Reduced to a quivering mass of love and lust, she slipped out of the dress, and managed to hide it from sight beneath the robe she’d been wearing. ‘You’re overdressed,’ she complained as Raffa took her in his arms. ‘Not only that, you have the tang of the stable about you. Have you come here straight from riding?’
‘I have an important duty to perform.’
‘Call that an excuse?’ she asked as he unbuttoned his fly and pressed her back against the wall.
‘No. I call this an excuse,’ he said as he reached into the breast pocket of his shirt, at exactly the same moment as he took her deep.
‘Am I supposed to be able to concentrate?’ Rose gasped out.
‘Enough to recognise there’s no room for a velvet jewel box in my breeches,’ Raffa groaned out.
‘There’s no room for much else but this,’ Rose remarked on a half moan, half sigh as he twisted his hips skilfully in the way he knew she loved.
Thankfully, by this time, Raffa had put the box down on the dressing table, all the better to concentrate fully on what he’d come to do. Efficient to a fault, he was fast and firm, and soon had Rose gasping out her pleasure just before he found his. When they were both calm again, he reached for the velvet box.
The wedding ring he’d chosen was a perfect circle of diamonds. ‘A symbol of our love,’ he explained. ‘Fiery, constant and unbroken. But, of course, totally impractical for a hands-on woman like you.’
Rose shook her head in bewilderment. ‘So...?’
‘So, these are our forever rings.’
He delved into his shirt pocket again, producing another velvet case, this one containing two plain matching platinum bands. ‘I’ve changed the insurance policy,’ he explained, ‘to accommodate your not-so-secret visits to the stable, and I guessed diamonds would get in the way.’
‘Diamonds never get in the way,’ Rose protested on a laugh.
‘You’ve changed your tune,’ Raffa teased.
‘I may be practical, but you’ve taught me never to be ungrateful,’ she said, ‘and I promise not to take risks. Our child is too important for that. In fact, I insist you accompany me on all my visits to the stable.’
‘Deal,’ Raffa agreed with a breath-stealing look.
Holding up the glorious diamond circlet to the light, so it flashed blue fire from its prisms, Rose smiled her delight as Raffa drew her into his arms. The kiss lasted perhaps longer than it should have done, but no one was battering down the door yet, and some things couldn’t wait.
‘As you’re so pleased with your diamond ring,’ Raffa remarked as he rearranged his breeches, ‘I hope you like this one too.’
Rose could only gape with astonishment as she stared at the magnificent diamond ring he was now holding up. ‘What’s this for?’
‘High days and holidays?’ he suggested with a shrug.
The huge, flawless emerald-cut diamond on a slim, diamond-studded band was exquisite. ‘I can’t possibly,’ Rose protested.
‘Of course you can,’ Raffa insisted. ‘Part of our deal demands that I spoil you.’
‘Why haven’t I seen that clause?’ Rose demanded with a teasing smile.
‘Put it on,’ Raffa prompted softly. ‘The diamond is one of a kind, just like you.’
‘But I’m not flawless,’ she pointed out.
‘And I am?’ he challenged with a sideways look.
‘No, thank goodness, you’re not,’ she agreed as he reached for her. ‘Raffa! No! We can’t. There isn’t time,’ she protested.
Putting one tanned finger over her lips, he proved her wrong.
‘Don’t shave,’ she begged afterwards as he gently rasped his stubble across her neck.
‘And look like a ruffian on my wedding day?’
