He peered at her nametag. "Ms. Hodge."
"Will there be anything else, Your Grace?"
"Breakfast, please. Twenty minutes, sharp. Eggs, sausage." He turned to her.
"You like scones, Sunshine?"
Felicia frowned, grappling to take it all in--the room, his manner, his affection. "I-I don't need anything special. Toast is fine."
"Do you like scones?" he repeated.
"Of course."
With a smile, the turned back to the prim woman. "Scones, tea, and coffee. A newspaper and the manager at my door in an hour."
The woman curtsied. Honest to goodness curtsied. Felicia's jaw dropped.
"Right away, Your Grace."
With that, she was gone. And Felicia couldn't hold her astonishment in. "People defer to you like that all the time?"
"Usually." He shrugged matter-of-factly.
"No wonder you're impossible to deal with."
"I get what I want." And I want you. His eyes turned dark, silently conveying that fact.
Her belly flipped nervously. "Simon ..."
He layered a soft kiss over her mouth. "Don't worry, I won't give in to my urge to seduce you ... yet. First, we have a few items to scratch off our to-do list. Why don't you have a nice, hot shower? After breakfast, you can take a nap."
"You haven't slept all night."
The sexy smile that stole across his mouth made her heart skip a beat. "You gave me enormous energy last night. I feel ... spectacular. Besides, I'll do nothing more taxing than make a few phone calls, including one to my mother. Go on. I'll wake you when it's time."
"For what? Simon, what is it you've planned? I'm not ready for this public--"
"Shh. You only have to be near me and smile when I ask. I'll take care of everything else. Promise."
Felicia tried not to melt, but it was impossible. Simon frightened her emotionally, but made her feel so safe in every other way. He would handle the press. He would keep Mathias at bay--as he had from the moment he'd spirited her away. Every minute of every day she trusted him a bit more. Somehow, that both comforted and frightened her.
Duke closed the door to the hotel suite after the last of his multitude of guests with a satisfied smile. Finally, everything was arranged. He glanced at his watch. A bit more than an hour to spare.
Perfect.
Duke headed toward the bedroom ... and a view he couldn't resist. Peeling off the coat of the suit he'd had delivered from his London flat for his meeting with the hotel's manager, he draped the garment over a low-backed, cream silk chair. He slipped off his shoes a few steps later. When he reached the bedroom door, he shrugged out of his pristine white shirt and hung it on the back of the knob.
He looked across the room, pausing to lean on the jamb and study his mate tangled in the sheets. She looked so soft and innocent in sleep. Tousled pale hair flowed across her pillow, her lips slightly parted, hands tucked under her cheek.
Warmth flowed through his chest, an endless pool of contentment and love.
In that moment, he couldn't remember his future ever looking brighter. Yes, 139
Mathias was still plotting nefarious acts. His mother was disappointed in his behavior and had said so in no uncertain terms. Mason was ready to throttle him. Nor had Duke won Felicia's heart yet. But she was his. Nothing else mattered. Nothing else ever would.
Shucking off his trousers, he left them near the bedside and slid between the sheets with her. God, she was warm and soft--everything he'd been searching for during a dozen long years of dating tedious models and actresses, pretending happiness.
When he leaned over to kiss her cheek, she stirred. Her lashes fluttered up over sleepy blue eyes. Her gaze was so unguarded, so open, it took his breath away.
"Is it time to get up?"
Duke shook his head. "Soon."
He leaned in and dropped a lingering kiss on her mouth. Once, twice. Then he pressed her to the mattress and half-draped his body over hers, feeling her sweet curves against him.
Felicia tensed.
Undeterred, Duke filtered his hands through her silky curls. "I've missed you."
She hesitated, but he saw her pulse fluttering at the base of her neck. "I've been asleep only a few hours."
"Any time away from you is an eternity."
Felicia nibbled on her bottom lip. "How can you mean that? I-I know you have the magical means of sensing your mate but ..."
"You don't have that luxury. I'm aware of that." He sighed. "The instinct is magickind's way of ensuring wizards pursue the right female for them. I just wish our women had the same assurance."
"You've sacrificed much to keep me safe. But feelings ... aren't easy for me."
Impatience chafed Duke, but he curbed it. The mating instinct told him many things about her character that humans spent years learning. The reverse didn't apply, and he had to keep that in mind.
"I know three days seems like a whirlwind romance. What can I tell you about me to help you feel better about us?"
She paused, grappling with her answer. "I don't think it's that simple. I didn't formally meet you until the day before my wedding, and during the months of planning, Mason painted you as the worst cad. Pictures always showed you with new arm candy.
None ever lasted longer than a week, and I ..." She grimaced.
"You wonder if there's any chance at the end of a week, I'll show you the door.
You know that's not possible."
"Is it? What if you change your mind? You're only with me because magic decrees it. Can that last?" She shook her head. "What if your instinct is wrong?"
Duke's heart nearly burst. If she didn't care about him, none of this would worry her.
"My instinct isn't wrong, and I won't change my mind. I wish I had the perfect words to reassure you. All I can say is, you trusted me with your safety. Do the same with your heart. I know you're guarding it and feel scared, but you are brave. You took the existence of magickind in stride. You escaped from Mathias, carried the Doomsday Diary with you, though it put you in more danger. Every day you do something new that endears you to me. We'll work this out." He grabbed one of her hands and squeezed.
He kissed her again, more invitation than demand. She stiffened, but he persisted.
For a sweet moment, she succumbed, her lips turning soft, clinging. Then she pushed him away again.
"How can you be so sure that what you feel won't pass? Mason told me that you once made love to four women in the same weekend, including his French tutor, and--"
"That was my transition." Damn Mason for passing his bitterness on to Felicia.
