Duke of Disrepute (Dukes of Distinction #3) - Alexa Aston

Chapter One

London—September 1808

Weston Wallace, Duke of Treadwell, tossed back the remainder of the brandy in his snifter. He was pleasantly drunk as he celebrated his upcoming nuptials to Lady Juniper Radwell with his friends. Juniper’s brother, Viscount Kingsbury, had hosted tonight’s gathering. He had known Monty Radwell from school, more as an acquaintance, since the viscount was four years older than Weston and his tight-knit group of friends.

He glanced to George, the Duke of Colebourne and his closest friend. Their fathers had been neighbors and best friends from their own school days and raised their heirs to be the same. Weston and George had done everything together from the time they could walk and talk and they’d been joined by Andrew once they left their tutors behind and began Eton together. Jon and Sebastian had completed their circle when they’d met at Cambridge. Though Jon was here tonight helping the two grooms-to-be celebrate their upcoming nuptials, both Andrew and Sebastian were far away on the Continent, fighting the menace known as Bonaparte. Weston wished they could be here but he understood war trumped the marriage of school chums, even if they were as close as brothers.

“One more?” Kingsbury asked, dangling the bottle of brandy from his fingertips, his smile tipsy.

Weston shook his head. “No more for me. Not if I am to be standing at the altar tomorrow, pledging myself to your sister.” He looked at George. “Are you ready to go home so we can get some sleep?”

George gave him a sleepy smile. He always looked sleepy when he’d had too much to drink.

“All right, West. Whatever you say.” He handed his half-finished drink to Kingsbury. “Thanks you for having us.”

Everyone else present did the same, setting aside their tumblers and noisily spilling from the library and down the stairs. Weston caught sight of Juniper standing in the shadows, a smile playing about her sensual lips. Lips he adored kissing. Lips that would belong to him alone once they wed tomorrow morning in St. George’s Chapel in a double ceremony with George and Lady Frederica Martin. Weston was utterly besotted with his fiancée. She was the most beautiful unmarried woman in all of London.

And she was going to be all his.

Not that she already hadn’t been. They’d both been too eager to wait until their wedding night to consummate their relationship. For the last few months, he had been sneaking into her bed regularly, taking precautions so that no little Treadwell would be growing in her womb on their wedding day. His caution would end tomorrow night. Both he and George were eager to start their families. That’s why they were marrying young. They’d both ascended to their dukedoms last year when their fathers passed away within days of each other and took their responsibilities seriously. That included making new little dukes to be their heirs apparent.

At least Weston was lucky enough to be marrying for love. He’d chosen Juniper to become his duchess because of her old, solid family name and hefty dowry, along with her immense beauty. It had surprised him when he’d actually fallen in love with her. Juniper was the woman every man of the ton worshipped—and she had chosen him to spend the rest of her life with. He warmed thinking of the heat that existed between them when they coupled. His fiancée was like a goddess come to life and she made him feel like a god instead of a mortal man.

He watched his friends file out the door, George the last to go.

“I’ll meet you at St. George’s Chapel tomorrow,” he promised his dearest friend. “Goodnight.”

George gave him a knowing wink and retreated down the sidewalk to his waiting carriage.

Weston closed the door and saw Kingsbury move away and enter his study just off the foyer. That left him alone with his fiancée.

Juniper left the shadows and came to him, winding her arms about his neck, pressing her curvaceous body into his. Weston kissed her hungrily. Her hand moved between them, finding his cock and stroking it through his trousers.

Laughing, he broke the kiss. “I’ve had a little too much to drink, my lady. Perhaps we should wait until after the ceremony tomorrow.”

“I don’t care,” she told him, her eyes gleaming. “I want you. Now.”

Taking his hand, she led him up to her bedchamber. She stripped him of his clothes, flinging them in all directions, and then pushed him onto the bed once he was naked. Lazily, he watched as she removed her