She curled her fingers around him, watching his reaction carefully. The shudder that wracked his body told her that he liked what she was doing.
To her shock, he put his hands on her shoulders and stepped back. If he wasn’t holding her in place, she would have pressed herself against him again.
She’d been so certain that he liked what she was doing. “Should I not have done that?”
She bit her lower lip and saw the way his eyes narrowed on her mouth. There was a heat in his gaze that told her Carlisle wasn’t angry. No, he was on the edge, and she wanted to see just how far she could push him.
Could she make him fall over that edge?
There had never been any doubt in her mind about accepting his suit. They were going to be married.
“Carlisle.” Her voice was low, husky.
He growled in reply and another spear of desire pierced her. This was what she wanted. This man, his family as hers.
This moment.
She didn’t want to wait. She didn’t want him to bring her back to her father and court her properly. She was going to take advantage of this time they had to be together.
“Make love to me.”
He closed his eyes and looked away, his jaw clenched. “I’m supposed to be courting you, not ravishing you. The change inour relationship is still new. You need time to consider whether this is what you want.”
She placed her hands on his cheeks and guided his face back. “My answer is yes. I don’t need any more time. I’ve already known for some time that I cared for you. That I would do anything to have you look at me, court me. But I thought any possibility that you might come to care for me was a fantasy.”
His gaze was locked onto hers. “So what you’re saying…”
“I’m saying that I would be honored to be your wife. It’s a dream I never allowed myself to believe would ever come true.”
His entire body was stock-still, and Millie feared he was going to behave honorably and push her away. Instead, her head spun when he shifted and swept her into his arms.
She buried her face in his shoulder and didn’t see how he managed to open the study door. If the servants were witnessing their display, she didn’t want to know about it.
With long, measured steps he ate up the distance between his study and her bedchamber on the next floor. He didn’t lower her to her feet again until they’d entered the room. Anticipation filled her as she watched him lock the door.
“I don’t need anyone rushing in here to save your honor.”
She laughed, giddy with happiness. For one heart-stopping moment, she wondered if it was possible she was dreaming. Perhaps everything that had happened after her arrival at Carlisle’s estate had been a dream.
If that was true, she never wanted to wake up.
They stood there for several seconds, staring at one another. Finally, her uncertainty had her rushing to break the charged silence. “I am relying on you to know what happens next.”
He smiled. How she loved his smile. Before being stranded here with him, it had been an eternity since Carlisle had actually looked at her, let alone given her any indication she wasanything other than a nuisance to him. She wanted to stretch out and purr, like a kitten basking in the warmth of his gaze.
“Get onto the bed.”
She rushed to do that, even as heat colored her cheeks. But not because she was embarrassed. No, she was eager to do this with him. They were going to make love… and it wasn’t even night!
She was going to be Carlisle’s wife, and they would do this all the time. Or at least, she hoped they would.
She sat on the edge of the bed, then decided to stretch out on top of the counterpane.
Then it occurred to her that she might have missed a step. Perhaps she should have removed her dress first. Surely she’d be allowed to leave on her chemise.
She started to sit up but Carlisle lowered himself onto the bed and stretched out next to her. She rolled to face him.
“I can’t believe I’m here with you.” His voice was low. Husky. “I’ve wanted to do this every moment since I saw you sitting in my drawing room.”
