“Yes.”
Graham chuckled. “What does a flinch mean?”
Amelia sauntered toward him. “Oh, you know. A man flinches when he’s caught off guard by a woman’s beauty. You’ve done it dozens of times. Sometimes in a single day.”
“Oh, have I? I must be so transparent.”
“You’re desperate for me. I can feel it.” She grinned as she leaned in and kissed his cheek.
Graham cleared his throat. “Amelia, let’s have dinner with Alston first, and then I’ll happily show you how desperate I am.”
Amelia sat in her chair. In truth, she was the one who was desperate. Perhaps it was their newly wed state, but Amelia couldn’t conceive of ever tiring of Graham. Sir Daniel had been wrong about her and Graham. Next time she played and beat him, she’d make him eat his hat. Literally.
Graham was everything she needed and wanted. The things she needed from him were obvious. His calm, his strength of character, his unwavering loyalty, and his unbending integrity. Those attributes were the pillars that made Graham. To discover what she wanted from him, she’d had to learn the hard way. She wanted him to be challenging, wicked, hungry for her, and tender with her heart. He was all those things and more.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked.
“You, and how much I love you.”
He drew a clipped breath. “You’re intent on not letting us finish this dinner, aren’t you?”
“I can’t help it.”
“Try for your brother’s sake. Behave as if he were awake.”
“One kiss?”
He smiled. “The anticipation will be worth the wait. Eat. I promise you’ll need the energy.”
Amelia sighed and took a bite of her fish. Her gaze moved to Sam and her heart swelled with her fear and joy. His life was still so fragile, and yet he’d come this far, defying all the odds. It had to mean he’d eventually heal, and she’d have her brother backone day. He might not be pleased with how things came about—like marrying a stranger for Mrs. Dove-Lyon—but they’d all be together again. She had everything she wanted in the world right here in this room and she would fight to keep it no matter the consequence.
Always.
Chapter Forty-Six
Aknock startledGraham from a deep sleep. He took a moment to reorient himself and register where he was and who was snuggled tightly to his side. Naked and soft. He couldn’t stop his grin. Something in Amelia had made her insatiable tonight. The sound did not occur again. It must have been part of a dream. Graham rolled to face Amelia.
Amelia.His wife.
He still couldn’t believe it. He felt like he was going back and forth between a dream and a nightmare. The nightmare was for Alston, suspended in a state of unconsciousness and never knowing from one minute to the next whether he would live or die. Graham knew the odds were not in their favor. But he never let Amelia hear these thoughts. She needed hope and reassurance, and he’d give it to her until the bitter end.
The dream, of course, was being married to Amelia.
She sighed in her sleep and rolled away from him. Graham tugged her close again, her back to his chest and her bottom nestled to his hardening length. He ran a hand over her hip, and she arched in her sleep. He kissed her neck, rubbing his nose in her hair and breathing deep the scent that was only Amelia. Tothink there was once a time when he didn’t want this. When he considered her and all her feverish antics a menace to society.
She might still be, but she washismenace.
“I love you,” he said, mouthing the words into her skin, and into her dreams.
The knock came again, and Graham tensed. The first knock hadn’t been part of some dream, then. He couldn’t see the clock, but the hour felt late, and if they were being interrupted, it had to be urgent. Graham eased out of bed and tugged on his trousers and shirt. His gut tightened as he approached the door. He paused, looking back at Amelia, still asleep. He rubbed the gritty sleep from his eyes and opened the door a crack. A maid stood there.
“What is it?”
“His lordship opened his eyes,” the maid said.
Graham’s heart skipped several beats. He opened the door wider, freezing on the threshold. Amelia, he had to wake Amelia.
“We’ll be there in a moment.”
