the odious Viscount Mauler,” Fanny said crossly, closing the book. “He attempted to take liberties with her on their last outing, and she smacked him with her parasol. I am surprised he is still pursuing her.”

His expression was inscrutable, and for a moment he said nothing. The marquess was a terribly handsome man with his raven-black hair and eyes as dark as the night itself. That uncomfortable penetrating gaze cut to Charlotte, who stood on the sidelines tapping her feet with a wistful look on her face as she observed the current dancers. For a moment

“I love you, and Mamma, Henrietta, and Judith,” Kitty said softly. “I’m not ashamed for what I did.”

“A couple of hours ago, she left this room with such haste, it was as if the devil chased her. There were many tears on her face. And in her eyes, I have never witnessed such heartbreak.”

She reached between them and pressed the flat of her palm against his chest, right above his heart. She could feel its beat drumming fast and hard beneath her touch, and his chest was moving rapidly. “Let me love you,” she whispered against the pulse fluttering madly at his throat before biting down hard.

“You make me hope,” he snarled low and dangerous. “Like a goddamn idiot, you make me pray, you make my throat burn with the need to scream and beg God to give you to me, to treasure, to worship…to love until the end of my days.” He had to close his eyes to control his ragged breathing.

“Do not look at me like that, Katherine. I made no promises.” “Then make them now.”