"When a wizard turns thirty or thereabouts, his magic asserts itself, and he undergoes an intense few days when he becomes more than human. To complete the transition, we require a great deal of energy. Which, as you now know, means sex."
"And that happened in the middle of your birthday party?"
Duke nodded. "I didn't know what was happening. I didn't know what I'd become until my unique magical power emerged. The earth shook--literally--at my command, and I nearly brought down Lowechester Hall's roof."
"You ... cause earthquakes?" She looked somewhat shaken herself by that fact.
He nodded. "It's not a power I use often. It drains me utterly. And you probably ought to keep that under your hat. Every witch or wizard's unique power is their last line of defense. Somewhat like your built-in lie detector."
"Indeed." She hesitated, staring. "I'm simply ... What a shock transition must have been for you."
"Utterly. I went through the entire process acting purely on instinct. As regrettable as causing a scene at my party and bedding Mason's crush was, I would have died if I hadn't."
Felicia blinked, her blue eyes incredulous. "So those four women ... that's not a habit of yours?"
"No." He sent her a wry smile. "I'm hardly a saint, but I prefer one woman at a time. And from now on, I want only shy little blondes with sharp tempers and sweet lips."
Felicia blushed. "You're flattering me."
"One of my favorite things to do."
"Stop."
He smiled. Really truly smiled. "What shall I do instead? I have ideas ..."
Shifting the lower half of his body closer, he brushed his erection against her thigh. She blinked up at him. "You--you're naked!"
"That's generally how a wizard makes love to his mate. Though I wouldn't object to working around clothing every now and again for something fast and scorching. But having you stretched out bare and warmed by sleep beneath me is a luxury I'll take advantage of every chance I get."
For the first time in his life, Duke wanted to close his eyes and completely give himself to someone, not to rev up his energy, but to exchange love. He ached for Felicia to do the same, but knew he needed to give her some time to open herself to him, be free of her fears and absolved of whatever guilt she felt for betraying Mason. Complete trust in three days was a tall order.
He drew his free hand over her shoulder and down her arm, until he clasped her hand and drew it above her head. Guiding her fingers around the edges of the headboard, he held them there with a gentle, but firm grip. He repeated the process with the other hand. Rearing back, she peered at him with a question.
"Leave your hands here until I tell you otherwise."
"But--"
"No talking. Your only responsibility is to lie back and enjoy the pleasure I give you. Say nothing, think of nothing, only feel."
Duke didn't give Felicia a chance to reply before he wrapped his hand beneath her head and kissed her, urging her lips apart so he could sink into the candy haven of her mouth and stroke deep.
Beneath him, she hesitated, then opened to him. Responded to him. Perfect. She was like silken sugar everywhere, sweet, soft, addicting.
With a gasp, she pulled away, wriggled beneath him. "Simon, the danger and Mason--"
"Are not issues at the moment." He pressed her fingers around the headboard again. "Lie still. Let me handle everything. Just feel."
His taking control and removing the appearance of responsibility allowed her to be in the moment. After a long hesitation, she nodded and gripped the headboard.
Thrilled, he dove back into the kiss, brushing his mouth over hers, his tongue dancing languidly with hers. Her breath began to stutter. Her body tightened. Her nipples peaked.
Smiling between kisses, he peeled back the sheet to reveal her white bra and knickers.
"But ..."
He shook his head and tossed the sheet down, to tangle at their feet. "I'm going to make love to you now. And again tonight. Then tomorrow morning, provided I make it through the long night without waking up and needing you."
She sucked in a stunned breath. "Simon, I-- That's not a good idea."
"Why? You feel something for me."
"I do, but ... I'm sorry. You've done so much for me." Regret shone from her blue eyes, even as they became earnest and open. For the first time, Felicia wasn't running from her own emotion. "I need time."
Simon suspected she'd used that line on Mason with great efficiency.
"We have none. The danger is still coming. To fight it, we must stay together. But damn it, I want to be more to you than the means to stay alive."
Her face softened, a mixture of affection and guilt. "You are."
"A friend?"
"Yes."
A safe answer, but an unacceptable one.
"That's not all. We're mated. We've bonded. I know most humans don't fall in love in three days. I'll do my best to be patient. Just ... don't hold yourself back from me."
She shook her head. "I'm not accustomed to this much ... attention."
"Surely I'm not the only man to want you madly." Felicia looked away, and a suspicion ripped through Duke's head. He froze. "Am I?"
"Well, I ... Tristan wasn't very sexual. We ... it was just twice. I never let anyone else touch me after that."
"Except Mason," he pointed out, gritting his teeth.
She squirmed under his hard gaze. "Not even Mason."
Three whispered words, and Duke felt as if someone had punched him in the gut.
He gasped, "Mason never took you to bed?"
"No," she whispered.
Triumph jetted through his veins. Felicia was his. Tristan? An inconsequential 142
figure from her past. All that mattered was that she had never given Mason the sweet gift of her body. His heart lightened. If Felicia didn't care for or trust him, she would have never allowed him to make love to her, much less reciprocated with such abandon.
Then confusion set in. "But you planned to have children with him."
"Yes, but I told Mason I wanted to wait until we were married. He didn't seem troubled by the request, so I never imagined that he desired me or had feelings beyond friendship until our wedding day."
"Let me be clear: I can't live without you. I don't intend to try. I plan on spending the next thousand years with you. Give me the chance to prove to you that my instinct is right. Lie back, hold on, and feel me."
Bathed in the soft afternoon sunlight, Felicia flushed a pretty pink once more and bit her lip, now swollen from his kisses. Her soft blond curls tumbled around her shoulders, longer strands curling beneath her breasts cupped in peek-a-boo lace.
