The dress was cut low enough to show the graceful slope of her shoulder and the tops of her rounded breasts, and her glorious hair was piled high on her head, a few curls tumbling down her back. But her eyes—they were so blue and so full of love, he had to remind himself to breathe.
How could he ever have doubted his love for her? His every pore craved her. He wanted her in his arms. Now. Forever.
Inside the carriage, Alex pulled her onto his lap and kissed her. He couldn’t seem to get enough of her. His hands were in her hair, on her face, and she was looking at him as if she couldn’t believe he was real. Didn’t believe this was happening. He frowned.
“Lucia.” He pulled away from her. “When you nodded, you were agreeing to be my wife, weren’t you?”
“Yes,” she said, laughing.
Immediately his fear subsided.
“Are you trying to find a way out already?”
He gripped her arms. “No. And if you don’t believe me, then tell me where to go next.”
“Your town house?” she suggested, her voice seductive. Desire ripped through him.
“Don’t tempt me,” he managed to get out. “I mean, which ball or dinner party. If I have to, I’ll swear my love at every event this evening.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh God! No, Alex. After that scene at Carlton House, we can’t get out of London fast enough.” She clutched his shoulders. “Oh, Alex! What will my parents think?”
“We’ll write them from Gretna Green.”
“Gretna Green? We’re eloping?”
“I’m not going to let you get away from me again.
And I don’t even want to wait for a special license.” He kissed her again, tasting her lips, drinking her in like a man deprived of sustenance.
“Whatever possessed you to make a fool of yourself like that?” she asked when he pulled away to breathe. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“Didn’t I?” he said and kissed her again. Even if he hadn’t needed to prove it to her, he’d needed to prove it to himself. The shadow of his father had loomed over him for so long that he had allowed it to control him, exactly the situation he had always feared. But now it felt so good, so liberating to be rid of all that resentment and fear. And now Lucia was in his arms, smiling at him, pressing against him. Nothing else mattered.
“We’ll never live this down,” she said, leaning her head against his shoulder.
“Do you care?” He ran his hands along her arms, wrapped his fingers in her long golden hair.
“No.” Her voice was a breath.
“The ton can forgive anything as long as one has money and a title. I have both.”
He pulled her closer, nudging her to a sitting position, intending to kiss her from the top of her forehead to the tips of her toes. When his mouth reached the peaks of her breasts, she moaned. “Oh, Alex, what took you so long?”
“I’m an idiot,” he murmured, hands pulling her gown off her shoulders. “Bloody hell.” He’d forgotten. Lucia gave him a puzzled look.
“I vowed I’d wait to make love to you until you were my wife. I want to do things right this time.”
She raised an eyebrow, looking like a mischievous cat. “It’s a long way to Gretna Green.” The wench kissed his neck, and he felt her nip his skin.
“I can wait.” He clenched his teeth when she wiggled against him invitingly. “I made a vow, Lucia.”
“But I didn’t.” She reached up and untied his cravat.
“You’re going to be the death of me,” Alex said huskily as she loosened his shirt, running her fingers, her tiny claws, over him.
“It’s a fitting revenge.”
He could have sworn she was purring.
