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As if he had conjured her up, she appeared in his doorway.

“Was that your solicitor?”

“Yes. Come in.”

She stepped in and closed the door. He met her in the middle of the room. “Barlow is confident your brother will drop his suit.”

“Really?” Her joy was evident. It made him happy to see it.

“Barlow has not heard formally, but it is expected any day now.”

“It will be a relief.” She placed her hand on his chest, above his heart, and looked up at him. “What if he does not?”

“We have another plan, and if that does not work, then we will take him to court. He will not win in any case.” He pulled her closer to him with a hand at her waist.

“You seem so confident,” she said.

Edward dropped his head towards her neck and placed a kiss there. “That is because I am.”

She tilted her head so that he had better access to the pulse at the base of her neck. “Your pride is showing, Your Grace.”

He said nothing but smiled against her skin as he dipped lower, tugging the annoying fichu out of the way to kiss the tops of her breasts. He heard her breath hitch, and he slipped the top of her dress off her shoulder. He did not know what had taken over him, but he had to have more of her. When he lifted his head, her eyes were closed and her lips were parted. He kissed her, and she eagerly kissed him back.

“Tell me you want this,” he growled against her ear.

“Yes,” she said, her voice breathy. “I think.”

He was a fool. She did not even know what this was. “I want to kiss your breasts. Do you think you would like that?”

She nodded, and that was all the consent he needed. He pushed down the top of her dress and exposed the most exquisite pair of breasts, their nipples already puckered for his mouth. He took one in his hand and the other in his mouth. He heard her gasp and felt her clutch him as he suckled her, squeezing gently, then switched to the other one. Her fingers in his hair clutched him tighter.

He reluctantly stepped away from her to gaze upon her, naked to the waist. “God, you are beautiful.”

Rose blushed and went to cover herself.

“No, not yet. Come.” He led her to the uncomfortable chair by the fire. He then pulled her onto his lap. There he could kiss her mouth, her neck, and her breasts easily.

“What if someone comes in?”

“No one would dare come in without knocking.”

“One look at me and they would know I have been ravished.”

“Delightfully so,” he drawled.

“Edward, this is not funny. You will be forced to marry me.”

“No one can force me to do anything.”

“So, you would leave me to bear the brunt and the ruination of my character?” She pulled the top of her dress up.

This was not the course he had expected this to go. Then again, he had not expected to have had his hands on her breasts either. “Of course not. No one in the family would do that to you.”

“I do not agree. Your mother would banish me from the house, and rightly so.” She pulled at her sleeves. “Marianne would never talk to me again. Or you.”

“She hardly talks to me now, and you are worrying about something that may never happen.” He took her face in his hands. “I would marry you if we were caught, which we will not be.” He kissed her then softly, slowly, wooing her lips with his. “Tell me now if you want to stop.”

He knew her answer before she said the words, and he sighed.