Page 69 of Seducing the Marquess (Lords and Ladies in Love 1)

“Devon, please,” she begged, kissing his chin, jaw, cheeks, and eyes.

“Relax, love, let me help you.” He reached between them and, with his thumb, circled the slick rigid flesh where they were joined. He whispered in her ear, words of love, her beauty, and how much he desired her. Once he felt her muscles beginning to contract, he let himself go and poured his seed into her, throwing his head back with her name on his lips.

Devon collapsed on top of her then, with sluggish movements, rolled to his side, pulling her slick body up against his. The sounds of their heavy breathing filled the room, along with the scent of their mating.

Perfume for the soul.

True, he hadn’t much sleep the night before, but never had he been so drained, so satiated by a coupling. He felt as though all his bones had turned to water.

He leaned over and kissed her on her forehead, then smoothed her hair back. “My dear, even though it has given me a number of sleepless nights wondering what you were up to, I am eternally grateful for your book.”

Once they ate the hearty breakfast sent up from the kitchen, they made love twice more before they fell into such a deep sleep that Sally banged on the door for some time before they regained consciousness.

They sent Sally ahead in a rented carriage so he could have Eugenia all to himself. And to that end, Devon instructed the driver to take his time on the trip to Devonshire.

They stopped along the way for a picnic, and most likely shocked the driver with the rocking the carriage did as they continued to discover new ways to pleasure each other.

They sat side by side in the coach, Eugenia’s head resting on Devon’s shoulder.

“I believe we will stay in Devonshire for a while, my love.” Devon kissed the top of her head.

She raised her chin to look at him. “What about the bill you are sponsoring in Parliament?”

“I withdrew it.”

Shifting to sit up straight, she said, “Why?”

“I believe you made a good point about the nobility not making the life of the underclass more difficult.” He gave her a sheepish grin.

“Truly? So it appears I am not the only one who has changed.”

Indeed, there had been a great deal of changes between them, and many more to come, he was sure. Dwelling on that, an idea popped into his head.

…

Devon stood in the center of his bedchamber at Devon Manor and slowly turned to take in all the work everyone had done. He and Eugenia had arrived earlier in the day, and he’d had a devil of a time keeping her from detecting his plan. He’d spent time with Cook, Sally, and the gardener to make sure all was perfect.

Now the room glowed with numerous candles, and vases of flowers were scattered around the space. Champagne sat in a bucket of ice. He’d told Eugenia to enjoy her bath and then to dress in a nightgown and dressing gown for a very informal dinner in his chamber.

He’d heard her and Sally speaking in her room, but now things were quiet, so he knew she would arrive at any moment. With his heart thudding like a youth, he poured himself a brandy just as the door between their rooms opened, and Eugenia entered.

She had never looked so beautiful to him. Her hair had been brushed to a shining gloss, the blond waves resting on her slender shoulders. Her dressing gown clung to her curves in a way that had his mouth watering. Her eyes grew wide when she gazed around the room. “Oh, my.”

Devon walked toward her and took her hand. “Welcome to our dinner, my lady.”

She grinned, a slight blush rising to her cheeks. “This is lovely, Devon. You’ve gone to a great deal of trouble.”

“Well.” He took her hand and kissed her fingers. “Our staff had a small part in it.”

He took the bottle of champagne from the bucket and poured them both a glass. She took a sip and grinned. “The bubbles always tickle my nose.”

 

; Taking her by the hand, he led her to a chair and she sat. He placed his glass on the floor and went down on one knee. “Eugenia, I wish to offer you a proposal of marriage.”

Her eyes grew wide. “My lord? Perchance it has slipped your memory, but we are already married.”

Devon removed her champagne glass and took both of her hands in his. “I am proposing a different kind of marriage, my love. I want a marriage where no one dictates to either of us what we should do, how we should feel, and how we should go about our lives. No rules about how husbands and wives should conduct themselves.”