To Love A Duke

Strawberry Jellies

Song Recommendation: Higher by Rihanna

The aristocracy languishes in the habit of blaming our actions on wine. How can one then explain outrageous clear headed promises and chin kisses. I dare say the gentleman involved is a little more than besotted!

She was looking at him and b****y hell he saw her, he saw her and he couldn’t stop looking, he was hard as stone by her single act of l*****g her lips and he couldn’t resist touching the plump wet lips. One of these days he would make her scream his name, it wasn’t a matter of if just when. He could see see fought to regain her composure, he offered her a glass and picked up his own glass. and she turned to the view of the night, she hurried downed her glass and he smiled, she wasn’t as composed as she wanted to be and he liked the thought that he made her nervous

“Easy now” he told her, refilling her glass

“The wine- it’s good” she was trying to get the conversation to a safe ground he could tell, so he would play along, for now.

“It’s an Italy classic, made from wild gropes” he indulged her

“A little sweet, a little sour, I like it” she was blatantly staring at him and he stared back, caught in her trance once again

“It’s breathe taking up here” she said looking past him to the night view of the village and Stary sky and he couldn’t take his eyes off her

“The view is truly beautiful” he said still looking at her and she turned and met his gaze. Steady and true.

He cleared his throat and looked away from her “pity you only take tours in the day time”

“I’m afraid so, I must do my duties after all” she said, her lips looking flushed and very kissable, it was red from the wine she had drunk and he wanted to drink from her lips, he tried to get back to the conversation,

he ended up blurting “And at night?”

“Pardon?” She asked

“At night, what do you do?”

“Ooh” she darted her head down

“Twisting? Turning? Perhaps wishing?” He asked pushing to hear her reaction and she seemed somewhat affronted

“If you must know, I lay in bed-reading about Elysus and eating strawberry jellies” she said proudly spin straight, head up.

He smiled, whatever he had been expecting it hadn’t been that however explained the faint smell of strawberry that Iingered in her breath when she spoke, if only he was a strawberry jelly.

She hadn’t meant to reveal that last part but somehow she had spilled and she felt like she had been found out, her little vice was over. Certainly she would be bound from having them in the future , she wanted to stamp her foot at the thought . She wrinkled her nose, a little frown forming in between her brows. Why had she said that out loud.

“I shall have a cart of strawberry jellies brought around then, shall I?” He said and She started, truly shocked, what? He would other more of it if she so desired? Surely he didn’t mean that, would he really let her indulge?

“ Y-You would?” She asked looking up at him

“Why ever not triantefyllo?” He said frowning a little as if it was a normal thing to give her strawberry jellies everyday, she blinked.

“Ah, maybe not a cart then?” He said smiling stepping close to her and wiping the tears that gathered at the edge of her eyes, she hadn’t even realized she was tearing up until that very moment

“Was it something i said that displeased you so?” He smiled nervously and she shook her head furiously she blinked back the tears and half laughed

“No, it’s just- it’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever done for me” she sniffed and tried to step away to wipe her eyes herself but he restrained her stopping her movement and suddenly she was In his arms being held by him, his arms wrapped around her back, his warm chest supporting her spinning head. She could hear his heart beat, strong and steady. His unique scent filled her nostrils, his heat warming her chilly slight frame. Her head only came up to his shoulders but their size difference didn’t stop him from clutching her tight and safe in his embrace.

“ it’s just strawberry” she wrapped her hands around as much of him as she could and shook her head

“It’s not” she said softly and he nodded thoughtfully

“Then a cart of strawberry jellies you shall have Artemis mine” he kissed the top of her head as he held her still and perhaps it was the wine that emboldened her but she lifted her head and kissed his chin. She wasn’t sure why she did that and she would blame it on the wine but it most certainly was not!