“I have no idea what you’re doing,” he grumbled against her lips, “but it’s working.”
She threw herself at him and buried her face in his neck. “Forgive me. Please forgive me. Will you have me back? Please? Oh, Remmy, I love you. Please.”
He silenced her with another kiss, tilting her chin backwith his knuckles. “Of course I’ll have you. I love you too much to let you go.”
The audience began to chatter.
“If he was a rake, he’s reformed now.”
“Another bachelor ruined.”
“Married men are always so tedious.”
And then they began to rise and file out of the theatre, leaving Remmy and Tessa alone on the stage but for those milling about behind it.
“You ruined my reputation, Tessa,” he said, resting his forehead against hers. “Your mother?—”
“Wouldn’t have accepted you no matter how hard you’d tried.”
“Verity?”
Tessa buried her face in his neck again, and he wrapped her up in his arms, held her tight, tried to take her pain.
“We’ll figure it out,” he murmured against her hair. “I promise we’ll figure it out.”
She finally lifted her head, wiping her eyes and looking toward the back of the theatre. She waved.
And Frederick waved back.
“Is that my brother?” Remmy asked.
“He helped me get here.”
“I’ll have to thank him, I think.”
“And Daphne. And likely Aria, too. They love you, Remmy.”
“And you, too.”
“I know… isn’t it odd?”
“Not at all.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “Shall we retire to my office?” He helped her to her feet and wrapped an arm around her waist. In the wings, Kit and Islington stood side by side, one pleased, the other perplexed. He waved, and both men waved back then headed for the doors.
“Well,” she said as they stepped backstage, “I’m anactress now. And I have heard that you are particularly fond of them. I was hoping you might offer me some… advice on my craft.”
“Right this way, Tessa King.” In the chaos of the busy backstage, he kissed her again.
When she finally pulled away (it would have to be her because hecouldn’t), she slapped his shoulder. “What were you doing? I cannot believe you’d risk the Folly! For me!”
“Nothing I have has meaning without you in my life.”
Her legs gave and she sank in his embrace. “Do not say things like that. It makes me a puddle.”
“You’ll have to get stronger knees.”
She was laughing when he took her hand and tugged her down the corridor and into his office. She was sighing when he locked the door and laid her on the small sofa across from his desk. She was screaming his name when he made her break apart with pleasure. And he was damn near close to tears when he came inside her, his favorite three words on her lips.
“I love you.”
