She laughed. “You’re being kind.”
“I’m being honest. I’ve always thought you stood out from the crowd, Ivy. There’s something about you that draws the eye. Your smile, perhaps? Your skin, so silky…I don’t know.”
She kept her back to him. “You’re seducing me, your Grace.”
“It’s only the beginning, your Grace.”
She clutched at the front of her gown as she turned. “Well, pardon my honesty, but I certainly wish it was tomorrow night, so you could continue.”
He rolled his eyes, aware of the uncomfortably hard length beneath his nightshirt. “As do I, wife. As do I.”
She scurried behind the screen and Colly turned the bed down, climbing in and moving to the far side.
Ivy wasted no time in slipping on her nightgown, then emerged, a vision of pale blue cotton and ruffles. She walked around the room, snuffing the candles. “What time shall we rise, do you think?”
“I asked your maid to wake us just before six. If we can be on the way by half-past, we might be lucky enough to make London well before lunch.” He pushed the pillows around beneath his head as she extinguished the last light, and opened the curtains to allow a little moonlight in.
“And then?” She slipped into her side of the bed, pulling the covers up, and turning to look at him.
“And then I hope to find messages awaiting me. I have to talk to several people, not only about these rumours, but about the change in my situation.”
“What…oh, you mean me.”
“I do,” he chuckled. “It’s not every day a man acquires a wife, you know.”
“True,” she answered. “Will it be a big nuisance for you?”
“Yes. Utterly dreadful.”
“Don’t jest,” she leaned over and punched his shoulder. “I meant it.”
“You should know better, Ivy. I don’t do things that I do not wish to do. I wished to marry you. There are various matters that will need to be attended to now that I have a Duchess, but seeing as I won’t be actually doing any of them, I shall not concern myself with them and neither should you.”
She sighed. “I don’t feel like a duchess.”
“Most of the time I don’t feel like a duke.” He turned to her, putting an arm around her and drawing their bodies together like spoons. “Just wait until you’ve spent an entire day being addressed as your Grace. You’ll feel like a duchess then, I can assure you.”
Snuggling naturally into his body, he felt her chuckle. “You’re probably right.” She yawned. “You’re warm.”
He bit his lip. “Yes.”
“It’s nice,” she mumbled, tucking herself even closer.
Suppressing a groan of frustration, Colly resigned himself to a night of extreme discomfort and did his best to avoid stabbing her bottom with the evidence of his desire for his wife.
His wife.
Never had he imagined feeling so thrilled at those words. The other times he’d been close to this point, it had been an accepted matter, an appropriate match; something unexceptional.
This was so far from that…he lusted for her body, adored her smile, her laughter brought warmth to his heart and just holding her like this as she relaxed into sleep—well, it wasn’t what he’d ever expected or experienced.
It was…so much better. Even though he had to forgo the delights of lovemaking for now. But he was a man grown, and thus able to control his natural urges for another twenty-four hours.
He stifled a groan as he shifted a little against her.
He hoped he’d survive the night, because he had no intention of putting off anything in the way of lovemaking any longer than one single day.
Which might well be the longest day of his life.
*~~*~~*
A strange sound woke Ivy very early in the morning. A sort of buzzing hum somewhere off to her left.
She remained still for a few moments, letting her mind awaken, remembering…
Yes, this definitely wasn’t her bed. And yes, that was indeed the soft sounds of a gentle snore coming from the man sleeping beside her.
Her husband.
She could feel the warmth radiating from him and turned gently toward it, her feet chilly, since most of the bedclothes had ended up covering Colly. Tucking her toes beneath the quilt, she touched his leg, finding it toasty and comforting.
Obviously, he wasn’t quite prepared for the job of being a toe warmer as well as a husband. He jumped, yelped a little and blinked as he rubbed his eyes and glared at her.
“God, woman. Your feet are like ice.”
“You stole all the covers. What do you expect?”
She frowned at him, ignoring the rather appealing picture he presented with his hair ruffled from sleep and stubble on his chin.
His lips twitched. “Good morning, madam wife.”
“Good morning to you, my lord husband.” She bit back a chuckle.
Then gasped as he reached for her and had her on her back beneath him in less than a breath. “I like waking up with a wife beside me. Even if her feet are colder than the Arctic Ocean.” He cuddled her, then raised himself above her.
Instinctively she parted her legs and he settled between them, something hard rubbing most pleasantly against some sensitive spots.
“Oh Colly,” she sighed, giving in to an impulse and lifting her hips toward him.
“Ivy,” he murmured, his eyes roaming her face.
A tap on the door froze them both.
Ivy watched the muscles in her husband’s cheeks tense as he clenched his teeth. “One moment,” he called.
Then he dipped his head and dropped a kiss on her nose. “This will be continued, sweetheart. I promise.”
She nodded, trying to understand the need welling inside her. It was as if his touch had ignited an odd but exciting fire
