Part 20 (1/2)

At that Erva couldn't help but catch hold of Will's coat sleeve and cling to him. Oh G.o.d, he wouldn't return.

”I'll ask to retire from the war,” he continued, absent-mindedly adjusting so he held Erva closer. ”General Howe owes me, so I will probably be granted early leave. Then Erva and I will come home shortly.”

Emma turned from Erva to Will then back again. ”Are you certain you want to do this? Have your...gay sister live with you in England? I do like this double meaning word, by the by, Erva.”

Emma beamed at Erva. And Erva tried to reciprocate, but she gripped even tighter to Will. She couldn't let him die. She couldn't let history be written the way it was. Even if it meant she would never see her iPhone with her hundreds of books downloaded on it ever again, she couldn't let nature-or whatever it might be called-take its course.

Erva shakily smiled back at Emma, realizing that for once she would have a sister in-law who actually liked her. If she stayed, she would have a family with Will and Emma and Lydia. Then and there, she knew that was right.

Will had rocketed through all her defenses. He'd outmaneuvered her because he'd been kind, considerate, and so d.a.m.ned easy to fall in love with. It was done. As Julius Caesar might say, the die was cast, and Erva made up her mind that she would stay in the eighteenth century. When Clio and Erato returned for her, she'd...well, she'd explain it to them. They seemed like reasonable people, er, muses. She'd tell them that she fell in love with Will, and this was where she was meant to be.

With her mind made up, she gazed at Will talking to Emma and Lydia about taking their things on a quick sailboat. G.o.d, he was so beautiful, such a beautiful man. She would have never imagined such a man existed. He was handsome, yes, but his heart was-well, angelic. There was no better word for him. He was so pure and good, and he wanted her. Her! He wanted her as his wife. Although, Erva knew that some of his decision must be based on his eighteenth century-ish-ness, she couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe it was that he'd fallen for her as much as she'd fallen for him.

Soon enough Emma and Lydia hugged Erva tight, promising that they would see her in England. They left the library with the crowd of tea-goers hus.h.i.+ng, but Erva's head was raised high. She gave Lady Anne a huge grin and wink, then a wave goodbye. Briefly, she thought about the piano recital she'd promised the lady. But Erva decided to give the gracious Anne a rain check. After all, she'd made up her mind to stay here, where she could give out rain checks. Further, she was getting a family and a man who made her knees go weak. Not only that, he was really good in bed. Or at least on the couch.

As Will escorted Erva to the carriage, she realized there was so much more to look forward to now that she knew her place. She just had to make sure Will didn't die. And that the muses didn't take her away. And-oh, h.e.l.l with it all! She would hang on to Will for all her might.

Chapter 21.

As soon as the horses began to trot, Will turned to Erva, trying to be patient. ”You haven't given me your answer yet. I know it was rather a.s.suming to make plans that you will say yes to our getting married, but I-”

She lunged for him, his lips.

He wasn't at all prepared for the pa.s.sionate onslaught and was easily pushed back against the bench. Erva followed, kissing him rapturously. He tried to keep up, but then realized she was yet again evading answering him.

Holding onto her arms, he pulled her away enough to say, ”Erva-”

She pushed through and kissed him again. Her tongue slid into his mouth with a small, almost animalistic noise. Well, he couldn't argue with sense like that, so he joined her, and plunged his own tongue into her mouth. She slid her hands up his arms and rested on his shoulders.

Somehow they'd landed in the exact opposite position of the first night he had kissed her. He lay on his back with the lady almost entirely on him. Yet his legs faced forward uncomfortably, and Erva was trying to climb up him as if he were a boulder.

”Erva, may I please-”

”You're so wonderful,” she whispered in his ear, then suckled his lobe.

He lost the ability to think momentarily with the pull of her mouth against his ear. Growling hungrily, he was surprised he could react like that, forgetting everything. But then he remembered she hadn't said yes yet.

”You're such a good man,” she continued.

”Thank you, but I-”

”You'll really retire from the army?”

”Yes.”

”Immediately?” She undid his cravat in a swift move, then kissed down his neck.

Clutching at her hips, he pulled her near his erection. He couldn't seem to help himself. d.a.m.nation, how many skirts was she wearing? It was much too much, since he couldn't feel her through the thick layers of silk.

”Will?” Erva whispered a bit more pointedly.

One of his hands had somehow found its way up her skirts to her not-stockinged knee. Oh, the lady was scandalous without her hose, but he loved it. He had to internally shake himself to understand the words Erva formed.

”You'll retire immediately? You won't go to battle tomorrow?”

Just as his hand traveled up her thigh, he stopped, staring at her. His heart was already thundering, but now it roared in his ears. Good Lord, how did she know he was to battle tomorrow? No one knew, save his commander in chief and other executive officers.

Realization dawned. It should have made him angry or at the least hurt, but he still clung to hope. ”You are a spy then?”

She blinked.

”You're a spy. You're letting me know you're a spy.”

She shook her head, still laying partly on him as the carriage rode through town, making the potholes more erotic then they should have.

He inhaled sharply. ”Come now, my lady, how else do you know I am to battle on the morrow?”

It was her turn to take a quick breath. Lord, it was heaven to watch her do so. She grimaced though, which made some blood return to his brain for a bit.

”I-I don't care that you're a spy,” he said hastily. ”Just please stop and marry me. I know I can't offer you much. My family is limited to my sister whom you've just met, but I believe she would make a loyal and loving sister in-law to you. I can offer you my estate, but as you know my sister and her lover will live there. I-”

”Stop it, please.” Erva rested her forehead on his chest. ”I'm not a spy.”

”How else would you know, my darling?”

Her head shot up. ”You'd still call me your darling after you think me a spy?”

He nodded.

”You'd still want me to live with you after you think me a spy?”

”Of course, but I'd prefer that you stopped, especially if you are a French spy.”

She smiled. ”I'm especially not a French spy. I hardly speak a word of it.”

”Vraiment?”

Erva narrowed her eyes, appearing to think. ”That means...truly, right?”

”Oui.”

She suddenly smiled down at him. ”You speak French. G.o.d, that's so s.e.xy.” Then she kissed him again, this time with even more force, ending by biting his bottom lip playfully.

He chuckled, and finally found her hip with his one hand under her skirts. Her skin was like silk, and her hip was something to marvel at, the way it flared out and radiated femininity yet at the same time had an agility that many women didn't possess. Realizing what lay under all the layers of fabric made him even harder. Still, he was curious.

”I'm surprised you weren't taught French. Isn't that the one language every lady speaks?”