Read A Duke's Scandalous Temptation Online
Authors: Char Marie Adles
A Duke's Scandalous Temptation (3 page)
I sniffled. “I brought you up, carried you on my back.” I frowned, “You are really heavy, you know.”
He laughed and then groaned in pain. After a few moments he relaxed. “Thank you, I don’t like the thought of bleeding to death on my own floor.”
“I don’t think you would have really died, but you need stitches to close that I called for a doctor but none has come I can’t even find Johnson.” My lower lip trembled.
“Darling, I faced war and came back alive, even if in a few pieces, there is no way this could kill me. I can’t die now when I have something to live for. A very special reason,” he said softly.
I cried over his chest a bit with him stroking my head and soon I yawned again.
“What time do you think it is, Darling?” he asked.
“About midnight now I suppose.”
“Time for bed then, you need some sleep,” he ordered.
“I will not leave this room until I doctor comes to look at you!” I said sitting up and crossing my arms over my chest.
“But-” he started.
“No buts,” I cut in. “I will stay here! If I have to sleep on the floor I will.”
Suddenly he tugged me onto the bed where I tumbled over him. He gave me a grin and then winced.
“Sleep on the bed then,” at my worried look he added, “I won’t do anything to you.”
Too tired to argue I said, “Wake me up if something is wrong, got that?” then I drifted off before I could hear what he said.
…
Warm and toasty was what it felt like to wake up in the arms of a man and I found I like quite much indeed, but the next event of there being a knock on the door and then a short little man with only a few tuffs of white hair on his head walked in calling, “Yer Grace?”
I scrambled off the bed, and over to the little man and pointed at Lord Brendan. “He had a bad fall and hit his head, I did the best I could but I fear that it may need stitches, and please,” I added more quietly, “Do not stare at his scars it bugs him.”
The old man smiled and patted my hand. “Don’t worry dear, we’ll get him fixed right up.”
The doctor was quick and it was almost painless, but I had to turn away for I loathed needles so. When he was done the doctor told him loudly he needed his rest, some good food and good person to take care of him. The old man winked her way and said to Lord Brendan, “You have a must becoming wife, my lord, but not only that she may have saved your life. You are very lucky.”
Without either of us to get a word in he left with a wink and a smile.
I turned to Lord Brendan and blushed clear to my roots. “I am sorry he mistook-”
“Well I am not, now come here,” he demanded from where he was propped up with pillows. I did as I was bid and sat when he told me too. Lord Brendan took my hands in his and gently stroked them with his thumbs. The accident has had me thinking and I believe it is best for both of us-”
Please don’t send me away now!
“-that we stay together as a team of sorts. I clearly need you. What do you think?”
Puzzled I frowned a bit thinking. “I guess so.”
He laugh softly at my confused. “I am asking you to stay. With me. Forever.”
My eyes widened. “What?!”
He frown slightly. “Is it not to your liking?”
I shook my head vigorously. “Not at all! I was merely surprised. I would love too. As long as you are okay with one thing?”
“What is that?” he asked seriously.
“You have to let me love you. I won’t stay without love,” I said a smiled softly.
He pulled my close and squeezed me. “Thank you for bothering to put up with an old man.”
“You are not an old man, you are my brother’s age I think, you did grow up together which makes you no older than thirty, and I am eighteen, my Mama was younger than Papa by twenty, it’s alright.” I tapped my chin with my finger, “The only problem is telling my brother that I am going to be your mistress.”
Brendan spluttered, “Mistress? That what you got out of what I asked you.”
“Well yes in general terms,” I said with a smile. “I don’t mind.”
He sat me down and stared into my eyes. “I don’t want you as my mistress.”
“But-”
“No, I want you to marry me. I did mean forever, there will be no breaks. Besides,” he grinned, “my mistress is the sea.”
Chapter Four
“I don’t think he took the news so well,” I whispered in my husband’s ear. His answering chuckle was payment enough for the act my brother was making. At first he had laughed then he had yelled and now he was simply gaping at us.
“You didn’t want a wife,” Jackson stated at Brendan.
Brendan nodded. “I didn’t want a wife I wanted your sister, my old friend.”
Then his gaze rested on me, “You needed a husband…so you married him?”
“I didn’t want nor need one, but you cannot control love.” I gave my husband’s hand a squeeze. “I guess everything happens for a reason.”
Finally Jackson smiled again. “Beauty and the Beast, so the fairy tales are true.”
“Which will make your tale of the Three Bears,” I said with a laugh, “
just be careful whose house you wonder into brother dear.”
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