“Heaven forbid!” he said with mock horror. “I’ll make a point of practicing my bad temper.” He smiled down at her. “But that won’t happen until memories of this morning fade. It could be quite a while.”
This time it was Callie who blushed.
She opened the door to the street to find a young militiaman. He asked, “Are you Mrs. Newell?” When she nodded, he continued, “Peter Carroll sent me with a message. The British Army troops withdrew in the middle of the night without attacking the American fortifications, and they’re being loaded onto Royal Navy ships to sail away. He wanted to assure Miss Molly Adams that he’s well and will call on her as soon as he is released from duty.”
“Wonderful news! Thank you,” Callie said warmly. “Can I offer you refreshments?”
“Thank you, ma’am, but I live nearby and I have to show my mother that I’m safe and sound,” he said with a grin. He tipped his hat and went on his way.
Richard closed the door. “Your feeling this morning was right. It’s really over. Shall we visit the local churches tomorrow and see how quickly one can marry us? I’m reasonably confident we can find a vicar or minister who won’t insist on reading the banns.” He smiled wickedly. “I don’t want to wait any longer than absolutely necessary.”
“I couldn’t agree more!” The light was better in the stairwell now, since Josh had installed a tall window above.
Richard was watching her, his gaze intent and his fingers ink stained. “There are other reasons for coming down with you apart from protection.” He caught her hand and pulled her into his arms. “The opportunity to steal a kiss, for example.”
She moved eagerly into his embrace, pressing her body full length against his. “Can you steal a kiss when it’s given freely?”
“A philosophical point I shall ponder at some later time,” he said huskily before his mouth closed over hers.
She hadn’t known a simple kiss could be so intoxicating. Of course, this one wasn’t simple. Their tongues touched, they breathed each other’s air. His skilled hand kneaded her backside, pulling her more closely against him.
She was delighted to feel solid proof of his arousal. She slid her hand between them and squeezed. He caught his breath and she found herself with her back pressed to the wall and his hand moving up her thigh. Then between her legs . . .
She moaned as he lifted her and wrapped a leg around his hips. So swift a joining. So sudden and shattering a culmination. Their bodies clashed in ecstasy and once again she lost all sense of who and where she was as she spiraled into pure sensation with him. Better together than apart . . .
Awareness returned when Richard exhaled roughly and gently returned her feet to the ground, panting, “I really intended not to do this again until we’re properly married and have a real bed!”
She gave a choke of laughter. “I now understand why marriage has such enduring popularity. How long does this honeymoon phase last?”
“Given that we aren’t even married yet, I think we have much time to look forward to. Years.” He kissed her ear. “Decades.”
They stayed in each other’s arms as they recovered. With release came a startling new thought. “Since I wasn’t interested in marrying again, it hadn’t occurred to me that I might have children of my own,” Callie whispered. “How would you feel about that?”
He lifted his head from hers and was quiet for so long that she became worried. “Richard? It might not happen. It didn’t in my first marriage. If you hate the idea, there are things that can be done to prevent babies.” Though it might already be too late for precautions.
He hugged her reassuringly. “I don’t hate the idea. Even more than you, though, I never thought that I might have children. But . . . I like the idea. Having children with you.” His eyes narrowed. “In fact, I like this idea very much. Only we would raise them better than we were raised.”
“I would hope so!” she exclaimed. “We’re intelligent people. We can work out how to be better parents than ours were.”
“That’s a low standard,” he said with a breath of humor. “Let’s aim to be as good as Josh and Sarah. I doubt we’ll achieve that, but it’s a good goal to aim for.” He slung an arm around her shoulders and they started up the stairs. “Tomorrow we work on the details of getting married. A church, a vicar, and a jewelry shop to buy a ring.”
“To buy two rings,” she said firmly. “Why should women be the only ones marked as taken?”
He laughed. “That’s a fair point. Two rings, then.”
“How will we get back to England? Do you think Hawkins will come for us?”
“Yes, if he can. He’s an honorable fellow. After the news that Baltimore has held out against the British reaches St. Michaels, he’ll surely sail up here. His ship repairs should be done by now.” Richard shrugged. “And if for some reason he can’t return for us, we’ll find another way home.”
Home to England with her best friend beside her. How did she get so lucky?
Chapter 31
The next two days convinced Gordon that he was going to like being married. He’d always loved Callie’s company, and having her beside him was like their childhood except that instead of catching frogs or riding hell-for-leather, they were organizing a wedding and occasionally stealing secret kisses.
Their first stop was a jeweler and goldsmith, Mr. Tate. When they entered his shop, he was setting trays containing jewelry on the counter. “Good day!” he said cheerfully. “As you can see, I’m just reopening after removing my business from the city for the last unfortunate fortnight.”
“Battles are bad for business,” Gordon agreed. Particularly for a business that dealt in small, valuable, easily looted items. “I hope you’ll be able to give us swift service on a pair of matched wedding rings.”
