Trapped with the Duke by Annabelle Anders

Too High of Expectations

Collette’s hand trembled as she brushed a tear away. She’d known she would not be welcomed by his mother. She’d known joining his family was going to be an uphill climb. But not in a thousand years would she have believed the duchess could be so impossibly rude.

The Duchess of Bedwell hated her. The woman had made assumptions as to Collette’s character knowing only the circumstances of her birth. Collette had suspected this would be the case. She’d not for a second believed his mother would accept her, let alone welcome her.

She was all the more annoyed with herself for hoping for anything different.

Head down, Collette marched along the walk, hating that she’d lost control to the extent that she’d stormed out of Addison’s home in a fit of temper—hating that the duchess had been able to hurt her.

Breaking down like this was most unbecoming of a lady. Sometime during dinner, it seemed, she’d missed the turn that would keep her on the high road.

A sound came out of her, part sob, part laugh, part horror.

Her manners had never been the problem. There was no level of proper behavior that could ever overcome the way his mother viewed her.

Such animosity was only so great, Collette knew, because the woman wanted the best for her son.

It was Collette, not his mother, who had placed him in this predicament. All because she wanted him! Of course, she wanted him. She might possibly even love him.

No “might possibly” about it.

She loved him.

And she was hurting him in the process.

If she and Addison were to marry, a deep chasm would grow between him and his mother. And what of his sister?

He’d never told Collette he loved her. He liked kissing her. He enjoyed her company. But even if he did love her, how long before he resented her for tearing apart his family?

And then there was her own family to consider. Chase and Bethany had gone out of their way, risked their place in society in order to open up opportunities for her and Diana and Sarah.

The duchess would not take a marriage between Collette and Addison laying down. No doubt, she would use every chance she could to disparage her new daughter-in-law. And in doing so, cause trouble for everyone Collette loved.

Ah, yes, she’d learned more from Miss Robin than she’d thought.

And she’d been fooling herself, playing along with this charade of an engagement.

“Collette!” Addison called from behind her.

She wanted nothing more than to run into his arms, but new doubts… old one’s really, revived by his mother, held her back.

“You shouldn’t follow me,” she shouted over her shoulder. But neither should she be walking alone, with darkness setting in quickly. A couple strolling along the opposite side of the street stared at her curiously.

She didn’t want to care, and yet she did. Curses!

“Collette.” Of course, he easily caught up with her, not even out of breath.

Two dogs trotted along at his heels. Zeus, and Hera, she had no doubt.

A sideways glance confirmed that he was not at all happy. She could tell by the small ticking along his jaw.

“Are you angry with me?” she asked.

He deserved to be, just as she deserved to be angry with him. But Collette wouldn’t be so easily fooled into fighting with him over something his mother had done.

“I’m angry with myself,” he growled as he slowed his steps to match hers. “I never should have put you, nor your family, in that position.” He ran a hand through his hair in obvious frustration. “I mistakenly assumed my mother would defer to my wishes. God, she was horrible. I should have known...”

“You are not responsible for her actions.” Collette exhaled. “But tonight, it’s shown me more than ever that you and I—”

“Don’t say it.” He tensed beside her, noticing that the other couple on the street was staring outright by now. “This way. I want to show you the house Rowan’s building. We can talk without interruption there.”

Addison glanced around and then sighed at the two dogs who were staring up at him panting, tails wagging back and forth in adoration.

“What are you two doing here?” He lowered himself to rub the larger dog’s back.

“Zeus and Hera?” Collette dropped down beside him, welcoming any distraction from the turmoil that had been dinner.

On her haunches, Collette folded her hands in front of her and watched him. Addison was even more adorable with his dogs.

This wasn’t at all fair.

“Hello, sweethearts.” She smiled at the smaller, Hera. “Aren’t you beautiful?”

Addison slid his glance her way. “I have a thing for beautiful women.”

Not fair at all.

“Go on home, Zeus, Hera.” He rubbed each of their heads. “I need to talk with Collette. Go on.” He rose and gestured back toward the house. “Home.” The dogs obeyed but not without a few sorrowful glances back at him.

“I think I’m in love.” She laughed. “They followed you.”

“And I followed you.” But his stare could hardly have been more somber.

Addison assisted her to her feet, and they resumed walking. With a destination in mind, now, he all but dragged her past the almost identical facades of homes that belonged to London’s elite.

This was one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in all the world, and yet, she—an illegitimate woman, with a mother some accused of being a whore—also considered Mayfair her home. The peace of the darkening sky calmed her.

She belonged and yet she didn’t. She was good enough, and yet she wasn’t.

