“You love me?”
Her voice was so fragile, it made him ache. “Yes. Quite fiercely and irrevocably.”
“Are you certain you love me in the way a man loves a desirable woman and not because I would make a good governess for your children?”
Her eyes were big and wide as she stared up at him, revealing all the hurt she had endured over the years—and just how vulnerable she felt right now.
“Yes, I love you with embarrassing desperation,” he assured her. “I cannot think straight when I am around you, and miss you with a cavernous ache whenever you are not around.”
He sighed and continued, because there was no turning back now and he may as well make a complete arse of himself, pour out his heart until there was not a drop left to drain. “You are so beautiful, you leave me breathless. I was in torment as I undressed you last night.”
She shook her head and laughed softly. “You shouldn’t have done it.”
“And left you uncomfortable all night? Priscilla was about to push you out of bed. Besides, your gown would have been wrinkled beyond repair.”
“It could have been ironed out.”
“You might have torn it while tossing and turning.”
“It could have been sewn…maybe. Well, it is a delicate fabric.”
“And had more tapes and lacings than I’ve ever seen on a gown,” he said with a groan. “Eden, you were asleep and I was not going to touch you in any inappropriate way. You would have laughed at me had you seen the contortions I went through trying to avoid any impropriety.”
Although it could not be denied that she had fallen against him a couple of times, her soft bosom pressing against his chest and roiling him in unmentionable ways. This did not bear mentioning at the moment, especially since her perfect breasts were once again pressed against him as she remained on his lap and holding on to him.
She felt nice against him. He liked that she was comfortable in his arms. They fit so well together.
He wanted it to be this way for them always.
“It is quite ironic,” he said, breaking the momentary silence between them, “that someone with a Silver Duke reputation has trouble stringing romantic words together. What I am trying to say, rather ineptly, but speaking sincerely from my heart, is that I do not want you for my children. I want you for myself. I want you for a lifetime, and I want you for my wife.”
Her tears flowed again.
He rubbed his thumb along her cheeks as he spoke. “Eden, I’ve loved you for quite some time now, but never dared let on because…I don’t even know what was going through my head these past few months. More than a few months, for I’ve had these feelings for you for well over a year now.”
“Why did you never say anything to me?”
He gave a short, mirthless laugh. “You were so perfect, it scared me. And our friendship was so precious to me, I feared to lose it by saying something you did not wish to hear from me.”
“Me? Perfect?” She shook her head insistently. “You are the perfect one, the unattainable Silver Duke. I am just the eccentric spinster.”
“Hopefully, soon to be my eccentric duchess. Honestly, Eden, what more must I say to convince you that you are the only one for me? I love everything about you, even your owlish spectacles. In truth, I adore the way you look in them. Yes, you are beautiful without them. But your true beauty shines through when you are beingyouand not London’s notion of some fashionable ideal.”
“Fashionable?” She laughed softly, which was another thing he loved about her, the gentle warmth of her laugh. “I am certainly not that.”
He caressed her cheek. “You set your own style.”
Her body had remained relaxed against his as they spoke, and he hoped this was a good sign.
Her smile seemed genuine as she said, “I will forgive you if you are not enamored of this hideously drab gown I am wearing.”
He smiled back. “It is quite practical for bird watching. Completely unfashionable. But my point is, you could be wearing a sack and still look stunning. You do not need silks or satins or fine jewelry to sparkle like the diamond you were andalwayswill be.”
Finally admitting he loved her was surprisingly freeing. “I am going to kiss you now.”
She shook her head to stop him. “No!”
“No?”
