happened.
When he finished, tears shimmered in her eyes. 'He freed us.'
'That he did, my love.'
A tear traced a silver track down her cheek. 'I nearly died when you went into the church with them. I thought they meant to arrest you.'
'I must admit it was a rather bad moment for me as well.' He cradled her face in his palms and brushed away her tear with his thumb. 'The thought of losing you… before we'd had a chance to live as husband and wife… the hurt was indescribable.'
'I desperately wanted to march into the church and apply my ear to the door, but Mama and my sisters would have followed me like a pack of hounds.'
All the tension, all his fear for their future, evaporated like a puff of steam. Sliding his hands down her arms, he entwined their fingers, then leaned close to confide, 'I must tell you that listening at doors is a very un-countesslike thing to do.'
'Well, I did warn you I'd make a miserable countess.'
'Not at all. You are marvelous. Miraculous.' He smiled into her beautiful eyes. 'So many 'm' words to describe you.'
'And
A half-laugh, half-groan of desire vibrated in his throat. 'Thank you. And now, I suggest we take our leave. Our ship sails at dusk.'
Interest flared in her eyes. 'Where are we going?'
'Italy. Rome, Florence, Venice, Naples… and every city in between. We shall explore the ruins of Pompeu, trek through the Colosseum, visit the Uffizi, view the works of Bernini and Michelangelo, swim in the warm waters of the Adriatic…' He gently squeezed her hands. 'Then we will come home to England and plan our next adventure.'
Her smile dazzled and enchanted him. 'That sounds… magical.'
'Indeed it does. And you know, of course, that there is one more 'm' word to describe you.'
'What is that?'
He raised their joined hands to his lips and pressed a fervent kiss onto her fingers. 'Mine,' he whispered. 'At long last. Mine. Mine.
About the Author
Award-winning author Jacquie D'Alessandro grew up on Long Island and fell in love with romance at an early age. She dreamed of being swept away by a dashing rogue riding a spirited stallion. When her hero finally showed up, he was dressed in jeans and driving a Volkswagen, but she recognized him anyway. They married after they both graduated from Hofstra University, and are now living their happily-ever-afters in Atlanta, Georgia, along with their very bright and active son, who is a dashing rogue in the making. Jacquie is currently working on her next historical romance for Dell, and she would love to hear from readers. Visit her website at
