When the Earl Met His Match by Stacy Reid

Author:Stacy Reid
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical Fiction, British Historical Fiction, Regency, Regency Romance, Regency Historical Romance, Aristocrat, Marquess, Marriage of Convenience, Scandal, Society, High Society, Ruined Reputation, Overcoming Odds, Nineteenth Century, Nineteenth Century Fiction, Accidental Pregnancy, England, Womens Fiction, Womens Romance Fiction, Womens Short Stories, Category Romance, Series Romance, Popular Romance, Stand Alone Romance, Entangled Publishing, Entangled Scandalous, Stacy Reid, Rescued from Ruins, Wedded by Scandal Series,
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC
Published: 2020-09-22T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Phoebe slowly came awake, the warm rays of the sun heating her cheeks. Her lashes fluttered open, and she froze. Oh! Somehow, she was in the very center of the large bed, her head pillowed on a chest, and a gentle but unbreakable clasp on her shoulder. Hugh breathed deeply and evenly behind her.

The urgent need to tend to her morning ablutions had her wiggling against him as she sought to turn around. She managed to extricate herself from his hold and was about to shift and face him when he rose and came above her. Phoebe fell back against the pillow and peered up at him. It was when his lashes lowered and his gaze swept over her in a quick but very thorough glance that she recalled the scandalous way her clothes were arranged. And they were no longer swathed in darkness. Mortification swamped her senses, along with a most aggravating curl of desire.

“You…” she started to say and then with a horrified groan slapped a hand over her mouth.

She reached between them and tugged at the sheets to place it over her mouth, effectively covering her exposed breasts. His eyes widened, and she blushed. Surely married couples in the ton or anyone did not speak to each other before washing and cleaning their mouths!

Humor lit in his eyes, and he dipped his head.

“You must not kiss me!” she said, though the words sound muffled.

The dratted man ignored her alarm and kissed her firmly. Though the silken sheet was between their mouths, Phoebe felt the heated imprint of his lips, and her stomach flipped alarmingly. When he lifted his head, a wide smile curved his mouth, and he looked happy. The very notion of it had her staring at him with wide eyes. She lifted her fingers to his mouth, tracing the shape of his smile with her thumb.

Phoebe tugged the sheet from her mouth to her chin. “You have a beautiful smile, Hugh.”

He wrinkled his nose.

Phoebe glowered. “You started it! Now you’ll simply have to suffer my terrible breath!”

He grabbed her lingering fingers and pressed a kiss to them before leaning down and touching his lips to hers again.

Her belly rippled, and he broke their kiss to peer down. The baby moved, and Hugh jerked a bit. He glanced up briefly, a look of wonder on his face, and she did not protest when he pressed his palm against her stomach to feel the powerful kicks of the baby. They stayed like that for a bit, and she held on to the urge to demand the chamber pot so that he could have this moment.

He lowered himself even more and kissed her belly. She could feel the shape of his smile through the sheet and nightgown. Why are you so wonderful? A sob hitched in her throat, and she was embarrassed to feel her eyes smarting.

At that soft, distressed sound, he glanced up with a frown. Hugh shifted, coming back up to face her. He arched a brow, and she understood the silent question.

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