“You would have stopped her from eloping?”
“I suppose I might have, before. But if she loves him . . .”
“That’s your only criterion, isn’t it?”
Cass stared at him. “Yes. Though I know it isn’t yours.”
A harsh laugh escaped him. “Until I met you, I would have said that was true.”
She blushed. “What do you mean?”
It was now or never. Kitty wasn’t the only person who liked to leap sometimes.
Closing the door behind him, he headed for Cass. “I’m tired of fighting what I feel. Tired of pretending I could marry any heiress just to save Hawkcrest. I can’t. I won’t. I wantyouas my wife. No matter how that affects my future.”
Her eyes widened. “First, there’s something I must tell—”
“No. No more words.” He slipped his arm about her waist and pulled her close. “I’m done with talking. I want to show you how I feel.”
“But—”
He kissed her, probably harder than he should have, but he hoped not. The thought of losing her for any reason was too much. This,this,was what he needed. He would prove to her that he wanted her, poor relation or no, and then hope that any resistance she had would fade away.
When she kissed him back with great fervor, his satisfaction was so powerful he wanted to crow it aloud. But that would require tearing his lips from her, so instead he pulled off her wrapper and tossed it aside.
“What are you doing?” she whispered against his mouth.
“Making you mine, assuming that you want that, too.” He drew back just enough to see her face shining in the firelight and her lush body nicely outlined by her linen nightdress. God help him if she said no. He might combust. “I may have abducted you, dearling, but I’m no scoundrel.”
She looped her arms about his neck. “I know that. And I do wish to be yours.”
“Now? Here? Because if you want to put it off—”
“Certainly not. I don’t think I could wait even one more day.”
“That’s all I needed to hear,” he growled.
Then he slid both hands up to cover her breasts, reveling in her gasp. And when her sweet nipples hardened as he swept his thumbs over them, he thought he would explode right then and there.
She was so lush, so eager. Her breasts fit his hands perfectly, which made him want to just toss her down on the bed and ravish her. But he wanted her first experience with lovemaking—their first time together—to be special. And that meant taking things slow.
He could manage that, right? Surely he wasn’t so far gone, so smitten, that he couldn’t keep control of his urges.
Perhaps what he should do was increaseherurges. Dropping his hand to below her belly, he caressed her through her nightdress, exulting when her breathing quickened, and her nightdress dampened.
Ah, yes, she was his. She wouldbehis. His heart soared at the thought.
Apparently he had a heart and it knew what it wanted. Her. Only her. And the money be damned.
Chapter 8
Cass knew she shouldn’t be doing this, especially since she hadn’t told him about her fortune yet. But now that he was here and wanting to marry her in spite of everything, she didn’t wish to ruin this moment. Being in Heywood’s arms made her happy, and having him say he wanted her for his wife made her even happier. So she would take her chances.
Now that she’d agreed to his madness, he turned thrillingly fierce, which should have alarmed her. Instead, it delighted her. Between rough and thorough kisses, he fondled her breasts through her nightdress so deliciously that she could hardly think.
“Heywood,” she whispered.
“Yes, dearling.”
