“On the contrary, they would heartily approve.”
Cherish’s eyes widened in surprise. “They would?”
“Absolutely.” He placed his hands on either side of her body and leaned in to lightly trap her against the door. “Everyone assumed we were averse to marriage, but it was never so. None of us meant to avoid it. The years rolled on and we never found that one special lady to our liking.”
“It is said you sampled many.”
“An exaggeration, Cherish. Women tossed themselves at us, and on occasion we were receptive to their advances. Never anything serious.” He gave her a rakish grin. “Occasionally depraved.”
“Gawain!”
“Teasing you, love. We were fairly tame by rakehell standards. That’s all it ever was. But now I have found you, and you are the wife I want.” He was not ancient by any means, but forty years old was a long time to wait to experience love. He had pretty much given up hope of ever finding the right woman.
So had his friends. Lynton had been married, but the union between him and his late wife was by no means a love match. They had barely spoken to each other, although she had done her duty and given him children. In some ways, Lynton was the most cynical of the Silver Dukes, and most reluctant everto marry again because his first experience had been such a disappointment.
However, Gawain truly wished this same happiness he had found with Cherish for them both.
Cherish cast him that magical smile of hers as she looked up at him. “Reggie seems quite taken with Margaret. I wonder if Fiona would ever consider remarrying. She had a good marriage with Albert, but…”
“He did not leave her breathless.”
“Well, he was no Silver Duke. Should I allow you to come into my bedchamber? After all, you have the marriage license, and we are to be wed first thing tomorrow.”
He dropped his hands to his sides and studied the soft angles of her face. “Don’t tempt me with your big brandy eyes. No, we’ve given everyone enough fodder for gossip.”
“I am sorry for those two.”
He furrowed his brow. “Who? My friends?”
“No, my uncle and Lady Albin. She might have won you back had she just been honest with you.”
“No, Cherish. She had no chance once I met you. I was already smitten from the letters Fiona wrote to me about you. All I needed was a first glimpse of you to know I was about to fall madly, deeply, and wildly in love with you.”
She inhaled. “You truly love me?”
Bollocks.
He had not meant for it to slip out that way, although it seemed cowardly and petty to deny it now. In truth, he had no wish to deny his feelings for her. Cherish had been nothing but honest with him. It was not fair to let her go on believing he had offered to marry her merely in order to protect her.
He had used endearments when referring to her, but she obviously needed more convincing. “Yes, Cherish. My heart was lost to you the moment I saw you beside Fiona that first day. Youwere standing in a circle of sunlight in the parlor, trying to pull your hand out of hers so that you could run off before we were ever introduced.”
Cherish nodded. “She wouldn’t let me go.”
“I’m glad. Your hair shone gold and your dark eyes sparkled. I had never seen a more beautiful woman in my life.”
“And still you wanted to match me with Reggie?”
“It was a halfhearted attempt at best,” he said with a groan. “Was it not obvious? I could not take my eyes off you. Nor can I now.” He drew her back into his arms and crushed his mouth to hers, kissing her with every ounce of longing and every promise of building a life together.
He kissed her as he knew she had always yearned to be kissed. Deeply. With enough heat to make her swoon.
With fire in his soul.
She responded in a similar manner, as he knew she would, because she was honest about her feelings and he had easily been able to read them from the start.
“Answer me this, Cherish,” he said with a chuckle after ending the kiss, but keeping her in his arms since he could not seem to draw away from her, even though it was only a matter of a day before they would be together always. “Did Fiona ever intend to help me match you with Reggie? Or was I doomed from the very start?”
Her eyes were beautifully alight as she grinned. “You were doomed, I think. Although she did not let me in on her plan immediately. However, she always thought I was perfect for you. Now looking back, it ought to have been obvious to me. She went on and on about you for months before we had ever met, and had built you up so much, that I was in dread fear of meeting this paragon cousin of hers.”
