Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 54630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 273(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 273(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
The tears flowed endlessly, but still she choked out, “Again.”
“I love you. I promise to say it as many times as you want if you will have me as your husband.”
In answer, she gave him her hand, and Mary choked, finding it hard to breathe as she watched the duke slowly slide the ring on her finger.
“No longer your mistress,” she whispered.
“No longer my mistress,” he agreed rawly. Bending down to brush his lips against her ringed finger, he whispered, “From now on, you’re the woman I’m proud to have as my duchess.”
Epilogue
Season 2. Episode 11.
Harrods
“Oh, no. No, no, no.” She shook her head profusely, but the gleam in her husband’s eyes told her refusal was pointless.
Times like this, she almost wished she had her one-expression-duke back. The old Duke of Flanders would have rather been caught dead than suggest—-
Rathe took her hand. “Yes, we will.” Nodding at the woman staring at him in besotted fashion, he murmured, “Could you please show me where your sexiest lingerie is?”
“R-right away, Your Grace,” the store manager stammered, looking even more starry-eyed while beside the duke, Mary moaned in embarrassment.
“I do not see what the big deal is about. Husbands do this all the time for their wives, do they not?”
“Maybe they do, but not all husbands have them for company.” She jerked her head towards the camera crew in their trail. “No o-offense meant,” she mumbled quickly, just in case they did take offense.
“None taken,” was the cheerful reply from the three guys, all of whom were openly gay.
The store manager came back. “Your Grace? If you could follow me?”
Taking Rathe and Mary to a private area of the boutique, she waited until her VIP couple was seated before nodding to an attendant.
A girl stepped forward, presenting to them a lacy black garter slip. “This is one of our most popular items in the store,” the manager described. “As you can see, it has detachable parts in all the right places.” To demonstrate, the woman detached the fabric covering the crotch area.
Mary choked.
Beside her, Rathe nodded in his usual ducal fashion. “Impressive. Please give me five of those.”
“F-five, Your Grace?”
“Just for contingency. I tend to rip such things when I can’t wait to have my wife.”
Mary’s jaw dropped. “Rathe!”
He turned to her immediately. “What is it?”
“You didn’t have to tell her that!”
“But why? Did I not promise to you that I will never shut you out and that there will never be any lies uttered between us?”
“But not like...” The genuine bemusement on the duke’s handsome face made her shake her head in a mixture of love and exasperation. “N-never mind.”
Rathe looked back at the manager. “Proceed.”
“This second item is for our Valentines’ Day bikini collection.” It was a two-piece item, with the bikini cups shaped like hearts.
“Oh, that’s cute,” Mary exclaimed, entranced with the lovely design.
Beside her, Rathe shook his head. “It’s no good.”
Mary tried not to feel insulted. “Are you saying I don’t know what’s a good fit for me?”
“I suppose?” Worse, the duke had the gall to look at her like he didn’t understand why she was acting so offended.
After shooting her husband a glare, Mary turned to the manager, saying shortly, “I’m going to take that.”
Before the assistant could answer, Rathe was on his feet, standing between her and Mary. “No. You are not.” His tone was cool, and his eyes glinted in warning.
She lifted her chin up. “I’m not just going to b-buy it. I’m g-going to wear it the first chance—-”
“Bloody hell you will!”
“I really bloody hell will.”
Rathe scowled down at her. “What is the matter with you? I’m your husband. If I say it’s not a good fit—-”
“I can’t believe I’m hearing you say that!”
“Fine,” Rathe snapped. “Let me show you then.”
Not giving her a chance to react, Rathe pulled her out of the seat and, taking Mary with him, he stalked towards the attendant holding up the Valentines’ inspired bikini. “May we borrow this?”
“Of c-course, Your Grace.”
“Thank you.” And before she knew it, they were inside one of the fitting rooms and Rathe was locking the door behind her.
“Undress, my love.”
“Excuse me?”
“Do you need help?” Again, Rathe didn’t wait for an answer, and his fingers made deft work of her clothes. In moments, she was completely naked except for her heels.
She looked up and was stunned to find multiple naked reflections of her staring back from the full-length three-sided mirror.
Beside her, the duke remained fully clothed, and mortification seeped through her. “Bloody...sod!”
“Even so, this bloody sod knows what’s a good fit for you.” Rathe reached for the bikini and put it on her, clipping the top in place from the back.
Stepping away, he gestured to the mirror. “Do you see now?”
Seeing her reflection, Mary gasped.
Now, she realized what Rathe meant.
When he said it wouldn’t fit, he had been referring to the size of her breasts. And he was right, the bikini a too-tight fit, the V part of the heart-shaped cups completely exposing her nipples.