“A gig?” Bemused, she stared into the blue fire of his eyes, requiring a moment to return to earth. “And that’s five and a half, if you please.”
“Six.” He tapped her nose and then became serious again. “Unfortunately, it won’t be ready until the day after tomorrow.”
When they’d have to return to the rest of the world.
She glanced out the window. She didn’t want to leave this special little village but they were going to have to go back to London so she could search for her life—a life she knew nothing about.
Tabetha shivered. “I wish we could just stay here forever.”
He didn’t laugh at that but gave her a sad smile. “Your family loves you.”
“I know.” She closed her eyes and buried her face against his chest. “It’s a lot.”
“You’re going to be just fine.”
“We will be just fine.” She felt the need to correct him. “Us.”
“Right.” Then he drew back. “You look so pretty. It’s a shame I can’t show you off.”
“But we can go downstairs.”
He was shaking his head. “Not yet. You still need rest. Doctor’s orders.”
Tabetha narrowed her eyes at him. “But I’ve been doing nothing but resting for two days. I thought—”
“Besides that, our journey up here wasn’t an easy one. And then you didn’t get much sleep the night before your injury.”
“The night before my injury?—Oh!” Heat spread from her core to the tips of her fingers and even the roots of her hair. “I didn’t think about that. But of course.”
“I didn’t—!” His eyes opened wide. “Not because of that!” His horrified look nearly shattered her. And it confused her.
“You mean you didn’t—?" But of course, they had. “We didn’t…?” He was shaking his head. “Didn’t you want to? I don’t understand. We married two days ago, did we not?”
“We did. And of course, I wanted to.” He squeezed her arms. “It’s just that…”
“What aren’t you telling me, Rock Chester?”
He shifted his gaze to the corner of the room and then back to her again. “The two of us might just have... er...celebratedwith a tad too much whisky after the ceremony.”
Whisky?
“But I don’t drink whisky.”
“Perhaps you didn’t before.” He winced. “You do now... rather... you did.”
“You got me drunk?”
“Yougot you drunk. I only gave you the ammunition to do so. You didn’t require much.”
“I… You… We… So, we haven’t?”
“We haven’t.” He tilted his head apologetically. “But not because I didn’t want to. You know how much I want you.”
“So I’m…” She wasn’t sure how she felt about the fact that she was a married virgin. “And you said we have to wait three more days?”
“Five.” But his arms were still around her, holding her pressed against him, and by now, she easily recognized the evidence of his desire.
“Four?”