“This isn’t going to work, Addison. Your mother is right.”

“She’s wrong,” he answered.

“But I can’t—”

“You can,” he growled. How had she not realized how stubborn he could be?

The paved walks felt hard beneath her slippered feet as the two of them strode along in silence. Just when she was ready to draw him to a halt, they turned a corner and a partially built manor, all but hidden by scaffolding, appeared.

Mr. Stewart’s house. It must be.

Despite it only being partially completed, the structure had more personality than she had expected. Featuring two turrets and several niches, one might think it fussy or overly ornate, but it was neither of those things.

“It’s incredible,” she said, suddenly curious as he opened a tall iron gate and waved her to enter before him. The garden, as far as she could see, had obviously been neglected for years but was not without potential.

“We should be able to enter in the back. Rowan will have kept some flints there.” Addison led her along a flagstone path but was shaking his head. “What was I thinking, bringing you here at nightfall?”

“How could you have known? It isn’t as though either of us planned this.” In fact, they ought to be having dessert about now. And then readying to leave for the theater.

Addison flicked her a wry smile before squeezing her hand and slipping the two of them through an arched opening. Long shadows made it nearly impossible to see where they were walking.

“Collette.” They’d hardly stepped inside before Addison turned and backed her against the cool wall. His mouth claimed hers almost violently, but Collette welcomed the sudden onslaught.

The sky could have fallen, the world could have opened up and swallowed them—and none of it would have mattered.

He broke the kiss just as abruptly and buried his face against her neck. “I’m sorry.”

This large, proud, and powerful man seeking refuge in her arms evoked an overwhelming desire to comfort. It was similar to how she’d felt the day she’d helped him in Miss Primm’s stairwell weeks ago.

But she had not loved him then. Not quite two months and yet it felt like a lifetime had passed.

His lips found hers again, and as he explored her taste, she slid her hands up his chest and around his neck.

Needing closer—needing more--she raised one leg, tightening it around his thighs. She could fight her own desperation but… she didn’t want to.

Addison lifted her off the ground and she instinctively wrapped both legs around his waist.

She’d been allowed to see him on numerous occasions since accepting his proposal, but always with a companion or in public. Unable to be alone together, this pull had become nearly unbearable. And now she had him to herself. This was what she’d wanted. This was what she’d needed.

The freedom to surrender—to relinquish the restraints imposed by nearly everyone around them.

She wanted more than his hands touching her. She wanted to be filled with him, joined to him.

“I want you,” he murmured against her mouth.

“Yes.” More than air itself. Collette tightened her arms and wiggled her hips in an attempt to be closer. She wanted him.

Closer.

Inside.

“Addison.” She couldn’t marry him, could she? But she wanted him, she needed him.

She loved him.

He moved them away from the wall, carrying her across the heavily shadowed room to lower her onto a cot. She hadn’t noticed it before.

She looked at him in surprise and he shrugged.

“My brother is very dedicated.”

But Collette didn’t require any explanations. She lifted her mouth to his again. All she knew was Addison. Breathing the same air—touching her—kissing her.

Loving her.

The last glimmer of dusk stole through the door and in mere minutes, they’d be in total darkness. But for now, she could still make out the expression on his face—the light shining in the back of his eyes.

This was love. It could be nothing but love. How could she not surrender to love?

“Collette,” he breathed.

She sunk into the thin mattress and held out her arms to welcome him.

Over her—on her. In her.

Her fingertips brushed the corner of his lips and he smiled.

Oh, but his smile was so very precious.

He is precious.

“I’m sorry about your mother,” she whispered.

Was it possible his mother had hurt her own son more than she’d hurt the woman she’d intended to frighten off? Because a person could hurt you so much more when you loved them. And of course, Addison loved his mother. She was the woman who’d given birth to and raised him.

But it was also obvious that she was very, very bitter. In that instant, Collette knew that his mother hated that his father had loved another woman first. Had the previous duke loved his wife at all?

Addison shook his head. “I don’t want to talk about my mother right now.”

“We’ll talk about whatever you want.”

Addison hovered over her, protecting her from his weight with his arms.

He cocked one brow wickedly. “You wish to talk?”

Not really. She wanted him. She wanted all of him. But…

“I love you.”

She hadn’t meant to confess her feelings so abruptly, but her heart overflowed. She was powerless to keep them inside.

“I do. I just do,” she admitted again.

He stilled and when he didn’t answer right away, she wished she could see his face better.

“You, my love.” His voice caught. “You are the sunshine on my soul. All my life, there has been this shadow… but since the day we met, I’ve felt your light.”

