Part 23 (1/2)
”Ah well, that is a problem.” She smiled pleasantly.
”How goes the refurbis.h.i.+ng?”
”Not well.” She shook her head in a mournful manner. ”It's going to take much longer than expected. Why, I have yet to have so much as a single room painted.”
”Then you don't know when you'll return home?”
”I have no idea.”
b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l, he couldn't stand another minute of this. He reached out and pulled her into his arms. ”What can I do to make it go faster?”
Suspicion shone in her eyes. ”What are you doing?”
”I'm doing what I have wanted to do since the moment you walked in the door.” He gazed into her eyes. ”You are quite irresistible, you know. And I have been unable to resist you from the moment we met.”
”Oh no, you don't.” She shook her head but made no effort to pull away. ”You are not going to charm your way out of this.”
”Why not?” He grinned. ”I can be most charming.”
”Yes, I remember.” She stared. ”But ...”
”But I have not exerted my considerable charm on you as of late?”
”I'm your wife, I don't expect you to be at your most charming every minute.”
He chuckled. ”Well, it does take a certain amount of effort.”
”This is not amusing.” She glared. ”I am still furious with you.”
”As well you should be.” He nodded in a sober manner. ”My behavior was inexcusable.”
”Indeed it was.”
”I was a thoughtless beast.”
Her eyes narrowed. ”Yes, you were.”
”I never should have doubted you.”
”No, you shouldn't have.”
”And I shall endeavor to do better in the future.”
”And?”
”And?” And what? His mind searched frantically for something else. ”And I apologize?”
”And?”
”And ... Blast it all, Evie.” He huffed and stared into her eyes. ”I can't sleep. I can't think. I am very nearly worthless. I miss you!”
”Do you?”
”I sent flowers.”
”And they were lovely.” She paused. ”As was your note.”
”I meant every word of it.” His gaze searched hers. ”There is no spring in my life, in my heart, if you are not there.”
She stared, then drew a deep breath. ”It sounds so much better when you say it rather than write it.”
”Then I shall say it more often.” He paused. ”I have been remiss, I think, in not letting you know how important you are to me. How my life is empty if you are not in it.”
”Then you should not have let me go,” she said firmly, but her arms slipped around his neck nonetheless.
He pulled her tighter against him. ”I know, I was an idiot.”
”Yes, you were.”
”You could stop agreeing with me.” He frowned down at her. ”Thus far I am a thoughtless beast and an idiot.” He shook his head. ”I don't know how you can bear me.”
”I am a woman of great fort.i.tude,” she said in a lofty manner.
”Yes, you are. And you are mine.” He bent his head and his lips met hers. She tasted as she always did, as she had since their first kiss. Of unknown spices and dimly remembered sweets and yesterday and tomorrow and forever. Familiar and comforting and yet still, always, exciting. Desire curled within him as it always did, from the first moment with her. As he knew it always would. What a lucky man he was to be in love with his wife. He deepened his kiss and she responded. And her own pa.s.sion echoed his. Finally she sagged against him. He raised his head and smiled. ”And I am a fortunate man.”
”Yes.” Her voice had that lovely, breathless quality which only made him want her more. ”You are.”
”Have you forgiven me?”
”I am considering it.” She drew a steadying breath.
He could still take her breath away. He tried and failed to hide a satisfied smile.
”You needn't look like that.” She pushed weakly out of his arms. ”It will take more than a bunch of flowers and a mere kiss to earn my forgiveness.”
He drew his brows together. ”Mere?”
”Don't be arrogant, darling. It was an exceptional kiss.”
He grinned. ”I know.”
”Exceptional kisses are one of the reasons why I married you.”
”I know that, too.”
”I am still furious with you.”
”I know that as well.” He nodded. ”And I expect nothing less.”
”Admittedly, I might be somewhat less furious than I was originally.”