“Then I suggest you keep a close watch on her.” Vincent caressed Ellie’s cheek with his knuckles. “And I’ll keep an eye on Stone as much as I can.”
“Actually, I believe he’s staying with us, so I may be able to spy on them.” She sighed again and cuddled against his palm. “We need to find my father. I don’t want my life to be a Cinderella tale with the mean stepmother.”
He chuckled. “But didn’t Cinderella marry her prince at the end of the story?”
“She did.”
“Then if your life turns out like that, you will have something to look forward to.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Vincent, you aren’t being very humorous, you know.”
“I know. I’m just trying to make you smile, if even just a little.”
The corners of her mouth lifted gently, and her eyes didn’t appear so sad. “Thank you for being with me now, during this turmoil. You don’t know how much it relieves me to have you here.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Her gaze dropped to his mouth. Cotton dryness grew in his throat, and he tried to swallow it. His breathing quickened, and the urge to kiss her became strong. Yet was it proper? Especially now, when she’d been through so much today?
“Vincent?” she said in a whisper. “Have I told you how wonderful you are?”
The words slammed into his heart. He had never had a woman say such words and genuinely mean them. He suddenly didn’t care if anyone was watching. He was going to show Ellie exactly how much those tender words meant to him.
In one swift movement, he pulled her into his arms and lowered his mouth. The second his lips touched hers, she inhaled sharply, and followed it with a heady sigh. Her soft body melted against him as she wound her arms around his neck.
Passion took over, inflaming his whole body. He really should take her someplace private for what he wanted to do right now, but he couldn’t stop kissing her long enough. Never had he wanted a woman so much it made him weak in every way possible. And heaven might send down a lightning bolt right now, because he just couldn’t wait until the wedding to make love to her.
“Precious,” he whispered against her lips.
“Yes?”
He moved his hands over her back, pulling her against him closer. “Where can we go…to have some privacy?”
She released a low moan. “How about my bedchambers?”
Excitement built inside of him—she wanted this as much as he did. “Will anyone see us going there?”
“I don’t…know,” she said in between kisses. “But if they do…then we’ll have a speedy marriage.”
Inwardly, he chuckled. He liked the way her mind worked.
Off in the distance, voices lifted in excitement. Vincent didn’t want to break their passionate kiss to see what was going on, but when the voices grew louder, both he and Ellie pulled away at the same time.
Toward the front of the house, a lone rider galloped toward the manor. Dominic, Augusta, and some servants ran toward the horse.
“Father!”
Ellie’s cry startled Vincent. She darted toward her father, holding her dress up to help her run faster.
Breathing deeply and slowly, Vincent tried to tame the desire still flowing through him like turbulent waters. There was no way he could greet the duke like this. Vincent only hoped that Ellie’s excitement for her father’s homecoming would override the passion that had been written on her face only moments ago.
*
Ellie sat closelybeside her father on the sofa as he answered the police’s questions. It pleased her to know he had noticed her horse missing after his morning ride, and that he’d gone after the animal. He hadn’t taken his favorite horse only because he’d just put the animal through a vigorous ride. He didn’t have any excuse as to why he hadn’t alerted Oliver to what he was doing, only that he was concerned about Ellie’s missing horse.
Sadly, he hadn’t found Pegasus.
Her heart ached for the animal who’d been her companion since she was in her tenth year. With any luck, the mare would eventually find its way back home.
