Berry laughed. “Horace and I shall become the best of friends. I suppose we will have to work out the finer details of our dressing arrangements. Much as I enjoy him, he cannot be strolling into our bedchamber while I am dressing, nor can Harriet be in there while you are dressing. But that’s a worry for later, I suppose.”
“An easy fix to provide each of us a distinct dressing area. We’ll be mostly going our separate ways while attending to our daily duties. But at night, I want you in my arms.”
She nodded, feeling quite the same.
Miranda stuffed a handkerchief in her hand as the guests were about to take their seats in the pews. “I know you, Berry. You are going to cry throughout the ceremony.”
“Nonsense, I shall be fine,” she insisted, and was met by doubtful glances from all around her. “I am not a watering pot.”
Gideon grinned.
Miranda chuckled.
And Berry was glad she had taken her friend’s handkerchief, because her eyes now began to tear as Horace, Pudge, Joss, Henry, and Bonham took seats in the front pew. They were Gideon’s family.
She and Gideon took their positions in front of the altar. More tears welled in her eyes.
“I love you, kitten,” Gideon whispered, and took her hand in his, which was not at all the thing to do. But they had already broken so manytonrules, so who cared if one more was broken?
He did this for her benefit, wanting her to know he would always be there for her. She knew it, and loved having this warrior by her side.
The tears streamed down her cheeks as soon as the vicar uttered the first sentence of the wedding ceremony. They did not stop until she and Gideon exchanged their “I dos” and their friends began cheering upon the vicar’s last words. “I now pronounce you man and wife.”
The vicar may have said something more, but everyone was up and clapping, whistling, and stamping their feet, so no one heard his final remarks.
Indeed, the cheers were resounding. Completely shocking and disorderly. But even the staid Lord Berwick was whistling and clapping. Lady Berwick and their daughters tossed rose petals at Berry and Gideon as they marched down the aisle toward the front doors.
After more rounds of hearty congratulations, everyone rode over to the Denby Arms for the wedding breakfast. This time, Berry rode with Gideon in his carriage while Miranda took Lord and Lady Berwick in hers.
“Alone, at last,” Gideon said with obvious relief, and scooted her onto his lap as they made their way along the bustling London streets. He wrapped his arms around her. “I cannot believe this day has finally arrived. We are husband and wife, Berry.”
“Isn’t it wonderful?”
He nodded.
“Well, what are you waiting for?” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Care to do something naughty about it?”
He laughed. “Oh, yes.”
His mouth closed over hers with crushing need, and she realized he must have been holding back his ardor all this time. Not that his prior kisses lacked anything. They were all marvelous and had her swooning.
But this was more intimate, his hands roaming freely over her body, claiming possession of her while at the same time showing her that she had possession of his heart. She probably had possession of his body, too. For was this not the entire point of a marriage ceremony? To pledge heart and body to each other.
One of his big hands came to rest upon her breast, and he seemed to like its ampleness, because he was suddenly paying extraordinary attention to it.
The light squeeze and gentle flick of his thumb across the bud had her body suddenly in flames. She arched into him, uncertain what was happening to her, although the way she responded to his touch was very much the way she had when watching him work on his ballroom while shirtless in the heat…all that glistening skin and those coiled muscles.
Yes, so much heat was flowing through her right now.
She moaned.
“I love the way you fill my hand,” he whispered, then gave a husky, groaning laugh and removed his hand to rest it around her waist instead.
“Why did you stop?”
“We’re almost at our destination. I dared not start something I could not finish in time.” His smile held the promise of pleasures to come tonight.
He made certain their clothes were properly restored before they reached the Denby Arms, although Berry knew her facerevealed that they had not been merely holding hands in the carriage.
