Page 35 of Enticed By an Earl
Dev smiled at him, then stole another kiss.
It was wonderful. Whatever fears or worries Kit had had vanished with the intensity of the intimacy the act created between the two of them. He was more tired than he could ever remember being, but he did not care. He draped himself over Dev as Dev rolled fully to his back and sighed with contentment.
Just as he was teetering on the verge of sleep, Dev surprised him by saying. “I wish to court you.”
Kit opened his eyes, uncertain if he had heard correctly. “Court me?”
Dev turned his head so he could look at him. “Yes,” he said. His expression was deeply serious. “My mother has been urging me to marry for quite some time. I wish to court you with the intention of marriage.”
Kit’s eyes went wide and he pushed himself to sit. “Dev, you know that is impossible.”
“Is it?” Dev asked, sitting up as well. “Miss Kitty Dryden has already made her debut at my mother’s ball and been seen with me at The Royal Theater. Why should she not accompany me to other events and become the partner of my life.”
“You know why,” Kit said, shrinking in on himself a bit.
Dev shook his head and reached for Kit’s hand. “We would not have to stay in London, should we decide to be together permanently. We could live in the country or travel the Continent. There are places we could go where people would not question us.”
“I—” Kit stared at Dev, not certain what to say. The trouble was, he wanted to take that sort of risk. He wanted to be with Dev. Their attachment was new, but Kit was already certain that no one would ever accept him the way Dev would.
“You do not have to give me an answer tonight,” Dev said, laying down again and bringing Kit with him. “I dare say this matter will require a great deal of thought before we commit to anything.”
“Yes, it will,” Kit said breathlessly.
“Say you will at least consider it,” Dev said, pulling the covers over the two of them and settling Kit in his arms. “Say you are willing to face the risk.”
Kit drew in a long breath, thinking, then let it out. “I will consider it,” he said.
He would consider it, but the trouble was that he already knew he wanted everything Dev was offering him, even if it was potentially more dangerous than his father attempting to murder him.
Twelve
Dev had never experienced anything like the agony of anticipating Kit’s answer as to whether he would agree to being courted with very serious intentions indeed. He did everything he could in the week while waiting for an answer to entice Kit into the potentially impossible situation.
That meant spending as much of his time as was free to him, outside of handling his family’s business affairs, with Kit. After their outing to the theater, Dev saw how important it was for Kit to leave the confinement of the walls of the mistress apartment and to experience as much of society as he could as his, or her, true self. The more Kit interacted with the world as Kitty, the more her mind would be eased about whether people would see through her.
Not that there was anything to see. Kitty was no pretender. The shy and graceful woman that Kit became when he felt safe enough to embrace her was every bit who Kit truly was. The more time they spent together, whether in the apartment or walking in any of the royal parks or withDev accompanying Kitty when she called on her friends, the more Dev fell deeply in love with her.
Whether Kit or Kitty, it did not matter. Kit was kindness personified and decidedly clever as well. He was able to advise Dev on matters of managing his family’s business one moment, then to discuss the latest book they’d chosen to read together the next.
They had just reached a lull in discussing the events ofSense and Sensibility, in bed, both of them barely dressed, when Kit closed his book and turned to Dev with a serious expression and said, “I do not want you to be hurt if the truth is discovered.”
Dev shifted to face Kit more fully and reached to brush a strand of his growing hair away from his forehead. He did not need to ask what Kit meant. The matter had hung constantly in the air between them for a week.
“I could never be hurt as long as I was with you,” he said, smiling from the depths of his tender heart.
Kit melted for a moment, butonlyfor a moment before turning serious again. “But you could be, Dev,” he said. “You could lose everything, including your life, if some wicked soul discovered and exposed the truth. I love you, and I could not bear it if I were to be the cause of your disgrace and demise.”
Dev heard only some of his sweetheart’s words. He smiled at those, his heart feeling light. “You love me?” he asked, cradling Kit’s face.
Kit huffed an impatient breath. “Yes, I do,” he said with pretend irritation, his eyes glowing with affection. “That is why I wish to spare you the worst.”
Dev shook his head slightly. “The worst will not come to pass. And if it does, I will protect you with my life. We will flee England for the farthest corners of the world, if needs must.”
Kit stared at him for a long time. Dev could see the debate raging inside of him, but he could also see the love and the longing.
Finally, Kit exhaled and said, “All I want in this world is to be yours in every way I can. If you are willing to take this risk, then I will take it with you.”
Dev felt as though his heart would burst with affection. He leaned in, rolling Kit to his back and slanted his mouth over his sweetheart’s for a passionate kiss. The kiss led to more, and within minutes, everything from books to danger were forgotten as Dev showed Kit just how much he was loved.
