EPILOGUE: A SERIES OF FORTUNATE EVENTS
One month later
Diana knew entering the forge was dangerous.When her husband worked, his magic rode him hard, and when that happened, he wanted to ride her.Hard.Not that she minded.
The news she’d brought had been an excuse.
To see him shirtless and glowing, shaping the iron with his large hands, sweat dripping down his brow, between the ridges of his muscles.
She must have made some noise because he froze, the forge’s fire illuminating his hard body.He set his hammer aside and stalked toward her.
She raised the collection of letters between them.“Temple, I?—”
He kissed her.No, he devoured her, his mouth melting into her as he pressed her against the wall next to the door.
The letters fell to the floor, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, gave a little hop, and wrapped her legs about his taut, narrow waist.He grunted and slapped one palm into the wall by her head, loosed his trousers, and pushed them down his hips, then flattened the other palm on her outer thigh.He smoothed it up until he cupped one side of her arse.Her skirts smooshed between their bodies as he lifted her slightly so his cock was poised at her entrance.She rolled her hips, brushing the head of his cock against her folds and hissed with her pleasure.
He moaned, breaking the kiss as his head felt back in ecstasy.“Juno, Diana.”He squeezed her arse.When he invoked the goddess Juno, shefeltlike a goddess.
She kissed down the length of his strong neck, then back up to capture his mouth once more.“You’re glad to see me, then?”
Another groan, a half chuckle, dark and promising, and then he thrust upward and into her, and she cried out.The fire behind them seemed to leap.The fire in his eyes danced as he held her gaze and stroked in and out of her.
He was her husband, her friend, her protector, her lover.Her love.And every kiss was a smile, and ever touch a pleasure, and when he reached between their bodies to thrum the edge of his ring over her little nub, her every breath—ragged and worn, sated and hot—was for him.
Her body an explosion.His, too, until they were both sweaty and sated, and then he gathered her up—kissing her slowly now—without leaving her body and carried her to the worktable.Still kissing, gently.He set her on the edge of the table and stroked his hands down her back, kissing—still—with lazy love.
She could barely hold herself up and gave a little laugh.“I came in here for reason… I think.”
He scowled.“Your reason was not me?”
“It was, oh, I can’t remem—the newspaper!That’s what.”She looked toward the floor by the door, and there it was, laying lifeless and pale against the dark stone.
Temple righted his trousers then gathered the paper for her, tossed it onto the mess of her wrinkled skirts splayed across her lap.
She smoothed it as best she could and showed him the headline.
The cocky grin he’d been wearing since he pinned her against the wall faded, and he snatched the paper from her.“Well, damn.The king is dead.”
“Long live the Queen.”
“Princess Victoria’s done it.”Temple whistled, and when he met Diana’s gaze.“She inherited the king’s talent.”
“It seems so.”
He whistled again.“That’s two of you, then.”He leaned his hip against the table beside her and crossed his arms over his chest.“Do you think… more of you could…”
“I do.”Women could inherit.But whether or not the men will allow it is another matter.Queen Victoria’s rise would change things.The air felt electric.
“Come on, let’s go inside.I need a bath.”Temple took her hand as she hopped off the table.
Abovestairs, Diana washed her husband’s hair and shoulders and hands and chest, splashing her skirts and batting away his hands until she reached lower beneath the water to wash other parts.
And he pulled her in.When they untangled themselves, laughing, he stripped her bare and put her on their bed, made love to her more slowly than before.When they lay curled around one another, hearts slowing to the same rhythm, he said, “I heard interesting news yesterday when I was at Nickleby.”
“Oh?”
He kissed her neck.“Your cousin is looking for an apprenticeship.”
