Page 79 of How to Wed a Courtesan

She smiled up at him with a joy he would always savour. He meant to make her just as happy for the duration of their lives together.

‘You say that only because you haven’t seen what I have for you.’ He winked at her.

She laughed. ‘Well, now I confess I am curious.’

He led her into his room, where an envelope lay on the table beside the door. But once the door clicked closed behind Lottie she reached for him before he could even think of the envelope again. The tender kiss she gave him led to a deeper kiss, which led to him slowly undoing the small pearl buttons along the back of her gown.

As it fell from her, revealing her lovely body to him, all thoughts of Huntly Manor faded completely from his mind.

Chapter Twenty-Four

The first time Lottie and Evander were intimate, they had given in to youthful passion and infatuation. The second time they had been in need of comfort, to fill the chasm of loss.

This time, however, as man and wife, was so much different from the previous two. Each took care to undress the other slowly, exploring with hands and lips and tongue. There was nothing rushing them and nothing to pull them apart when it was finished.

They consummated their marriage with love, their eyes locked and their hands clasped as their bodies came together. Afterwards, they lay in one another’s arms, their hearts beating in tandem as they leisurely traced invisible patterns over each other’s damp skin.

Evander sat up on his elbow, as though he’d suddenly thought of something.

‘What is it?’ Lottie asked.

‘I dare say I was distracted from my original purpose.’ He glanced to the door.

‘I dare say your original purpose was acted out quite well.’ She smiled up at her husband and swept her hand through his mussed auburn hair. ‘I certainly have no complaints.’

He gazed at her with so much love in his eyes that it made her heart feel as though it would burst in the close confines of her chest.

‘I do love you so,’ Lottie said tenderly.

He leaned over her, hovering over her. ‘I could spend a lifetime hearing those words.’

‘You will spend a lifetime hearing them.’ She studied his face, from the lovely green of his eyes down to his sharp jaw. ‘I spent far too long holding them back.’

‘None of that matters.’

He kissed her forehead with a sweetness that made her ache in the most wonderful way.

‘All that matters is the beautiful things we’ve shared and what we have to look forward to together.’

Lottie gave a wistful sigh. ‘I like that.’

He pushed up from her. ‘You’ll like this even better.’

He strode across the room, entirely devoid of clothing. Lottie sat up and ran her gaze over his strong body, marvelling at the lovely movement of muscles beneath his skin. Long legs, narrow hips, broad shoulders and the fine, tight bum she’d enjoyed digging her heels into as they’d come together earlier.

‘You’re correct, my love.’ She lifted her brows coquettishly. ‘I do like that even better.’

He withdrew a large envelope from the table beside the door. ‘You minx.’ With a grin, he returned to the bed and handed it to her.

She sat up in the soft bedsheets, careful to avoid crinkling it. ‘What is this?’

‘A promise kept.’ He lifted his shoulders as though it were nothing of import. ‘Something I purchased for you as soon as I returned to London. I meant to give it to you earlier, but there was never a perfect time. I’m actually glad to have waited, as now is when I believe it will matter most.’

Lottie tilted her head in coy curiosity before sliding her finger under the lip of the envelope to open it. Inside was a large sheet of paper, which she withdrew.

Her gaze skimmed the handwritten official document and she sucked in a gasp.

‘This is the deed to Huntly Manor.’ She turned her attention to Evander. ‘In my name.’