Diana’s brow furrowed slightly. “At this hour? It’s barely past nine.”
“I was awake anyway. Habit of my past trade.” He could still feel the fear at Crane’s mention of Diana. And what would happen if the properties didn’t sell in time to issue him the funds?
“Graham, you’re shaking.” She stepped closer, a look of concern inher eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” The word came out harsh, desperate. He needed her, needed to know she was safe, needed to claim her and protect her, and reassure himself that she was still his. Because she was. She was his. Nothing else mattered but protecting her.
Before she could speak again, he crashed his mouth against hers, needing her kiss to calm himself down. Diana gasped against his lips, and he plunged his tongue into her mouth as he backed her against the door.
“Graham—” she tried to speak when he moved to her neck, but he cut her off with another punishing kiss.
His hands were already working the buttons on her dress, a couple falling to the floor in his haste until her dress was pooled around her feet. He was thankful she hadn’t been wearing stays and she lifted her arms as he pulled her chemise over her head. He needed to feel her skin, needed to be with what was his, needed to drown out the voices in his head that told him that everything was going to come crashing down on him.
“I need you,” he ground out against her throat, his voice raw. “Please tell me you want me.”
“I want you,” she moaned against his lips, her hands tangling in his hair as he lifted her against the door. He reached between them to free his cock, then lowered her onto his full length.
Diana cried out, her nails digging into his shoulders. He started at a fast, hard pace, driving into her with all the fear and guilt consuming him. Needing to claim her and to know that all would work out.
“Mine,” he growled against her ear. “You’re mine. Nothing or no one shall ever take you from me.”
“Never,” Diana said, clinging tighter to him. “Graham…oh God—”
All of the emotion he was feeling was far too close to the surface. He slowed his pace, taking her in long, slow movements pushing her harder against the door, his lips crashing down on hers again. His handshifted between circling the sensitive flesh at her opening. He needed her to make her come, to feel her come undone in his arms.
Her core tightened around him so hard that he thought he might lose the ability to see. When she climaxed, moaning his name, Graham followed immediately, burying himself as deep as he could inside of her when he released.
They stayed pressed against the door, both breathing hard. Graham’s face was buried in her neck, not wanting to let her go.
“Graham?” Diana’s voice was soft, worried. Her fingers stroked through his hair. “Is something the matter?
“No.” He pulled back, not meeting her eyes as he set her down and picked up her dress. “I just… needed you.”
She caught his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her. “You should already know that you can tell me anything.”
“I know,” he said, helping her to get back into her dress.
“Then why won’t you just tell me what it is? I can’t help but feel like you are holding something back. And you had an odd reaction about that property.”
He turned her so that he could fasten the buttons on her gown. “I just don’t relish my lack of knowledge on such matters.”
Graham silently cursed himself for being the biggest arse in all of England. It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t exactly the truth. And he’d been telling far too many half-truths as of late.
She spun back to face him and cupped his face in her hands. “That’s what a partnership is. We help each other.”
He knew he should just come clean. But the thought of Rothwell’s vile offer made him see red all over again. And he’d protect her from the fear of something he’d never allow to occur.
“And we are partners. All is well,” He kissed her more gently this time, trying to erase the worry from her eyes. “I’m sorry if I was too rough—”
“You weren’t,” she said, grinning at him and then moving towardthe desk, she started looking over some of the papers there. “But I still feel like there’s something…whatever had consumed you in that manner. Not that I am complaining, I suppose.”
He’d long missed his opportunity to explain by not telling her the moment they had become betrothed. He’d been mistaken in how he’d bungled the whole thing, and now no one would believe the truth. Trapping her into their marriage had never been his intention. That was most certainly fate that had put this beautiful woman in his life. And he didn’t deserve her.
And if her family knew what Rothwell wanted, they would just as soon see him dead along with Rothwell. But he would keep her safe. Whatever the cost. He’d ensure Rothwell never laid eyes on her if he could help it.
Her fingers brushed over the ledgers and then a few pieces of parchment and she was becoming dangerously close to the first correspondence he’d received from Rothwell. “What is this correspondence? Does it pertain to the estates.”
Panic set in as he realized that everything was left there on the desk. If she read any closer she would know what he was about, and everything would crumble down around him. He reached for her hand and pulled her to him, hugging her close. “I truly can’t quite believe you’re mine. I don’t ever want to lose you.”
And that was the complete truth.
“You aren’t going to lose me,” she replied, and then her lips curved into the most adorable grin. “Because you are also mine.”
He placed a tender kiss on her brow. “There isn’t a truer statement to be told.”
I love you. The words were on the tip of his tongue. He felt them and he wanted to say them. He wanted to tell her how from the moment he kissed her in that gazebo that she was it for him. But no matter how much he willed himself to just speak the three simple, short words. He couldn’t.
Not because he didn’t mean it. But not until the matter was resolved and he could come clean about all of it. He had decided. As soon as Rothwell was paid, he’d tell her everything.
