Page 77 of A Promising Little Scandal (Sensual Scandals)

She went to her chamber and allowed Emma to assist her into a light blue muslin. The last thing she wanted to do was go to Bond Street, when one of her favorite activities in London had been going shopping. But after visiting a modest country village like Lyme Regis, she realized that there were more important things besides well-made gowns. Not only that, but she didn’t want to have to put on a false bravado and pretend that all was well. If she left, she was afraid she might miss an update from Sebastian on how the marquess was faring.

However, she knew Isa was right too. She was likely to go mad if she had to sit around and stare at the clock any longer, while expecting Sebastian to call at any moment. She needed to get out of the house and do something to take her mind off him. If only briefly.

Nevertheless, as she tied her bonnet around her chin and began to return downstairs, she felt as if her feet were encased in lead.

She was staring at the floor as she descended, but when she was three steps away from the bottom, she lifted her gaze—and froze when she met Sebastian’s familiar dark gaze. He was standing in the foyer and looked terribly weary. Her heart instantly went out to him, because she worried that he had received bad news.

But before she could inquire after his grandfather, he took a step toward her.

“I love you.”

Instantly, her pulse began to flutter rapidly. She had to grab hold of the banister to keep from falling to the floor. “What did you say?” she whispered.

“I love you.”

As she stood there with her mouth gaping open, unable to speak, he scratched the side of his jaw. “I can see that I’ve shocked you.” He cleared his throat and then spoke quickly, “I daresay I wanted to find the right moment to pour out my ever-loving heart to you, but it never seemed to be the right time, so I decided there was no time like the present.” He paused and looked at her. As she continued to just stand there, his expression became uncertain. He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. “Odd’s fish, perhaps this is too sudden, and I made a terrible error in judgement—”

“I love you too.” He stopped, but when no words emerged, she continued on in a rush. “I certainly never intended to like you, much less feel anything more. I told myself that it was only attraction and that I didn’t need you to feel as though I was whole in here.” She lifted her hand and placed it against her chest, directly over where her heart beat strong and sure. “It was why I went back to Lyme Regis. I had to make sure it was… real.” She smiled, her throat tightening over the emotion clogging her throat, as she slowly walked down the last few steps that separated them. “But the instant I saw you walking toward me on the Cobb, I knew that the only problem I’d suffered from was fear. My sisters had found happiness, but I couldn’t imagine that I would find someone who made me want to give up on my dreams—to give up everything.”

She stood directly in front of him. “But what I didn’t realize,” she said softly, “Was that you were the everything I needed.”

In a flash, she was in his arms, and he was kissing her with all that he was worth, when words just could not suffice. When they parted, she was reluctant to end things there, but at least she could content herself with the fact they wouldn’t be that way for long. She would have the opportunity to kiss him for the rest of their days.

He laid a gentle hand on her cheek. “I thought Grey was crazy when he fell victim to Cupid’s arrow, but damned if I wasn’t just a little jealous too. I knew I was in trouble when I started to look at you with the same grin he wore every time he saw Araminta.”

Calliope wrinkled up her nose. “It’s the red hair.”

“No.” He shook his head. “It’s all of you.”

Her heart warmed, but then she remembered that there was another issue at hand. Sobering, she asked, “How is the marquess?”

“I have every confidence that he will recover. He made it through surgery, so I would say that is definitely a good sign.”

“Indeed, I would agree.” She wound her arms around his neck with a sigh. “You know, Isadora said that the next time she saw you, you should have a special license in hand.”

He raised a sandy colored brow. “Why do you think it took me so long to get here?” He kissed the top of her forehead. “But although I have that paper safely in my pocket, I don’t want a hasty wedding. I want to show the world, or at least all of London, the beautiful woman that I will get to call my wife.”

She resisted the urge to pout. “We would have to wait three weeks for the banns to be read.”

His eyes practically sparkled with wickedness. “I didn’t say we wouldn’t see each other during that time, only that is when we would exchange our vows.” His eyes warmed as they traveled slowly up and down her body. She flushed with desire. “I certainly don’t intend to deprive myself of your luscious body for that long. If you don’t know me by now, I’m insatiable when it comes to you.”

“Ah,” she murmured. “And what if I find out I’m with child in the interim?”

“Premature births happen all the time.”

She laughed. “It seems you have it all figured out, Lord Blakely.” She paused. “Except, of course, for the part where I say yes to your proposal.” She was thoughtful for a moment. “Now that I consider it, I’m not sure that I was ever properly asked—”

He silenced her with another kiss.

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