Page 105

She knew this was the beginning of their difficulties, not the end, but she also knew she’d made the right decision. For herself. For him. Just looking at the miserable Duke of Grafton and his reluctant fiancée was enough to remind her of that.

Sebastian shifted beside her, his lips coming down to brush against her ear.

“Meet me in the back sitting room tonight.”

A shiver went through her body, and she nodded.

Sebastian

Relief flooded Sebastian’s body when the door to the sitting room cracked open, and Mei slipped through. He’d been pacing the floor, waiting for her arrival. As soon as she was through the door, he moved, reaching for her so he could hold her the way he’d yearned to all day. The yearning had only gotten worse after she’d accepted his proposal, giving him the right to touch her properly… but not with so many onlookers.

Now, her head tilted back so her lips could meet his, her soft curves pressing against the hard planes of his body. He wrapped his arms around her to hold her to him as closely as possible. She felt so right in his arms, responding to his kiss. He never wanted to let her go.

And I never have to again.

Not really.

She was his now.

She’d accepted his suit—she was going to marry him and be his wife, his duchess.

Sebastian lifted her and spun her around, making her laugh against his lips as she clung to him.

Lifting his head so he could look down at her smiling face in the flickering light, Sebastian felt so much warmth fill his chest that it felt like it was about to burst. He did not think he’d ever felt so happy. For the first time since his father had died, it felt like all might be truly all right within the world.

“You said yes.” He still felt the wonder of that.

What madness had pushed him to propose like that… it had been the only way he could think of that she would not be able to ignore that he truly did not care what Society thought. All he cared about was her.

“I did.” Her fingers stroked his face, her gaze softening. “I hope you know what you are about. I never intended to be a duchess.”

“Clearly, I never knew how much I needed a matchmaker,” he teased, and she laughed, as he’d intended. The lightness in his chest felt as though it was full of bubbles, ready to lift him off his feet. He honestly felt as though he might float from happiness at any moment.

Lowering his mouth to hers, he kissed her again. Deeply. Eagerly. Her tongue twining with his.

This was what he’d wanted last night.

It was as though they were getting another try at his disastrous proposal from the night before. This was how the evening should have ended, if only he’d handled things better. If only he’d found the words then to make her see…

But perhaps this was how it was meant to be. This way, she knew, beyond a doubt, that he was ready to face down the entirety of Society for her.

For much of his life, Sebastian had been the peacemaker, the person who did not cause any major upheavals, not even minor rifts. Even with the dramatics between his mother and sister, he’d taken the path of least resistance and sent his mother away, rather than trying to deal with her directly. That it was also an effective punishment for her was an added bonus.

But what had he done upon her return?

Kowtowed, again, and let things be. Decided to let the course run and see what happened rather than trying to put his foot down.

For Mei, though, he was willing to go to war. And dash what anyone else thought about it.

“You are my everything,” he whispered against her lips.

“I love you, too.”

The joy in his breast exploded, and for a moment, he could not breathe. The words she had not said when he’d proposed—and he had not cared because his love for her was enough—were enough to make him weep.

They could not get to the daybed quickly enough. Could not touch each other deeply enough. He wanted to worship every inch of her and take his time, and at the same time, he could scarcely hold back his need to be inside her, to be filling her and claiming her completely.

Even knowing they had the rest of their lives together, he knew it would not be enough.