Page 24 of Yule Be Mine

Chapter Ten

The look of wonder that came over Penelope’s face truly made Yule’s heart melt. Her eyes widened, her mouth opened to a perfect little O that was as touching as it was erotic. All he wanted to do was scoop her up into his arm and kiss her senseless again, but he couldn’t. Not until she gave him an answer.

After what seemed like an eon, she closed her mouth and swallowed hard. “Did you just ask me to marry you?”

“Yes, I did, sweetheart. And I’m waiting for your answer.” It had to be yes, else he didn’t know what he was going to do. He’d been a blind fool at Kastner’s, had squandered the opportunity to claim her openly there, and had thereby almost lost her to that puppy Clavering. Thoughts of what might have happened had he not come to his senses this morning made him almost physically ill. Thinking of the years to come without this beguiling creature in his life was all but unimaginable. He continued to stare at her, willing her to say something that would put him out of his misery.

Penelope gulped at last, and shook her head, as though coming to herself. “Does my father know?”

“I asked his permission not long before you came downstairs.” An inkling of alarm trickled down Yule’s back, leaving him cold. He’d anticipated a joyous and emphatic “Yes,” not this measured response from her. “He has given it. Wholeheartedly.”

“You truly want to marry me, Yule?” There were tears brimming over her eyes and he longed to wipe them away, make them cease all together.

“Truly, I do, Penelope. It took me more than a little while to realize it, but yes, I do.” He took her hand and squeezed it. “More than anything I want to marry you so we can be together always.”

She looked up at him, her eyes still shiny with tears. “Oh, yes, Yule. Yes, I will marry you.” She threw her arms around him, hugging him fiercely. “I’ve wanted to marry you all of my life.”

“You have?” That was curious. He’d have thought Penelope would have forgotten him completely once she got to Ireland and started a new life. She had only been seven years old. He wouldn’t have thought she’d have remembered him at all.

“Of course. You gave me Mrs. Phillpotts, remember?” She looked up at him, an endearing little smile on her lips. “The little doll I took to Ireland so I wouldn’t be lonely.” She squeezed him again. “Only someone with a kind and thoughtful heart would have known I’d need a friend. And I needed one badly, Yule. After losing Victor and you, I didn’t wish to make friends again. I didn’t for a long time after we settled in Dublin. Mrs. Phillpotts was my constant companion.”

Yule cupped her face, amazed at the smoothness of her skin in his palm. “Well, I hope you won’t mind me being your constant companion from now on.”

“Of course! You have been all along, in my mind. Every time I looked at my doll, I remembered you and the fun I had with you and Victor.” She took his hand and Yule’s heart swelled. “As I grew older, my dream became to meet you again, have you fall in love with me, and marry me.” Her face lit up in a brilliant smile that made her glow with beauty. “And now you have.”

“Yes, I have. With some help from you.” Had she not been so insistent, he might not have recognized the treasure right there in plain sight. He tilted her face up to his. “I’d like a little more help now, if you don’t mind.”

“With what?” Her frown made her nose wrinkle. He’d not noticed that before.

“This.” He lowered his head until his lips touched hers, then slowly, gently, their mouths met fully. When he’d kissed Penelope before, Yule had been so focused on wanting to get away from her, he’d not taken the time to enjoy the experience thoroughly. Well, he was certainly enjoying it now. This kiss was wreaking havoc in his nether regions, no bones about it. His cock was making a valiant effort to escape his trousers, and Yule had to restrain himself from giving into its demands. His blood seemed to be on fire, licking though his veins, searing him to the bone until he could think of nothing but Penelope, his siren, naked in his bed. He pulled her to him and, unthinking, thrust his tongue through her lips.

Immediately, she stiffened in his arms, made a little sound of resistance, and began to pull away from him. With a sigh, he let her go. His future bride might look like a siren, but she had much to learn about how men and women pleasured one another. And he’d be her oh, so patient teacher.

“What did you do, Yule?” She stared up at him with wide, accusing eyes.

“I kissed you, Penelope.” He had to bite back a smile at her outraged look.

“You never kissed me like that before.” The charming frown was back.

“We were kissing under the mistletoe before.” Yule glanced upward. “As you pointed out, there is none here. This was a much more serious kiss, a grown-up kiss between people who are betrothed.” He raised an eyebrow. “Did you not enjoy it?”

Her frown deepened, as though she was thoroughly contemplating his question. “I did and I didn’t. I mean, I did, but when you put…” Her cheeks turned rosy red. “What you did at the end, that startled me. You’d never done that before. It was…strange.” She touched her fingers to her lips, as if that would help her explain her feelings.

“It won’t seem strange after a while.” He took her hand and wound it through his arm. “In fact, I suspect you’ll come to enjoy it quite a lot.”

She looked doubtful but nodded. “I suppose I will. But where are we going?”

Yule had started them toward the door. “I thought we should go tell your parents that we are officially betrothed.”

“Goodness, yes.” Penelope began to tug him, urging him to walk faster. “They will wonder what we have been doing all this time.”

“Well, as I spoke to your father about this, I’m certain they know exactly what we’ve been doing.” He chuckled at her once more outraged face.

“Yule Quartermain, you think they know that you’ve been kissing me like…that?”

“Well, they knew I was going to propose, and as one thing follows the other…”

She began to sputter, so Yule did the only thing he could think of to distract her—he placed another swift but chaste kiss on her lips. “Do not worry, my dear. Now we are betrothed, such things are very much allowed. We need to get to know one another better before the wedding.” And oh, he wanted to know Penelope better in every way possible.