Deliciously Debauched by the Rake by Ann Lethbridge Read Free Book Online Page A

luscious full lower lip and he resisted the temptation to kiss it, fought the growing arousal beneath the robe. She met his gaze. “It isn’t possible. I’m not respectable. You need someone worthy of your name. Someone younger.”
    It was now or never. “I won’t take no for an answer. I love you, Elizabeth. Being the other half of a staid old married couple with you will be the greatest joy in my life.”
    Looking into her startled eyes, he was sure he saw joy amid the surprise. He prayed he did.
    â€œI mean it. Lady Elizabeth Bentham, I love you with all my heart. I want only you for my wife.”
    â€œWhat would people say?”
    He smiled at her, seeing the longing in her eyes, and hearing it in her voice. “Do you really care what others think? Or are you saying you don’t love me?” He held his breath, the dull ache around his heart sharpening with each passing second.
    Tears welled in her lovely eyes. “I love you too well to let you do this.”
    â€œDear Lizzie, I swear to protect you and love you all the days of my life. And on each anniversary of this day, we will come here, or somewhere like it to renew our vows, with bodies, hearts and souls and never again will I take our love for granted. Nothing less will do. I want children with you. Grandchildren. You are the only woman for me, the only woman I have ever loved. Will you forgive the idiot who kneels before you and accept his promise to love you and cherish you all of our days?”
    The most beautiful smile he had seen, tremulous with tears and joy, formed on her lips. “It is wrong of me. I should not, but yes, John. Oh, yes. I love you so much. You make the dream of my heart come true.”
    He vaulted onto the bed and kissed her soundly, felt her melt against him and felt contentment fill his soul.
    When they finally broke apart, her breathing was rapid, but there was laughter in her voice. “And you promise we will never be a dull married couple?”
    He grinned. “Well, we probably will be, when we reach our dotage. But not for years and years.” He cocked a brow and flashed her a devilish smile. “In the meantime, it seems a shame to waste all of these rose petals. There are some new things I would like to try.”
    She laughed. “And there were some things in that other picture downstairs I thought looked interesting, too.”
    â€œWere there, now?” What a fool he’d been all of this time, forgetting to treat her like a flesh-and-blood woman. He would do his very best to make it up to her now and all the rest of his life.
    â€œMy grandmother is going to be very happy,” he said and kissed her lovely mouth and forgot about everything except the woman in his arms.
    The woman who would be his wife.

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Ann Lethbridge has been reading Regency novels for as long as she can remember. She always imagined herself as Lizzie Bennet or one of Georgette Heyer’s heroines, and would often recreate the stories in her head with different outcomes or scenes. When she sat down to write her own novel, it was no wonder that she returned to her first love: the Regency.
    Ann grew up