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The teasing words relieved her instantly. “Jeremy. I pray you do know that I would never do such a beastly thing—leave you hanging at the altar.”
His eyes got a devilish gleam to them. “I need reassurance that you won’t.” He held out his arms.
Georgina couldn’t resist such an offer. Standing before her, still dressed in a dark suit, but missing the neck cloth, his hair a little disordered from dragging it back with his hands. The hair dragging was a habit she had observed in him more than once, and one she found very charming. That, and the fact that being in Jeremy’s arms was the most comforting place she’d ever known.
When his arms closed around her, drawing her against his body, she could feel the hard strength of this man who she would soon call “husband.”
Laying her head on his wide chest, she just breathed him in. The cloves and the soap he favored mixed with a trace of Scotch whiskey, filled her head. She found the elixir very soothing and realized the blended scents of his unique fragrance were already familiar to her. The notion struck that he was doing the very same with her—breathing in her scent.
Jeremy rested his chin atop her head, draping his arms around her, settling his hands on either side of her waist.
They stayed that way for a long time.
“Are you reassured yet?” she finally asked.
“A kiss or two might seal it for me.”
She laughed softly and looked up at him. His clear blue eyes laughed back.
“I’m not sure if that’s a good sign. I ask you for kisses, and you laugh at me.”
She smiled wide.
“But I love the sound of you laughing. And now you’re smiling, so I must not be too far off the mark.”
Georgina pushed her face up closer to his. She looked at his lips, full and just a little bit parted. She wanted to kiss him. Closer. She offered her lips up to him.
He accepted her offering, bridging the short distance between them without hesitation. This time his kiss was very soft. Slow. Careful. He drew his mouth wide and covered her lips with his. He held their mouths together in the gentlest caress. Instead of just smelling the scotch on him, she could now taste it, and decided she liked the tang.
Jeremy pulled back first. He brought a thumb up and drew it down her lower lip achingly slow. “So sweet. The first proffered kiss from you. I want to remember you like this and never forget.”
Georgina suddenly felt like she might cry. The way he looked at her, and touched her, and spoke to her tugged at her heartstrings. He made her feel special in a way she’d never experienced and filled her with the desire to please him. “Why did you really come?” she asked.
“To see you. Spend a little time together. To let you know how much I want this.” He combed gentle fingers through her hair again. “We’ll be married in the morning, and tomorrow night we’ll be…home. It’s rushed, I know, and I don’t want you afraid of me. I thought, that in this way, it might ease the path for you.”
“Oh.” Despite the shock of what he’d just told her, she was remarkably calm. Did he expect to claim a husband’s rights? Tonight?
“You want to stay the night, in here, with me?” she asked, looking up at him again, now feeling awkward in their embrace and having no idea what to do.
“Yes. If you’ll let me. I thought we could be together, and when you get drowsy, you may go to sleep. And I’ll be with you. I just want to help you get used to me.” Jeremy bent toward her for another kiss, seeking her mouth with his. He moved slowly over her lips, joining them together in a soft burn of moist flesh. His hands moved up to hold her face to him. “That is why, my sweetheart. So tomorrow night won’t be such a…new…thing between us,” he breathed against her mouth in between searching kisses that turned her inside out and left her weak in the knees. After another kiss, he pulled back slightly and asked, “So, may I stay?”
Georgina could only nod at first. The words came hesitantly a few seconds later. “I trust—I trust you, Jeremy, and I know you will be…kind, as you always are to me.” Her chest was pounding so hard she was sure he must feel her. He had a point. Getting this over with would make tomorrow easier and show him she intended to do her duty. But by the gods, how could she let him—
Before she could think about it too much, she stepped back, walked to the edge of the bed, turned and faced him, untied her golden dressing gown, and opened it, exposing the sheer shift she wore beneath and feeling as naked as if she wore nothing.
Jeremy’s eyes widened, and he tilted his head forward. “What are you doing?” He sputtered the question even as his eyes swept over her body, probably clearly visible through the thin fabric.
Georgina lifted her chin at him. “Getting ready for y–y–you to t–take me to bed.” She realized her mistake too late.
“You thought—” He shook his head and frowned. “No! That’s not what I meant! That is not the reason I came in here tonight. You are mistaken. Georgina,” he admonished, looking appalled and maybe even somewhat hurt by her assumption.
Oh God! He didn’t mean to bed me. Mortification filled her, and suddenly everything became too much. The emotions of the past day overwhelmed her and took hold. She buried her face in her hands and turned away so he wouldn’t see the tears.
Jeremy was there in an instant though, cradling her from behind, as comforting and as strong as ever, the heat of his body bracing through the layers.
“Shhhhh. I’m so sorry for upsetting you. You must think me the worst sort of man. That I would come to your rooms and demand such of you.” She felt his breath on the back of her neck, filtering through her hair as he moved his hands up and down her arms in a soothing way.
“I misunder–s–s–stood you, J–Jeremy. I did not want to deny you that you might think me unable—unable to be a g–g–good wife…”
