The Next Duke

Twenty Two

Lillian walked to the chapel to clear her head. The party had just finished a couple of hours after midnight and right now, clean up was in progress and the Duke's staff was taking care of it. "You shouldn't be walking alone at a time like this," Joseph said as he walked to catch up with her.

She turned and smiled at him they were now standing on the hill a couple of meters from the chapel. She noticed he had stopped and stared at her. She frowned and wondered if there was something wrong. "Do I look like a deranged panda?" she asked dryly. She was still dressed in her gown, to ward off the cold, she was surprised the gown also had a matching coat. So she was now walking in snow in style.

He paused then walked up to her. "A what... No... Quite the opposite, really. You look very beautiful. I'm sorry I just mentioned it. But you certainly were the belle of the ball tonight."

She raised her brow, "Are you telling me this, now?" she asked in amusement. She wondered what was going on, Joseph was never like this. He was behaving like an infatuated school boy. He seemed rattled, "Is this because we're alone now?"

He scowled he was now standing a few inches from her. "I just had the talk with your brother. You're his whole world, love."

"As he is mine, all we have are each other," she said and looked up at the stars.

Joseph pulled her close to him, "You have me, now."

She placed her hands on his shoulders and inhaled his sweet, outdoorsy, muscular scent. She opened her eyes and saw the stars. "Hi, mama, papa. It's me, Lillian. I miss you guys so much. I'd like you to meet, Joseph. He's an annoyingly stubborn rich kid who thinks the world revolves around him."

"I don't think your parents are thrilled to hear that," Joseph interrupted, he was offended.

She tightened her arms around him. "But he's kind and sweet, he's thoughtful, a good friend, and he cares a lot about me. Could you watch over him too? He means a lot to me."

He tightened his arms around her and brought her closer to his heart. He looked into her eyes and saw the stars were reflected in them. "So beautiful," he said as he felt something tug in his heart.

Captivated, all the woman in his arms could do was stare back, breath caught at the back of her throat, she encircled his neck with his arms and pulled his head down. Gently, he placed his lips against hers in a soft kiss. He used the tip of his tongue to trace her lips before she opened them for him. That was when the kiss turned hot, he bit her lower lip to open for him and in response, she pressed herself closer to his body.

Desire shot down to Lillian's being. Liquid fire began to travel down her veins and knew she was lost. Heat, burning intense heat began to build where she began to feel empty and she began to throb. She gasped, she was familiar with this feeling, she knew he could bring her to greater heights and knew he would think only of her. But what about him? What about her loyalty to the man who had used to hold her heart?

Lillian knew she had to stop lying to herself. The man in her arms had captured her and knew nor only did her body belong to this man but so did her heart. In the space of four months, he was able to break down the walls she had built around herself in order to protect her heart. He had shown her romance more than Luke ever did. He supported her more than Luke did. Joseph is right, he is the better man, and she had fallen for him.

Joseph ended the kiss as he tore his lips away from hers. He had to stop now or else he was going to end up taking Lillian in the cold soft snow. He looked around him and saw snow had began to fall around them. "I should take this as a blessing," He said as he tightened his arms around her.