Page 42 of The Rake I Wished For
His eyes danced with laughter, and goodness it was nearly impossible not to laugh out loud with pure happiness…even if he was currently driving her mad.
“You’ve already agreed to marry me,” she pointed out. “You cannot take it back now.”
He growled as he caught her hand and lifted it to his lips. “I would never. But…” He leaned forward even further, and she did the same until their noses nearly touched in the middle. “First I plan on courting you.”
“You’ve already courted me.”
“On the contrary,” he said. “I’ve done nothing of the sort. I’ve spent years trying to resist your charms, but now that I’ve fallen victim to your feminine wiles, I plan to show all of London just how head over heels I am for you.” He winked. “Prepare to be courted like you’ve never been courted before.”
“I neverhavebeen courted before.”
“Precisely.”
“You’re talking nonsense,” she said. Or rather…she giggled. It was embarrassing, really, how frequent these giggles were becoming. She blamed Harlow for bringing out this new side of her. One that was prone to treacly sighs and girlish giggles. She’d already been caught daydreaming with a silly grin on her face by Liam several times and now he and Rose teased her mercilessly.
And Harlow too, of course.
He might’ve been even worse when it came to the mooning adoration. Jocelyn had caught him gazing at her with love in his eyes all throughout dinner the night before.
And now, as he teased, and challenged, and attempted to beat her at chess, his eyes sparkled with love and laughter that made her heart feel full to bursting. “I mean it, love,” he said quietly. “You’ve always wanted a proper season, and I want you to have that.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but he gripped both her hands and his gaze was so earnest.
“It’s one thing I can give you,” he said.
He was serious now, and she blinked back sudden tears. This too had become a new tendency. She’d never been one for tears before, but it seemed an overflow of joy made her weepy.
Harlow said he adored that about her, and the night before he’d kissed away her tears as they’d whispered long into the night about what their new life would look like.
But he’d waited until today to inform her that this new life would have to wait until after she’d made her debut.
“I'm rather looking forward to it myself, to be honest,” he said.
“You are?” Jocelyn narrowed her eyes with feigned suspicion. “I suppose you're looking forward to one more season of debauchery.”
“On the contrary. I'm a reformed man, thanks to you. So much so that I'm oddly looking forward to ballrooms and dinner parties…”
She laughed. “You are not.”
“I am! I can hardly wait to steal you away for forbidden kisses, and dance with you while every other man looks on in envy…”
“Hmph. It would serve you right if I danced with every other man but you.”
He glowered at her. “You wouldn’t dare.”
She arched a brow. “Wouldn’t I? You’re the one who wants to hold off on announcing our engagement…”
“You are devious,” he growled.
She grinned and her heart did a flip of sheer joy when his lips twitched in response.
Before he could respond, they were interrupted by Liam’s voice in the doorway.
“Are they still bickering?” He addressed his wife, who was standing just inside the room…and Jocelyn had no idea how long she’d been there.
Rose laughed as she glanced back at her husband. “Indeed. But don’t interrupt. I’m beginning to think that verbal sparring is their version of poetry.”
Liam grunted and gave Jocelyn a little wink. “If they’re having this much fun debating when to marry, it’ll take a decade before they decide on where to live.”
