“We had things to discuss,” he said. “Eliza was thrilled to learn that Aunt Alicia will be staying with us. Not so thrilled,” he added as he shut and locked the door behind him, padding further into the room, “to learn she had missed all the excitement.” His eyes followed the trail she’d left in her wake—her wrapper tossed carelessly to the floor; her nightgown draped across the end of his bed.
“She’s just a girl,” Grace said. “I didn’t want her anywhere near that wretched scene.”
“Wise of you,” he said, as he settled at the edge of the bed and pulled off the belt of his banyan. “Really, I owe you more than I can express. We all do.”
“I promised you my assistance,” she said. “I don’t make such commitments lightly. You’re not going to send me home again?”
“God, no,” he said as he drew off his banyan and slung it away. “You always seem to end up in places you oughtn’t be, but for once—foronce, you are exactly where you’re meant to be.”
Where she was meant to be. She liked that. Grace snuggled down into the mattress as Henry shucked off his trousers and slid into bed, nestling his head beside hers upon the pillow. “This is lovely,” she said. “Quiet. Peaceful.”
“I’ve had dreams about you climbing into bed with me,” he confessed as he slid his fingers into the tangle of her hair. “I can’t quite believe I’ve somehow gotten lucky enough to climb into bed with you.” He brushed his lips to her forehead, the tip of her nose. “Tansy?”
“Sleeping,” she said. “In the window, looking out over the garden.”
“Good.”
“She won’t always. And she does take up rather a lot of space in bed.”
“I’m aware,” he said dryly. “She was excessively put out thatI abandoned her when Aunt Alicia arrived. I’m convinced that’s what drew her down to my study this evening.”
“Likely,” Grace admitted. “She prefers an audience for her sulks. And she doessulk so dramatically.” She walked her fingers up his bare chest, pausing to dip a fingertip into the hollow of his throat. “You will have to indulge her on occasion, as she is so fond of you.”
“Just now, I’d rather indulge you.” Henry captured her fingers in his and pressed a kiss into her palm. “Just how many contingencies did you have, besides Aunt Alicia?” he asked, cradling her hand in his. “Was I ever in danger of losing my title?”
“Yes, of course, but…perhaps not quite so much as you had imagined,” Grace admitted. “If Alicia had run into difficulties, I would have begged Uncle Chris’ aid. But he hasn’t got a shred of subtlety in him any longer,” she said, wrinkling her nose. “And he’s always liable to exact payment for services rendered.”
“So we’re indebted to him, now?”
“For evening last? No,” she said, “but I wouldn’t expect a wedding gift.”
Henry wheezed with laughter, and pressed his face into the pillow to muffle it.
“Still,” Grace said, turning to slide one knee between his. “I’m so sorry I placed you and Alicia in such danger. I didn’t plan for your uncle to come chasing after her as he did. But she wanted to help so badly, and I knew she would do everything she could.”
“She did that and more, and you—you made it happen.” Henry dropped a kiss upon her cheek, lingered over the line of her jaw. “You are so brave and clever and…just a little terrifying on occasion.”
Grace’s toes curled at the praise. “Even if you had lost the title,” she said, “I would have proud to be simply Mrs. Marsden.”
“I know,” he said against the curve of her shoulder. “And I love you for that.”
“Only for that?”
“And for the rest of it, too. The brave and clever and terrifying bits.” His arms slid around her, drawing her more closely against him. “The witty bits. The charming ones.” He smothered a groan as her breasts pressed against the wall of his chest. “I love every cunning, devious, criminal inch of you.”
“I’m mostly reformed,” she said on a little gasp as his hand curved over her hip.
“Liar,” he accused gently. “Ten to one, you’ll steal some deserving fellow’s cravat pin at the very next ball we attend.” His breath whooshed out on a satisfied sigh as his hands found the globes of her bottom. “My God, I love your arse,” he said in a low whisper.
Yes, and she could feel how much in the rigid length of his cock pressed against her belly. How lovely it was to be desired exactly as she was. Loved without condition, without reserve, without alteration.
The first strains of dawn slid through the window, painting the room in vibrant peach tones, gilding Henry’s dark hair with strands of amber. She sank her fingers into the soft, cool silk of his hair, guiding his mouth to hers. “I love you,” she whispered against his lips, and felt him smile.
“Good,” he said as his breath shuddered out on a sigh of relief. The last of the tension evaporated from his shoulders, and he drew in a soft, even breath, as if he had finally found a perfect, unexpected peace. “Good.” Henry drew away, and the covers rustled as he cast them off. “There,” he said quietly as he wedged his legs between hers and sat back upon his knees. “I want to see you in the sunlight.”
Grace felt his gaze upon her like the stroke of his fingers, the reverence shining brightly within his eyes kindling a sweet glowof pleasure in her heart. So enthralled was he that he seemed not to notice that she had taken the opportunity to look her fill as well. That night at the tavern there had only been the dim glow of a single lamp, but now in the fresh dawn all those details which had been muted were revealed in full.
The flexing muscles in his arms as he ran his hands up the outside of her thighs to hold the span of her hips in his hands. The catch of his breath in his chest as that avid gaze slid over the fullness of her breasts, her soft belly. The dark curling hair sprinkled across his chest, his abdomen. The proud jut of his shaft in an arc from his loins toward his stomach, and the bead of moisture that welled upon the blunt head.
