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She felt safe.
With a loud groan, her husband poured his release into her body. Ainsley clung to him through the aftermath, making a silent vow to love and protect him to the very ends of the earth.
With a shuddering sigh, Royal rolled onto his side, taking her with him. Ainsley ended up in an inelegant sprawl on his chest, but she was too exhausted and happy to care.
After a minute or so, he craned up, inspecting her with a gaze that still shimmered with heat, but now also held more than a hint of concern.
“All right, lass?”
She propped her chin on his chest. “Never better.”
His let his head fall back with a quiet sigh of relief. “I’m glad.”
They lay quietly for a time, listening to the hiss of the fire and letting the peace of the moment settle around them.
“Royal,” she finally whispered.
“Hmm?”
“Thank you for loving me.”
A big hand moved to caress her bottom. “Och, lass, you’re easy to love.”
“No, I’m not. I’m a difficult, annoying person with far too many secrets.”
Again, his head came up, a tiny frown marking his brow. “There’s nothing between us now, though, is there?”
She forced a smile. “Apparently not, from the looks of things.”
His gaze softened with understanding, and he once more stroked a hand over her bottom. “I love you, Ainsley. I will always love you, no matter what.”
She nestled closer and silently prayed it would be so.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Ainsley tried to stifle a yawn.
“My lady, would you prefer to do the accounts later?” Henderson asked.
She gave him a sheepish smile. “No, I’m fine. But perhaps a cup of coffee wouldn’t be amiss.”
“Excellent idea, madam,” the butler replied.
After giving instructions to a footman, Henderson rejoined her at the desk in the small office off the service rooms. “Cook will brew up a fresh pot.”
“Thank you. I was up rather late with Tira, so I suppose that’s why I can’t stop yawning.”
It was a bold-faced lie, and Henderson knew it. Tira was an excellent sleeper—unlike her father, who’d kept Ainsley awakeverylate for the last three nights in a row.
Not that she had any objections. Royal was a sensual, playful, and occasionally dominating lover, yet incredibly kind and careful. Under his skillful touch, the barriers between them had fallen until they were finally husband and wife in every way that mattered.
Life was now quite perfect, or at least it would be if not for the threat of action by the blasted Marquess of Cringlewood. Though it had been four days since Mamma’s letter, she’d yet to hear a peep from her former fiancé. Perhaps it was all hogwash anyway, and Mamma had just been making a last-ditch effort to scare her into compliance.
There was little point in upsetting Royal and the rest of the family with half-baked legal threats and potential scandals that more than likely would never materialize.
But you should have told him anyway.
“My lady, are you all right?” Henderson asked in a concerned voice a few moments later.
