Lady Elder
Susannah’s eyes popped wide open, and for a moment she was too stunned to move, but slowly, as his words sank in, she smiled and then softly chuckled.
Race’s eyebrows rose in concern. “What’s wrong?” he said, propping on his elbow.
“You, again.”
“Me again?” His eyes turned guarded. “I have to admit that laughing, no matter how nice it is to hear, is not the reaction I expected when I bared my soul to you.”
She moistened her lips. “Race, I’m not a young innocent who needs to be coddled with phrases about love that you don’t mean.”
The instant the words finished tumbling from her lips, she saw pain in his eyes, as if he’d been sucker-punched in the stomach, and she instantly regretted her flippant attitude. But how should she react to such a bold statement after the way he had treated her when the pearls were stolen?
A deep frown wrinkled his brow. “You think that’s what I’m doing? Just trying to make you feel good about having shared your bed with me?”
Her expression softened, and she cupped his cheek with her hand. “Aren’t you? Aren’t you confusing me with some of your younger conquests?”
He grabbed her hand and kissed the inside of her palm, never letting his gaze leave hers. “No, Duchess, I am not trying to flatter you, and I am not trying to deceive you. I do understand your feelings. I’m perfectly willing to wait for you to fall in love with me. But hear me well, Your Grace, I have never told another woman that I loved her, because I have never been in love before. I know I haven’t given you any reason to believe anything I’ve said. That was an error on my part, but know this, I will give you time to see how determined I am to make amends for my past and then make you mine forever.”
Susannah felt her heart melt, and for some reason she couldn’t understand, tears pricked her eyes. Was he telling the truth? Did he really want her to be his forever?
“I want to believe you, but I’m troubled by all—”
He touched her lips with the tips of his fingers as his eyes searched her face. “Say no more for now. I’ve told you before that I am a patient man. I’m willing to wait for you to accept my love and return your love to me.”
Race softly placed his lips on hers, drawing her closer to his chest with his strong arms. He kissed her reverently for what seemed like hours before his kisses turned impatient and physical. His tongue played over hers inside her mouth as his hands moved over her breasts, down her curves, around her hips, until his finger found the dampness between her legs.
Susannah welcomed his hot, eager touch as she felt his rising desire pulsating on her abdomen. Further words weren’t necessary, because somehow she knew he wanted to prove to her what he thought she didn’t know, that she loved him, and that he was very much in love with her.
“Tell me I don’t have to love you, now, Susannah,” he whispered against her ear. “Tell me you don’t long for this, and I will believe you. Tell me.”
Her pleasure was so intense she wasn’t sure she could speak, but she managed a breathy “I can’t.”
Race chuckled into her mouth. His fingers continued to pleasure her until she thought she would scream from wanting, before he finally pushed inside her, merging their bodies into one. With his thighs wedged between hers, they moved together until all too quickly they were once again engulfed in the exquisite, luxuriant sensation of feeding love to each other.
With gulping breaths, Race relaxed on top of her for a moment before rolling onto his side. He pulled her close to his chest once again, and she snuggled. To her surprise, she felt his body shake and realized that now he was the one laughing.
Having no idea what he was thinking, she tensed. Looking up into his face, she saw that his eyes were closed. “What is so humorous?”
“You, making me prove my love.”
“Making you? I believe you are the one who felt you needed to do that.”
He kissed the tip of her nose and then closed his eyes again. “Give me a few minutes to rest, and I will prove to you once more that I love you, Susannah, or twice more if you are still not convinced.”
She looked down at his face in the soft glow of the lamp, and her heart felt so full she thought it might burst. Maybe he really did love her. And if he did, why wouldn’t he let her answer him back? She felt his body grow still, his breaths evened out, and she knew that he slept.
Susannah snuggled closer to him. She had never felt such contentment. Yes, she believed he loved her, and she loved him, but there was something devilishly exciting about his thinking she wasn’t ready to admit she loved him yet. But she would tell him.
Soon.
Susannah kissed his forehead, smiled, and closed her eyes.
Sometime later, something caused Susannah’s lashes to flutter up. She knew immediately Race was still beside her. She turned her head and saw he was lying on his back, looking out the window as the first fingers of dawn showed in the sky.
He looked thoughtful and as if his mind was a thousand miles away. Was he already regretting telling her he loved her? Was he wondering why she never told him she loved him?
She rolled onto her side, propped her chin in her hand, and stared down at him. She caressed his chest with the pads of her fingers.
