“You are temptation personified,” he replied, grinning happily. His expression was far more open, the weight of so much pain finally behind him, it seemed.
“I would think it would be lovely to have a wife who tempts you. I’m especially thankful for a husband who provokes such a reaction in me,” she flirted as they strode down the hall toward the dining room to celebrate their wedding breakfast. As they entered, the footmen applauded for their master, and as the others filed into the room, she noted the tears in the eyes of Mrs. Keyes, along with her sister.
Iris gave a knowing grin and took her seat just as Lucas retrieved a glass of champagne from the table and raised it high.
“To my brother-in-law. May you catch on faster than you have until this point,” he teased.
Samantha glanced at Heathcliff, watching his wry reaction to Lucas’s words. “I don’t remember you catching on any faster.”
“That is all in the past, and as such, we shall leave it there,” Lucas remarked, earning a bemused grin from his wife.
Samantha was giggling at her sister and brother-in-law, but when Heathcliff grasped her hand tightly, pulling it to his chest, she turned.
Before God and everyone, he pulled her into his arms, kissing her firmly on the mouth.
His lips were tender, but there was an intensity beneath the kiss that left her breathless as he pulled away. “You’re heartbreakingly beautiful,” he murmured, then kissed her once more, fleetingly, and took her hand. When she came to her senses, she heard the amused giggles of their guests, and Samantha turned, first seeing the wide eyes of Iris.
That, she decided needed to be addressed in the near future. This wasn’t exactly proper behavior. And she was still Iris’s governess of sorts. They’d sort that all out later.
But while it wasn’t proper, it was delightful behavior. Every groom should kiss his bride at their wedding breakfast, she decided. It was a pity it was considered scandalous.
Lucas and Liliah stood together, their expressions warm, and even Mrs. Keyes didn’t appear shocked by their behavior. Apparently she didn’t shock them all as much as she thought.
Heathcliff guided her to the head of the table, and then helped her to sit, and breakfast was served. A footman brought out treacle tart first, and Samantha caught a wink sent from Mrs. Keyes to Heathcliff, and he gave her a grin in response.
The breakfast passed with laughter, delight, and more than its share of teasing. It was exactly as she could have hoped, had she had enough courage to hope for so much.
As the celebration died down, a boot trailed up her leg, lifting the hem of her skirt.
She couldn’t help the blush that heated her face. She remembered the previous evening, and she turned to her husband, who was watching her with that intensity that gave her butterflies and heat in her belly.
“I do believe it’s more than time to for us to go. Come, Wife.” Lucas stood, offering his hand to Liliah, who flickered a glance to Samantha, winked, and then stood.
In short work, they’d said their good-byes, with promises to return the next day, but nottooearly.
And finally, blessedly, Samantha found herself alone with her husband. She wanted to grasp his hand and run up the stairs, throw herself at him and love him freely, deeply, perhaps heal whatever scars remained in his heart.
But she was frozen, anticipation and her lack of knowledge holding her captive in their grasp.
Heathcliff turned to her and grinned, and her heart melted as much as her lack of courage, and with a wolfish grin, he swept her up in his arms and ran up the stairs. She giggled the whole way.
If love should be anything, it should be happy.
And though she’d never experienced it before, she knew without a doubt this was indeed love.
