Helena gave him a puzzled look. “Then why didn’t you tell me to leave? You could have sent Edwards with a note.”
“Because you might have gone.” Ash looked at her with his heart in his eyes. “And that would have been worse.”
“Oh,” Helena whispered, every hesitation dissolving. She slid her arms around Ash once more, feeling something complete in her as they came together. She drew him down to her and lost herself in another kiss.
This one lasted longer, roses scenting it, the sounds of laughter and the guests a long way off.
When the kiss eased to its close, Ash held Helena in a warm embrace, her head on his shoulder. She could reach up and kiss his chin whenever she wanted, feeling the brush of dark whiskers his razor could never quite take away.
“A moment.” Helena raised her head. “If I marry you, that means a wedding, which means months of planning. Weeks at the very least. We’ll both have to keep to a timetable. I believe the idea of this marriage was to dispense with schedules.”
Ash chuckled. “That is easily solved. We’ll take my coach to Gretna in the morning.”
Helena blinked. “Goodness, Ash, are you certain? An elopement? How impetuous of you.”
His smile radiated heat. “You make me impetuous, Helena. And impatient. I do not want to wait weeks or months and wade through incessant plans before I can have you.”
Helena’s body thrummed pleasantly. “I do not want to wait either.”
“Then we will go?”
“I will have to pack, of course,” she said. “But I believe I can agree to that—impetuously.”
Ash pulled her close, his arms strong, his body powerful. His next kiss stole her breath, and Helena clung to him and enjoyed it.
“I love you, Your Grace,” she whispered.
“I love you, Mrs. Courtland,” Ash said in his low rumble. “Helena. My fine lady. Thank you.”
He did not say for what, but Helena understood. Her loneliness fled in a wash of joy, and she knew his shattered as well.
More yells pulled their attention toward the house. Lewis and his sisters were leaping into the air, waving, laughing. They’d seen the kissing. Guy looked on, arms folded, appearing very pleased with himself.
Ash laughed. Helena hadn’t heard such a jubilant sound in a long time. He waved at his family, then caught Helena around the waist as the two of them headed for the waiting children, and home.
About the Author
New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Jennifer Ashley has written more than 95 published novels and novellas in romance, fantasy, mystery, and historical fiction under the names Jennifer Ashley, Allyson James, and Ashley Gardner. Her books have been nominated for and won Romance Writers of America's RITA (given for the best romance novels and novellas of the year), several RT BookReviews Reviewers Choice awards (including Best Urban Fantasy, Best Historical Mystery, and Career Achievement in Historical Romance), and Prism awards for her paranormal romances. Jennifer's books have been translated into more than a dozen languages and have earned starred reviews in Publisher’s Weekly and Booklist.
More about Jennifer’s books can be found at
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Copyright © 2020 by Jennifer Ashley
Cover Design: VMC Art & Design
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All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
