“Yes, my lord.” Nettle had taken out a pocket book and pencil and was making notes.
“I want the ship far enough away so that she cannot be commandeered.” Geoff prayed they would not have to wait long for the right winds to make the passage to Holland. “I’ll write my father as well. He might know someone with a sailing vessel.”
“Very good, my lord. I shall start on this first thing tomorrow.”
And he would send more flowers—pink roses—to Elizabeth with a note telling her how much he was looking forward to their ride that afternoon and dancing with her that evening.
Tomorrow night couldn’t come soon enough.
Chapter Fifteen
Despite Geoff having arrived at the ball with Elizabeth and her family again, it seemed as if the Fates were once again against him. Every time he had tried to get Elizabeth alone, someone claimed her attention. To make it worse, the miscreant was usually a gentleman wishing to dance with her. He found himself almost growling at the last one. Unfortunately, until he had a commitment from her, he could not insist she stand up only with him.
Finally, at the end of the first waltz, which had been much too late in the evening as far as he was concerned, Geoff took Elizabeth’s hand and pulled her behind the potted plants—fortunately, there were a row of them lining the wall of the ballroom near the French windows leading out to the terrace. “I need to speak with you.”
Not the most romantic words, but he must remove her from the room without anyone seeing them. Once they’d made it out the doors, he hurried her to the end of the terrace where the only light came from wall sconces several feet away.
Ivy climbed the brick wall, and an ornamental tree provided a distraction for anyone glancing in their direction. He drew her deeper into the shadows. Thank God no one else had decided to make an assignation here.
Before she could catch her breath, he kissed her. Not the slow, seductive kisses he’d given her before, but one of possession. She gasped in surprise, and he swept his tongue into her mouth. Tentatively, she touched her tongue to his, and he groaned, holding her tightly against him. Slanting his head, he deepened the kiss, and a little sigh of what he prayed was delight escaped from her.
Elizabeth’s hands played with the hair at the back of his neck, and he moved his hands from her waist to her breasts, easing the tempting mounds out of her stays, feathering each of her nipples with his thumbs until they were furled buds.
Geoff wanted her out of her clothing, naked and writhing beneath him. But he could only have that if she agreed to marry him.
Moving one hand down to the top of her buttocks, he caressed her, thanking God for short stays. “Do you have any idea what you do to me?”
“The same thing you do to me? Touch me again.” She moaned as he rubbed her breast.
He’d removed his other hand from her breast to bring her closer, wanting her to feel how much he desired her. Yet, she probably didn’t know what the hard rod she had to be feeling meant.
Geoff moaned as his cock pressed against his breeches, wanting to be released. If only to save his sanity, he had to get this proposal over with. But as he eased back, she held him tighter.
“Do not let me go.” As he’d done to her, Elizabeth pressed light kisses along his jaw.
“I need to ask you something.”
“Then you should not have started kissing me.” She swept her hand over his buttocks—mimicking what he had done to her—and he wanted nothing more than to hold her against the wall and make her his in the most fundamental way he could.
He’d planned to go down on one knee and ask her to marry him, but if he was on his knees now, he’d be under her skirts savoring her taste. Soon, he promised himself. “Elizabeth”—he kissed her neck and down over her chest to the tempting hollow between her breasts, and licked—“will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
She stilled as if she had not expected the question. He held his breath as he waited for her to respond. Finally, she reached up, placing her hands on his cheeks, and whispered, “Yes.”
Thank God, thank the Fates, and any other being that held his destiny in its hands. “You have made me the happiest of men.”
Geoff breathed a sigh of relief that Elizabeth had accepted his proposal. He’d never before worked so hard for a lady’s attention, and it would have devastated him if she had said no. Not only because he wanted her, but now his position with Sir Charles was secure. He was grateful he could make definite plans to leave for the Continent. They would need to marry and begin their journey to Belgium as soon as possible. Yet, to his surprise, overriding even his position was his increasing desire to make her his. He had never wanted another woman as much as he did her. His compulsion to touch Elizabeth was almost overwhelming.
Geoff had to fight his desire to throw her over his shoulder and carry her out of the ball. It was all he could do not to take her up against the wall. He needed to bed her and soon. “The music has ceased. We should go back and tell your aunt and brother.”
“I suppose we should.” She kissed him softly. “Before someone finds us.”
Stepping back, he took a critical look at her and adjusted her bodice, fondling her breasts as he returned them to her stays and enjoying her sharp intake of breath and the look of desire in her eyes his attentions provoked. If only he could stroke her mons, he was sure she would be wet for him.
“Do I look mussed?” Geoffrey asked as if he hadn’t done anything at all.
Elizabeth’s breasts were heavy and swollen. Her nipples still tingled where Geoffrey had rolled them between his fingers when he covered them again. The throbbing between her legs was almost unbearable and her knees had turned to blancmange. She struggled to bring herself back under control while he caressed down her back and over her derrière. When had he become such a devil? She wished she was brave enough to caress him.
“Elizabeth, sweetheart?” Geoffrey prodded, a wicked smile on his lips. He knew exactly what he was doing to her.
