She kissed him then, her mouth settling perfectly over his in the dark interior of the carriage. The press of her lips was soft and gentle and sweet, but also incredibly direct. It was as if she was silently saying, “I will always be here for you, Griffin. I understand you and I forgive you.”
He answered her by deepening the kiss, by drawing her breath into his mouth so her soul could merge with his. One palm settled firmly against her back to hold her steady while the other grasped hold of her waist.
No longer a novice at kissing, she nipped his lip with her teeth. The sharp little pinch caused desire to shoot through his body. More so when she gave a low chuckle, suggesting she knew precisely what she was doing.
Abandoning her mouth, Griffin pressed a series of kisses to her jaw and smiled against her skin. This was the reason for his hasty return, this fervor with which she responded to him, the way she seemed to crave his touch as much as he craved hers.
The carriage bumped, jostling her against him in a way that made it damned hard for him to hide his physical response. Not that he wanted to do so, but considering her innocence, there was a good chance it would frighten her away.
But rather than scramble off his lap and return to the opposite bench as he’d half expected her to, she pushed herself closer, as if seeking the same relief he so desperately needed.
“Emily…” His hand moved to her thigh, holding her steady while he wished…oh, how he wished they were anywhere else but in a hackney carriage headed for Camberly House.
Swallowing, he bowed his head against the curve of her neck and breathed her in. She deserved to be cherished and adored, and he, by God, needed to show her how much he loved her.
“The wedding is next Saturday, is it not?”
A sharp inhale was her first response, as if her brain was forced to adjust to the idea of speaking. “Yes.” Her voice was breathy, her body moving in a quiet plea for him to respond to her more fully.
Griffin tamped down the elementary urge to rip her gown from her body and ravish her right then and there. Instead, he forced himself to say, “I won’t ruin our wedding night, Emily.” A statement that served as both a promise to her and a stern reminder to himself. “But I can give you this.” And with that pronouncement he swept his hand under the hem of her skirt, skimming past her ankle, her calf, and her thigh.
A small gasp was followed by, “Dear God, Griffin,” and then, a soft moan of approval as she relaxed against his touch and surrendered to the pleasure he so desperately wanted to give her.
19
Emily’s stomachstarted to flutter like a giant butterfly when her mother came to inform her that Griffin had come to call the next day. He’d said he would last night when he’d bid her goodnight. After arriving at Camberly House, he’d alit and instructed the coachman to return her to Vauxhall, leaving her to ponder the extraordinary sensations he’d evoked in her while she made the journey back.
She’d continued to do so when she’d crawled into bed later. The powerful sensations he’d evoked in her body had been like water being brought to a slow simmer before rolling into a forceful boil.
And God help her, she wanted more.
A fact she was quite certain showed on her face for her cheeks felt unbearably flushed. But if her mother noticed, she said nothing as she showed Emily into the parlor where Griffin waited. He stood as soon as they entered, his gaze locking on Emily with an intensity that caused a flare of heat to charge through her. The edge of his mouth lifted, producing that mischievous smile she loved so much. And then he bowed while holding her gaze.
“It is such apleasureto see you again, Emily. Indeed, it has been far too long.”
No one else had seen him at Vauxhall, so when she’d returned after being absent for forty minutes, she’d concocted a story about a friend whom she’d not encountered in years. She’d apologized to David for leaving him on the dance floor, but had claimed it was necessary since her ‘friend’ had been heading for the exit. Which was partly true. The biggest fib had been saying that she’d also gotten distracted by the fireworks and lost her way when she’d tried to locate everyone again. Mary had not looked convinced, but at least the rest of the party had seemed to believe her. Most importantly, her parents had.
“I’ve asked one of the maids to bring up some tea and cake,” Georgina announced in a bright tone of voice that instantly snuffed out the embers Griffin had ignited in Emily with his heated gaze.
She moved to the sofa on which he’d been sitting and lowered herself to the spot next to his. Her mother claimed one of the armchairs. “I trust you are well,” Emily forced herself to say. After all, was that not an appropriate question if one had not seen one’s fiancé for a month? A quick glance at her mother assured her that there was nothing wrong with it, so Emily straightened her shoulders and forced herself to look at the man who’d shown her the stars last night in a carriage.
“Indeed,” he murmured, the low timbre of his voice a reminder of searing kisses and scandalous caresses.
She shifted in her seat. “How did you find your friend?”
“Better than I had feared.” He smiled then, a different kind of smile than the mischievous variety he favored, but rather one filled with warmth and appreciation. “I’ve arranged for my business to be rebuilt and have offered Edvard the position of manager.” The tea and cake arrived, and as they partook of it, he went on to explain how he meant for his plans to be accomplished and described his intention to create a similar shop in London. “We can hire someone else to run it, so we’re not tied to the city ourselves,” he quickly added.
“You’re the clockmaker though, so would it not be necessary for you to be where the shop is?” Emily asked. She wasn’t particularly eager to live in London, but she also recognized that it might be essential to Griffin’s work.
“Not really. I see no reason why I cannot make the merchandise anywhere I choose and simply have it brought to the shop. All I’ll really need is a talented salesman.” He waited for Emily to put down her teacup, then reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. “I meant what I said when I told you I’d give you the house in the country. The last thing I want is for you to abandon your dream.”
Emotionally undone by his thoughtfulness, Emily could only manage a smile and a nod. She feared that any attempt to speak would lead to tears. Especially when he retrieved a package wrapped in creamy silk and tied with lace ribbons. A pink rose had been tucked beneath the bow.
“Open it,” he urged her after placing the package in her lap.
Emily hesitated only the second it took her to admire the pretty wrapping. He’d put thought into this, and that idea alone made her heart swell with joy. Taking care, she gave the ends of the ribbon a tug, undoing the bow and releasing the rose. She pressed it to her nose and inhaled its sweet fragrance, then handed it to her mother and proceeded to pull back the fabric.
A gorgeous metal case crafted from gold came into view, the lid a dazzling display of bright colors painted on porcelain to depict a lady and gentleman strolling along a riverbank. Tipping it open, Emily was greeted by a deep red velvet interior, so plush and inviting to the touch that she could not stop from brushing her fingers against it.
