An hour later they were both clean and fed and naked. He tucked her snuggly under the covers in the tester bed.
“I’m anxious to see how much damage the town house sustained,” Maddie was saying.
Her voice sounded better, and Jack rose on his elbow to look at her neck. The red welts from Bleven’s fingers were fading.
“You said you thought the fire was contained to the library?” she asked.
Jack watched her mouth move, watched her red lips part, listened to the sweet sound of her voice.
“Jack?” She touched his shoulder. “I asked you—”
“I almost lost you,” he said. He was looking down at her, his hand fanning her damp chestnut hair out over the pillow. He touched her pale cheeks and then her swollen lips. He’d kissed her so much that her lips were red and slightly puffy.
“I’m fine,” she said, smiling at him. “I told you.” She lowered her eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me, Jack? Why didn’t you tell me Bleven was the one who had your mother killed?”
He closed his eyes. “I wasn’t certain until the night of the prince’s ball. And I didn’t want you to worry. I’ll always protect you.”
“I know you will, Jack. I knew you would come for me today.”
He shook his head, marveling at her trust in him. He hadn’t been at all sure if he would make it in time. And if he hadn’t . . .
“Maddie, if I’d lost you without telling you how I felt, I would have regretted it the rest of my life.”
“I know how you feel, Jack.” She twined her fingers with his. “I know how much you care.”
He shook his head. “You don’t, sweetheart. I’ve never told you.” He clutched her hand tighter. “Madeleine, I love you. I think I loved you the first time I saw you, but since then my feelings have grown . . . immeasurably. I adore you. I can’t live without you. I love you so much.” He buried his head in her lavender-scented hair. “I love you so much.”
He felt her arms come around him, wrapping him in the warmth of her body. “I love you, too.” She pulled back, met his gaze. “So much.”
He lowered his head, kissing her softly, tasting her and memorizing her sweetness. He’d slipped his head in the noose now, and his new vulnerability was almost a relief. He’d fought it for so long, so hard. Surrender was inevitable—
With a low moan, Maddie arched under him.
—and gratifying.
“I want you, love,” he murmured in her ear.
“Please.” Her fingernails dug into his back as her legs opened to cradle his erection. She was burning up, and he could feel her wetness.
And still he made no move to enter her, wanting to prolong and heighten the tension. The exquisite torture.
He lowered his head, taking one of her hard nipples in his mouth. His tongue rolled over it as his hand palmed her lush breast. “Sweetheart,” he murmured against her flesh. “Have you noticed anything?”
He looked down at her flushed face and misty eyes. She looped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. Arching her hips invitingly, she whispered, “You feel wonderful. Make love to me, Jack.”
“Patience, love. Have you noticed where we are?”
She frowned at him, once again wiggling beneath him. “In bed?”
He smiled and bent to kiss her. “Finally.”
MADDIE SHUDDERED AS the pounding underneath her reached a crescendo. The tea service clattered on the tray beside her, the lamp on the table shook, and, across from her, Catie closed her eyes and tried to hold her teacup steady.
The pounding ceased for a moment, and Maddie took a breath. “As I was saying, Jack’s new library should be completed in a matter of weeks. And then we’ll begin work on the dining room. It sustained minor damage from the fire’s heat.”
Catie nodded. “You’re fortunate no one was hurt. If Lord Blackthorne hadn’t acted so quickly, the whole house might have gone up in flames— and taken several others with it.”
“Jack’s amazing. I don’t know how he was able to think so clearly, considering everything else that was going on.”
