“You never did tell me what you are doing here. I know you didn’t come here just to tell me about Lady Katherine’s great escape to Wales.”
“No,” he said softly. “I just wanted to see you one last time before the wedding.” He cupped her cheek gently, as if he thought she would break. “I love you, Joanna. I love you more than anything, and I would spend the rest of my life in misery if we did not wed tomorrow. But I have to admit, I am scared.”
She smiled. Part of her wanted to make a joke about how something like a wedding could scare the Duke of Ice, but she refrained, knowing that was not what he needed in the moment.“I know,” she said softly. “It wasn’t that long ago that you thought you would never marry. Things happened very quickly, didn’t they?”
He nodded, staring at her in complete awe.
She leaned up to press her lips against his for a moment before pulling away again. “I know times will not always be easy. It is life, after all. But as long as we are together, we will be able to handle it.”
“I know,” he said. “I have always known that. I was hesitant about marrying because I was scared of losing the person I loved. Again.”
“What made you change your mind?”
“You. You made me want to risk it because the thought of a life without you would be as bleak as it would be safe. So I might not know the future. And that might mean losing you. Or you might lose me.” He swallowed, panic flickering across his eyes for a brief moment before he composed himself again. “But you are worth the risk, Joanna. My love.”
She smiled. “Damn you. I will never be able to say things as wonderful and beautiful as you do.”
He chuckled and kissed her nose gently. “I am only able to say such things to you because you inspire me so much.” His lips traveled down to meet hers, and he kissed her deeply.
CHAPTER 43
“Iwant you,” Evan whispered against her lips.
“You have me,” she replied, looking up at him with her dark, trusting eyes. “We are getting married in the morning.”
“I know. But I want you tonight.” He pulled her closer to him, so she was pressed up against his body. “I am tired of waiting for you, Joanna. I want all of you.”
She giggled. “Tomorrow, my love. You can wait one more day.”
He sighed and rested his head on her shoulder. One more day felt like an eternity to him. Joanna had a way of making him feel impatient and reckless, despite his usual nature of being level-headed and rational. “Fine,” he growled. “I can wait until tomorrow. But that doesn’t mean I will not have fun with you.” He brushed a strand of loose hair out of her face. “We are in the garden, and no one can see us, little mouse. Which means I can take what I please from you.”
A delighted shiver ran down her spine at those words, and he smirked in response. She looked up at him with a mischievous smile, only visible because of the moonlight. “And what does a bird of prey, like yourself, want from a little mouse like me?”
He chuckled. “I figured that would be obvious, sweetheart.” He pressed his index finger underneath her chin to raise her face to meet his own. “I want to make your eyes glaze over with pleasure.” He pressed his lips firmly against hers before pulling away. “On your knees, sweetheart. I believe I told you that I would teach you how to better take me, and I intend to make good on that promise.”
As Joanna knelt down, he could not help but glance in the direction of the manor, wondering which window belonged to her parents’ bedchambers. Despite all of his earlier talk about causing a scandal with her, he didn’t actually want to do anything to humiliate her.
Joanna seemed to read his mind. “Don’t worry,” she said. “They’re both sound asleep, and the curtains are closed. Even if they weren’t, they would not be able to see us when it’s so dark outside.”
“Good,” he whispered. He put his hand on the back of her head, gently entangling his fingers in her silky hair. “You are such a pretty sight, on your knees for me. Unlace my breeches.”
She reached up and slid her hands over the front of his breeches, feeling his bulge through the fabric. He sucked in a breath from her teasing. She giggled in response.
He tugged gently at her hair. “Enough of that,” he growled.
“But I want to have my fun too, my love.” The smile was evident in her voice, and the sound of it made him feel warm inside.
“You will have your fun, sweetheart. But you have to earn it. Now take it out and touch it.” His voice was commanding, and his tone would have been enough to make most of London’s society quake in terror, but Joanna merely huffed at him with amusement.
“As you wish, Your Grace.” She undid the laces of his breeches and reached inside to pull out his hard member. Just the feeling of her hand on his shaft was enough to make him inhale sharply. Her touch felt so good.
She stroked it gently a few times before tightening her grip slightly, and he groaned softly. “That’s it, sweetheart,” he said, gasping. “Touch it just like that.”
Her hand immediately dropped away from him, and he felt bereft from the absence of her touch. She looked up at him, smiling coyly. “I believe you were going to teach me how to better use my mouth, Your Grace.”
He growled softly. “Don’t toy with me, Joanna.”
She giggled. “You are to be my husband in the morning, Evan. I will do with you what I please, just like you do the same with me.”