“I was an annoying teacher.” She remembered the moment he’d stepped into her classroom, all top lofty and irritated.

“Exactly what I needed—what I still need—so infuriatingly optimistic; eager to make a difference. You never once pretend to be anyone but who you are. And you… you saw me.”

He lowered his forehead to hers, his head heavy even though he braced most of his weight above her, his elbows bracketing the sides of her face. “I’m not expressing myself very well.”

She was his sunshine? How was it possible for words to squeeze her heart?

“Oh, but you are.” Collette widened her knees and was rewarded with the feel of his weight and his manhood, turgid, teasing the ache blossoming between her thighs.

When had she known she loved him? Had she begun to fall when they’d been trapped together in that ridiculous stairwell?

Was it fate that had brought them together? Because the two of them would otherwise never have known one another.

They belonged to different worlds.

Impossiblydifferent worlds.

“Touch me?” she all but choked on an assault of emotions—emotions ranging from incredulous need to raw desperation.

She loved him.

I love him!

“My sunshine. My light.” He deftly lowered her bodice.

The cool breeze that hit her skin ought to have cooled the shooting heat in her veins. Instead her temperature spiked.

Latching onto her breast, he stoked a fire with his tongue and with a tugging sensation. Sharp teeth grazed tender flesh, making her pant. “Please,” she begged.

If this was all she could take from him, she was going to take everything. She fumbled at the opening of his trousers.

Was she like her mother after all? Had her mother become her father’s mistress, not because it had been her only choice, but because it had been the best choice? Had her mother laid claim to the best of both worlds by taking the only parts of him that he could offer?

Because Addison was making her feel oh, so very, very good.

She ought to be embarrassed by the wetness he found between her legs. Any proper lady should feel embarrassed.

“You’re so damned soft and wet. Beautiful for me, love.” Wicked fingers located her opening and he slid one inside, entering her easily. And then another.

She tugged at the waist of his trousers, impatient for more because apparently, her lessons in propriety hadn’t gone far enough.

“For you,” she gasped.

He was everything to her and when she wrapped her hand around his thick, throbbing manhood, she wanted it inside of her. It was hot and silky but also rigid.

“Dear God.” She had never known. How had she never known?

Proper ladies be damned. She gave a gentle squeeze and rubbed her thumb over the tip where she found a bead of liquid. His seed. She drew lazy circles and squeezed again.

“Holy hell, Collette,” Addison whispered against her skin. “You’re perfect. Always.”

“And yours,” Collette gasped, aching, opening. “I’m yours.”

“And I’m yours.” He covered her hand with his and helped glide the silken shaft along her seam. With each stroke, he spread her juices along his length. This was right. This was what they’d been created for.

“Yes,” She lifted her hips, hungry for more. She’d heard there would be tearing and braced herself for the promised pain of losing her maiden head.

She didn’t care. All she could think was, Fill me. Take me. Both of them thrust at the same time and… “Oh!” A ripping feeling deep inside.

He felt it too and froze. “God, Collette. I hurt you.”

“No.” Her need was sharper than any pain. “Don’t stop. Don’t stop.” I love you.

He withdrew and then edged inside again. “I love you, Collette.”

“Right there.” I love you. He came into her deeper.

“All of you.”

“Mine.” Collette exhaled. He was big, bigger than she had imagined it could be, but her inner flesh stretched and cradled him. They were no longer separate halves.

Making love with Addison was more than a joining, it was a transformation.

“Love you,” he chanted, rocking into her. She lifted her hips and as he moved in and out, they fell into perfect rhythm.

“Love you,” she echoed, clutching him with her legs, her arms… her soul.

If she let go, surely, she would shoot into the sky, out of her body, never knowing the limitations of the physical world again.

On the tails of that very fanciful thought, Collette felt Addison stiffen and then plunge deeper, releasing a warmth that could only be his seed, and the most exquisite pleasure struck her like lightning.

The universe tipped and then swirled into a vortex, and rather than join the stars, she became one of them.

She shuddered, and cried out, the roaring in her ears sounding like thunder.

“What the hell?” Addison lifted his head.

The roaring was not in her ears. It was coming from overhead. And there were other earthly, very real crashing sounds mixed with it.

Something was horribly, horribly wrong. At the same time snapping wood shook the room, Addison rolled both of them onto the floor and under the frame of the metal cot.

Her head slammed against the cold hard floor, and she burrowed herself against Addison’s body as dust and stones and wood that surely must be the entire house came crashing down.

The physical world, it seemed, would take its revenge for the two of them daring to step outside of it.

Crumbling, raining, a few more snaps and then…

Silence.