“Or I would have moved in here.”
“Would you, now?” she retorted, but her lips were twitching. “Without my permission, I suppose?”
“We’ll never know, will we?” He grinned. “Now, what else did you want to tell me?”
She tried to shrug. It didn’t work. Her senses were reeling with his body pressed to hers, his eyes warm, tender, his lips a breath away.
“I love you,” she said simply, then squealed when he squeezed her so tight she couldn’t breathe.
“Oh, God, Roslynn, I was afraid I’d never hear you say it! Do you really? Despite what an utter ass I’ve been half the time?”
“Yes.” She laughed, giddy from his reaction.
“Then read that note from James.”
It was the last thing she expected to hear at the moment. She glanced at him warily as he set her down on her feet and stepped back. But she opened the paper, too curious now not to. The message was brief, addressed to her.
Since Tony’s too pigheaded to tell you, I thought you ought to know that the little tavern wench you assumed Tory dallied with was actually mine for the evening. Tony might have been her first choice, as he was yours, but she had no complaints in settling for me. You’ve been wrong about the lad, dear girl. I do think he loves you.
Roslynn’s eyes were moist as they found his and he drew her gently back into his arms. “How can you ever forgive me, Anthony?”
“You forgave me, didn’t you?”
“But you weren’t guilty!”
“Shh, sweetheart. It doesn’t matter now, does it? You’re still the only woman I’ve wanted since I first saw you—bent over peeking in the Crandals’ ballroom and presenting me with your sweet little derrière.”
“Anthony!”
His laugh was rich and deep as he fastened his arms tighter around her so she couldn’t hit him. “Well, it’s true, my dear. I was utterly captivated.”
“You were a rake!”
“I still am,” he assured her. “You wouldn’t want me to become morally proper, now, would you? You won’t like making love only in the dark, suitably clothed so no skin touches except what is essential—ouch!” She had pinched him. “I’m not teasing you, my dear.” He chuckled. “That’s how Warton would probably have made love to you. ’Course, he would have died for it…now, now, no more pinches.”
“Then be serious.”
“But I am, my girl, most serious.” His fingers slid into her hair, spilling pins this way and that, all the while his eyes remained locked to hers. “You became mine that first night, dashing toward me in the moonlight. You took my breath away. D’you know how much I wanted to make love to you then, right there in the Crandals’ garden? What did you feel, sweetheart?”
“I—I was sorry I couldn’t have you.”
“Were you?” he asked softly, his thumbs caressing her cheeks, his lips just barely touching hers. “Do you want me now?”
“I’ve always wanted you, Anthony,” she whispered, arms wrapping around his neck. “I didn’t want it so. I was afraid I could never trust you.”
“Do you trust me now?”
“I have to. I love you—even if you don’t—”
He put a finger to her lips. “Oh, my beautiful, silly girl. Didn’t you read all of my brother’s note? My whole family knows I love you to distraction without my telling them. Why don’t you?”
“You do?” she gasped.
“Would I have let you run rings around me if I didn’t?”
“But why didn’t you tell me?”
“You didn’t want to marry me, sweetheart,” he reminded her. “I practically had to twist your arm. And even when you agreed, you did everything possible to keep a distance between us. Would you have believed me then if I had told you I loved you? Roslynn, why else would I marry you?”
