The Next Duke

Fourteen

Lillian knew she wasn't alone in bed when she next opened her eyes. She was lying on her stomach and was embracing a large pillow. Joseph was half on top of her. She could feel his body pressed against her and warming her up. She closed her eyes again as the image of what happened the previous night assaulted her.

She groaned and buried her face on her pillow. She felt him move as he wrapped his arms around her. She felt the tiny hairs on his chin caress her face as he kissed her cheek, "Good morning, love," he said then trailed kisses down her back.

Lillian shivered at his touch, she hissed and moved her shoulders as though she could get away from him. She felt him chuckle and then he turned her over making him face her. Immediately, she covered her mouth with her hand. "Morning breath is given to everyone, love. Come now, father wants us to join him for breakfast. Unless you want to offer me something more enticing?"

She completely turned red and vehemently shook her head. Joseph chuckled and placed his head between her breasts and breathed in their joined scents. "I always fantasized sleeping and waking like this with you. Do you know the torture I went through each time I watched you sleep?"

"You watched me sleep?" she asked.

He nodded, "I always wondered why of all people you. I didn't even like you to begin with. You refuse me and you still do, mind you. You're not like any woman I've been with. Believe me, I have been refused a few times in my life, but I didn't expect it to come from you."

"Believe me, it is easy to refuse you, you're not my type," she replied.

"I know, you like those gentlemen who would open doors for you and treat you like fragile glass. I bet your Luke never showed jealousy."

He was right, Luke did treat her that way. "There is trust between us," she replied.

"And yet, here you are, heart broken and with a man who is completely the opposite of the qualities of a man you desire," he said and was tempted to do something about her nipple.

Lillian closed her eyes and released the breath she had been holding. The man sounded like the cat who ate the cream. "Your lordship."

"Yes?" he asked.

"You tell me you love me, are you even sure? We barely know each other," she said.

"I know you officially and unofficially, Lillian. In the past two months we've been together, you're a woman easy to love. You're sweet, loving, compassionate. You love with your whole heart. Yes, you get angry. I can see electricity fly from your eyes each time the kids come home with their problems. Especially Trevor, stay away from him."

He moved up next to her, "Trevor?" she asked in disbelief. "Trevor? Why? He's my kid."

"Trevor is in love with you. When you rescued him from the chicken race, after seeing you drive, you're like the complete package to him," he said.

She didn't look at him. "Then I want to make this clear between us. Whatever happened last night will not happen again. As you said we do not share the same sentiments towards each other."

He gave her a dark look at that, "All right."

"I don't want to hurt you. And I don't want to believe that there is a happy ending in this fairy tale. We live in different worlds, and we are moving too fast. I just came from a relationship that has no closure. I am still in love with him."

His face just became blank, "Are you sure about that?"

The hurt was evident in her eyes, "I just want some answers, I want to find myself first. Whatever is happening between us is just too fast for me. You didn't like me when we met, I didn't like you either."