Her gaze moved down to where their bodies met before she looked up at him from beneath her lashes. “I look forward to that.” He laughed, and her hand came up to cover his mouth. “Shh, or we’ll be forced to make that ride to Gretna Green after all.”
He licked at her palm, and she pulled back her hand. “I’m thinking I want you in my bed every night from now on. Maybe the ride would be worth the inconvenience. It would be much shorter than waiting three weeks.”
At her serious consideration, his heart leapt, but then she shook her head. “No. We need to make everything official. And didn’t you say the betrothal contract still needs to be agreed to and signed?”
He let out a heavy sigh, knowing she was correct. “It will be difficult being away from you. I must get Stoneleigh House ready.” Doubts assailed him. “I’m not sure it will be comfortable for you.”
She took his head in both her hands. “As long as I can sleep in a bed beside you and have a single chair in which I can read, I will be content.”
That she truly meant what she said had him counting himself veryfortunate to have found her. “There will be more than that, but if you don’t mind sleeping in the same room, we can start on your library instead of your bedroom.”
Her eyes lit with anticipation. “I’d like that very much.”
He lowered his head and kissed her, slowly withdrawing from her warmth.
She broke the kiss. “Oh, I didn’t know how unsettling that would be.”
He moved to her side and lay on his back. “Come.” He pulled her close, and she set her head on his shoulder. “Did you not yet finish that book you read?”
She lifted her head to look at him. “No. I put it aside after my mother visited. I didn’t want to know what I would miss.”
His heart constricted at how close he’d come to losing her…twice. “I think you should finish it while we wait to marry. Then you can show me all you learned.”
“You mean tell you about it?”
He lifted her chin with his fingers and whispered, “No, show me.”
At her indrawn breath, he kissed her, tasting her as if it were the first time all over again. As he deepened the kiss, she moaned and her hand found his already-growing erection. He pulled away, sucking in his own breath.
Sophie smiled up at him. “You said you wanted me to show you.”
“And did your book show you this?” He moved his hand between her legs and slowly inserted two fingers. As he expected, her hold on him loosened.
“I haven’t read that far.”
He moved over her. “Then allow me.” As he brought his soon-to-be wife to the pinnacle of ecstasy once more, he determined to make the most of every minute with her. She might not realize it, but the next three weeks were going to be torture.
Epilogue
Stoneleigh House
March 1818
Sophie sat inthe library, having finished its renovations before the parlor. As she sipped on her tea, her friends caught up with each other, especially Elsbeth, who was showing her pregnancy and missing all that the Season offered. Lady Rose was regaling the others about her exploits so far. She had almost not been able to come, but Dory had swayed her husband to convince his parents to allow Rose a short time away from London.
Ellie had answered Sophie’s invitation immediately, always the mother hen, and had written her sister-in-law Lissa that she must come. There was only one of them missing from the first year at the Belinda School for Curious Ladies, and she was the reason for the gathering.
Perhaps she’d overreacted, but Sophie was very worried, and her friends had always been able to come up with solutions when they tackled a problem together. As she viewed them, she smiled. They looked like a garden in spring. Ellie was stunning in her blue dress as she sat on the settee next to Rose in her mauve one. Both Dory and Elsbeth wore shades of purple, and each sat in a wingback chair on either side. Lissa, who sat with Sophie, wore a warm green that contrasted beautifully with her dark hair.
As for herself, she no longer wore white. Now that she wasmarried, she’d chosen a coral-colored dress. Tam loved her in the color. He said it made her appear like a fairy creature about to cause trouble.
“Sophie, you’ve been quiet as usual, yet you are the one who called us together. Perhaps now would be a good time to tell us why.” Ellie’s voice, always the loudest, caused all conversation to cease.
Sophie put down her teacup and clasped her hands. “I did indeed, and I wish it were under better circumstances. As you may have noticed, one of us is not here.”
Lissa spoke up at once. “Georgie. Did something happen to her? Is she well?”
“She is healthy. However, she is not well. She was duped by a lord into thinking he would ask for her hand, and so she allowed him the ultimate liberties.”
