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“My husband will have to look into the legitimacy of this marriage before I hand you our money and the lands,” Lady Montbrook replied with a nasty twist to her lips.
“Are you insinuating my inability to bed my wife?” Now it was Gabriel’s turn to be angry. “Do you not know of my reputation?”
“The money is not yours,” Evie said calmly. “Neither is the title. It has always been mine. You were my guardian, but now that I am married,Iam within my right to collect my inheritance.” She noticed Gabriel’s soft smile directed toward her from the periphery of her vision. “This call today is just a courtesy on my and my husband’s behalf. I shall be taking over the lands starting today. The money will be transferred with my solicitor, Mr. Barrel’s, approval.” Evie stood, forcing her husband and Lord Montbrook to follow her.
Lady Montbrook also stood slowly. “Are you so afraid to prove the legitimacy of your vows?”
“I do not have to account for anything regarding my marital state,” Evie replied. “What is curious, however, is after we got married, we were accosted by thugs who said they were sent to stop the marriage. By you. You wouldn’t know anything about it, would you?”
Montbrook slowly turned toward his wife, suspicion clear on his face.
She huffed indignantly. “Your insinuation is not only rude but damning. You should apologize!”
“Of course.” Evie smiled. Apologizing was the last thing on her mind. “And I suppose you didn’t let go of all my Carlisle servants, either?”
“They were a lazy brood. I am surprised anything got done around the house. You should be thankful for everything I did while you were under my care.”
Evie swallowed a nasty retort. She would act civilized, just as her grandfather taught her. “I am thankful. That is why you have a fortnight to clear out from the house.” She paused and threw her cousin a condescending look. “It was… satisfying to see you again.”
“Until next time, Montbrook.” Gabriel tipped his head lightly in their direction and led Evie out of the room.
Once they left the house, Gabriel caught her in his arms and whirled her around. Surrounded by the reassuring heat of her husband, Evie relaxed, clinging to his neck. Gabriel carefully lowered her to the pavement, chuckling lightly. “You,” he said, placing a brief kiss on her mouth, “were incredible.”
Evie smiled up at him, still holding on to his arms. “Thank you,” she said, suddenly feeling shy.
“I don’t think I’ve had that much fun putting someone down since….” He frowned in thought. “Well, since the fight with their thugs, actually.” He smiled down at her, then led her to the carriage. “Actually,” he continued casually, handing her into the carriage, “I don’t think I’ve ever had as much fun as I’ve had since you burst into my townhouse demanding marriage.”
Evie laughed at that. “Likewise,” she said cheerfully as he climbed into the carriage and sat beside her.
Gabriel signaled the driver to move and regarded her intensely. The charged silence made Evie uncomfortable, but she couldn’t seem to stop staring into the unfathomable depths of his deep blue eyes.
Gabriel lowered his gaze to her mouth. “I’d like to kiss you,” he finally said hoarsely.
“Very well,” Evie answered as if mesmerized.
Gabriel raised his shocked gaze to hers, but he didn’t linger. His mouth caught hers, and he was kissing her deeply, fiercely, passionately.
He gathered her close to him, his hands scouring her body. Evie ran her hands up his arms. One settled on the back of his neck while the other sifted through his hair, massaging his scalp, gliding through his thick, silky locks.
She felt Gabriel’s tongue penetrate her mouth and move inside as if he owned her. Tasting her, devouring her, licking her. One hand on her waist, he placed the other on her bottom and squeezed hard through the layers of her skirts. Evie moaned and heard an answering groan coming from deep inside his throat. Gabriel nudged her even closer to him until she was straddling his hips. They both fought with her skirts, to arrange them such that they weren’t in the way.
During the struggle, one of his hands found its way beneath her skirts, slowly traveling up her leg, leaving goosebumps in its wake.
“Gabriel.” Evie tore her mouth from his with a moan. She felt frustrated and confused. Gabriel lowered his mouth to her shoulder and suckled her, occasionally grazing her skin with his teeth.
“I want you,” he said hoarsely while looking deep into her eyes, “God, how much I want you.”
Evie didn’t know what to say to that. Her breathing was labored, her breasts frantically rising with every inhale. Her nipples chafed against her bodice, aching for his touch. He kissed her collarbone, then moved his mouth lower. Evie heard herself groan, and then she yelped as she realized that his hand had moved perilously close to the juncture between her legs.
“No,” she said, with her eyes wide.
“Why not?” he asked gently, looking at her as if she was the only thing that mattered in this world.
“I feel… It’s—” she mumbled, getting red from embarrassment. “I’m wet,” she finally forced out. “There. I need to…” She struggled to leave her position on top of him, embarrassed and mortified that she’d actually said those words out loud.
Gabriel gathered her closer with one hand while the other squeezed her bare thigh under the slit of her drawers. He lowered his head to her shoulder, and… laughed. He was shaking in laughter. The insufferable man. Evie renewed the struggle to leave, but he bit on her shoulder playfully.
“Shh,” he said, raising his head and regarding her with laughing eyes. “Sometimes, I forget how innocent you are.” He caught her lower lip between his, then playfully licked it. “You are supposed to be wet there,” he finally said with a smile.
