It was a curious response. “She is well as far as I know.”
“I won’t keep you. I know you’re only staying long enough to be respectful to your guests.” The woman gave a knowing smirk andnodded to each of them before walking away. She was an odd duck. But it was their wedding day and his new bride was far more important than deciphering the dragon of theton.
They set out hand in hand to seek out Diana’s family. The goodbyes were emotional, even though Diana would just be a few blocks over. At least for the time being until they ventured to their country home.
“You know where we are if you need us,” her father said quietly, his eyes finding Graham’s over Diana’s head. The warning was clear.
The carriage ride to Graham’s townhouse was silent but charged with awareness. Diana sat beside him, close enough that he could smell her lavender scent, and she kept shifting in her seat.
“Are you all right?” he asked finally.
“We’re married,” she said, as if testing the words.
He gulped. “That wasn’t an answer. Are you all right?”
She turned to look at him fully. “I’m…nervous.”
“About…intimate matters?” He stumbled over his words.
“No,” she said quickly, almost as if he’d grown a second head. “Not that. Not at all. This is just all an enormous amount of change. I don’t know what my life will look like each day, or if you will eat supper with me every night, or what my bed chamber looks like, or—”
He reached out and clasped her chin so she looked at him.
“Why don’t we take things a day at a time? I have hardly been an earl for a fortnight, and here we are married. Let’s just go on as we wish.”
Something in her expression softened. “Did you get the estate ledgers?”
“Yes. But might we celebrate our marriage in the more traditional sense and save the ledgers for tomorrow?” He leaned closer and brushed his lips against her ear. “Because I have thought of little else since…”
He placed a few kisses behind her ear.
The carriage rolled to a stop, putting an end to such notions. But that was to be expected given they didn’t have a long ride. The staff was assembled to greet their new mistress. Graham watched with pride as Diana charmed each one, remembering names and making them feel at ease.
Mrs. Mitchell, the housekeeper, showed Diana to the suite of rooms that adjoined Graham’s. Graham followed, hovering in the doorway as Diana took in the room after Mrs. Mitchell had departed.
“It’s lovely.” She ran her fingers along the carved bedpost.
“You can change anything you like,” Graham said, but then regretted it since he wasn’t ready for such expenditures. But he assured himself it wouldn’t always be that way.
“Are you in need of rest?” Graham asked, though every fiber of his being wanted her.
“Graham.” Diana moved closer to him. “I do not wish to rest.”
His body was aflame with want. He was seconds away from pulling her to him. “I didn’t want to presume—”
“You’re my husband now.” She reached up to caress his face. “And I…I want you.”
Graham caught her hand, forcing himself to take things slow as he pressed his lips to her palm. “Diana, are you certain?”
“I’ve been dreaming of this,” she admitted, her cheeks flushed. “About what…being with you fully would be like.”
Graham groaned, this time he pulled her against him and walked her toward his bed chamber through the adjoining door. Once they were inside, he kicked the door closed. “You don’t want to know the ways I’ve imagined you.”
“And what if I do?” She was already working at his cravat. “I’m allowed to be as wanton as I wish as a married woman.”
Somehow he had managed to marry the most perfect woman that had ever existed. He kissed her with all of the intensity that had been building the last couple of days he’d spent apart from her, pouring allhis longing and guilt and hope into it. She responded eagerly, her arms winding around his neck.
“Help me remove my dress,” she whispered against his mouth, turning to present her back to him.
