Read Online The Bedford Beauty (A Regency Novella) by Erika Hunter - Free Book Online
Authors: Erika Hunter
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her. “I'm a means to your revenge against Lord Bedford.”
“No! I care
for you. I've known you forever and I want to see you safe and happy,” Blake
explained, palms open at his sides.
Alice wanted
to cry. She loved this man and he esteemed her, but did not love her. He was willing
to sacrifice his own freedom to marry her and he clearly desired her but he
didn't love her.
Alice nodded
her head and let the conversation drop. She told him she needed to rest, and
Blake went down and ordered supper while she removed her travel clothes and
slipped into her white cotton nightgown. It didn't matter what Blake saw her
in. They had made love and it couldn’t be undone, she had to marry him now.
There were worse things than a loveless marriage such as an abusive one or
unrequited love. She loved Blake while he looked at their marriage as an
obligation, though she knew he wanted her, it wasn’t enough. Her heart
shattered into a thousand pieces as she realized her fate. Tears wet her eyes.
#
Alice and
Blake ate supper in silence. She struggled to get food past the lump in her
throat. He didn't love her or he would have told her already. She only had two options
remaining now since she was compromised, either marry Blake or become an old
maid. Mother and Papa would never want her to become the latter. She was
supposed to do them proud and bring a title into the family. They will be
furious with her.
Alice sighed
unhappily and shot a quick look at Blake across the small table. The man oozed
confidence, virility, and sensuality. A lock of dark midnight hair fell across
his brow, his full lips chewed his food with slow, deliberate movements, and
those intense eyes watched her with tension and unease lurking in them.
“What are you
thinking?” Blake asked her, leaning forward and touching her hand lightly.
How
incredible he looked and how much it would kill her to marry him without her
love returned, but she held her tongue.
“Were you
planning to gain my consent and go to Gretna Green or do we still have the
option to return to Bedford?” she asked instead with a hollow voice. She could
not tell him the truth of her feelings, not when he had the power to smash her
heart to bits.
Blake set his
fork down and gazed at her across the table.
“What do you
want?” he asked with his deep, warm voice.
Alice sighed
again. Good question.
Blake stood,
came around the table, and turned her chair toward him. He knelt before her and
pressed himself between her thighs, as much as her cotton nightgown would
allow. Heat coursed through her and the desire to pull him close and kiss him
was excruciating.
“Do you want
to marry me?” he asked and leaned into her, his lips descending toward hers.
Her eyes drifted closed as his mouth met hers. She could feel his warm, hot
breath and the smooth pressure of his lips against her skin. He smelled
delicious, like soapy freshness and a unique scent of his own. He pulled back
and waited.
“What?” Alice
tried to remember what he'd asked before she became a panting wanton. Blake
smiled with male satisfaction and caressed her cheek.
“Marry me
Alice. I want you to want this.” He stroked her cheek and nipped at her lips playfully.
God, he could arouse her so easily.
“Will it only
be a good friendship between us then?” Alice asked in a shaking voice. His lips
were distracting her, but she had to get her thoughts out while was still
coherent.
Blake pulled
back to stare at her with a frown. “It will be bliss between us. You will have
everything you could possibly want, except perhaps a title but I do not think
that would make you happy.”
“And you know
what will make me happy?” she asked sharply.
Blake gave
her a seductive smile that melted her insides. He pulled her into his arms then
and he kissed her hungrily with eager, anxious lips. He lifted her to her feet
and framed her face with his hands. Those wicked hands roamed her body, molding
her to him. She
“No! I care
for you. I've known you forever and I want to see you safe and happy,” Blake
explained, palms open at his sides.
Alice wanted
to cry. She loved this man and he esteemed her, but did not love her. He was willing
to sacrifice his own freedom to marry her and he clearly desired her but he
didn't love her.
Alice nodded
her head and let the conversation drop. She told him she needed to rest, and
Blake went down and ordered supper while she removed her travel clothes and
slipped into her white cotton nightgown. It didn't matter what Blake saw her
in. They had made love and it couldn’t be undone, she had to marry him now.
There were worse things than a loveless marriage such as an abusive one or
unrequited love. She loved Blake while he looked at their marriage as an
obligation, though she knew he wanted her, it wasn’t enough. Her heart
shattered into a thousand pieces as she realized her fate. Tears wet her eyes.
#
Alice and
Blake ate supper in silence. She struggled to get food past the lump in her
throat. He didn't love her or he would have told her already. She only had two options
remaining now since she was compromised, either marry Blake or become an old
maid. Mother and Papa would never want her to become the latter. She was
supposed to do them proud and bring a title into the family. They will be
furious with her.
Alice sighed
unhappily and shot a quick look at Blake across the small table. The man oozed
confidence, virility, and sensuality. A lock of dark midnight hair fell across
his brow, his full lips chewed his food with slow, deliberate movements, and
those intense eyes watched her with tension and unease lurking in them.
“What are you
thinking?” Blake asked her, leaning forward and touching her hand lightly.
How
incredible he looked and how much it would kill her to marry him without her
love returned, but she held her tongue.
“Were you
planning to gain my consent and go to Gretna Green or do we still have the
option to return to Bedford?” she asked instead with a hollow voice. She could
not tell him the truth of her feelings, not when he had the power to smash her
heart to bits.
Blake set his
fork down and gazed at her across the table.
“What do you
want?” he asked with his deep, warm voice.
Alice sighed
again. Good question.
Blake stood,
came around the table, and turned her chair toward him. He knelt before her and
pressed himself between her thighs, as much as her cotton nightgown would
allow. Heat coursed through her and the desire to pull him close and kiss him
was excruciating.
“Do you want
to marry me?” he asked and leaned into her, his lips descending toward hers.
Her eyes drifted closed as his mouth met hers. She could feel his warm, hot
breath and the smooth pressure of his lips against her skin. He smelled
delicious, like soapy freshness and a unique scent of his own. He pulled back
and waited.
“What?” Alice
tried to remember what he'd asked before she became a panting wanton. Blake
smiled with male satisfaction and caressed her cheek.
“Marry me
Alice. I want you to want this.” He stroked her cheek and nipped at her lips playfully.
God, he could arouse her so easily.
“Will it only
be a good friendship between us then?” Alice asked in a shaking voice. His lips
were distracting her, but she had to get her thoughts out while was still
coherent.
Blake pulled
back to stare at her with a frown. “It will be bliss between us. You will have
everything you could possibly want, except perhaps a title but I do not think
that would make you happy.”
“And you know
what will make me happy?” she asked sharply.
Blake gave
her a seductive smile that melted her insides. He pulled her into his arms then
and he kissed her hungrily with eager, anxious lips. He lifted her to her feet
and framed her face with his hands. Those wicked hands roamed her body, molding
her to him. She
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