Epilogue
“Shouldn’t we go down? Everyone must be wondering what happened to us,” Willow murmured.
Ambrose twisted a golden lock of his wife’s hair around his finger, kissing the tip of her nose. He loved her so much it damned hurt his heart. The emotion flooded him, wholly consumed every part of him.
“Everyone knows what we are up to,” he drawled, rolling onto his back so that she sprawled over his chest.
“They cannot possibly suspect!”
“That your husband ravaged you after confessing his undying love, hauling your pretty behind up the stairs, and disappearing for hours?”
“It hardly happened that way.”
“I recall it happening exactly that way.”
“Except for the confession of undying love part.”
His hands moved over her back, cupping her buttocks. He whispered into her ear, “Did I not use the word undying?”
She shook her head. “You mentioned something about falling in love, and affections, that is all.”
He rolled her over so that she was beneath him, his mouth crashing down on hers in a deep, stirring kiss before he said, “I told you there is no place where you could go that I could not find you, but the truth is there is no place where you could go that I would not follow. I’m at your mercy Willow, and I love you, un-bloody-dyingly.”
She giggled. “That’s not a word.” There was a short pause. “But I’d rather stay right here in your arms than go anywhere on earth without you.”
Emotion clogged his throat. “Are you going to answer my damn question or not?”
“And what question would that be?”
“The one where you tell me that you love me back, that I am the most irresistible man on earth, and that you cannot possibly live without me.”
“Oh, that question.” She traced a finger over his lips, and he shuddered. “I do.”
“You do what?”
“Find you irresistible.” Her lashes fluttered provocatively.
“Willow,” he growled.
“Oh, fine!” She stretched her mouth into a half-smile. “I cannot possibly live without you—I’ve grown quite fond of Cook.”
“Damnation, woman! Do you love me or not?”
Laughter poured from her lips. “I confess, I confess! I do. I love you, quite madly, in fact.”
The breath left his body. “You make me the bloody happiest man ever.”
Her hands skimmed over his chest, lowering until her fingers curled around his throbbing erection. “I can make you even happier.” She squeezed.
Ambrose dropped his head to her neck in a low groan, his lips already trailing kisses along the slope of her breast. “If we keep this up, we might as well take up residence.”
“And fill my cousin’s hall with babies.”
He rose up to lightly drop a soft kiss on her lips before grinning down at her. “Fair-haired little creatures with sky blue eyes.”
She blinked, stunned that he’d imagined their family, that he was of same mind as she. At last, his mask had fallen away and in his eyes Willow found nothing but love. Joy swelled inside her. All of her dreams were coming true.
“I’m rather partial to dark eyes.” There was an odd tremble in her voice.
“Are you now?” he murmured and brushed his lips across hers. This time, he didn’t come up for air, not for a very long while.
They entered the drawing room a while later, just in time to witness the bride and groom exchanging vows, surrounded by their families who stood in a half circle along the edges of the room. It was far from a grand setting of a church but it was much more romantic. The couple stood before the hearth, eyes locked onto one another, the glow of the fire illuminating them in soft light. Clothing rumpled and hair tousled beyond repair, the couple made quite a sight.
It was the perfect Middleton wedding.
“You two look no better than them,” Poppy leaned close to whisper into Willow’s ear.
Willow hid a smile, sparing a glance at her thoroughly disheveled husband. He looked rather wild. Untamed.
She loved it.
As if he sensed her regard, he glanced down at her, fire flashing in his gaze. “Woman, you have thoroughly corrupted me.”
“Well,” Willow murmured teasingly, “it was about time someone took it upon themselves to do so.”
“I am in your debt,” he murmured in reply. Then, after a moment, in a low, hoarse voice, he added, “We should go in search of the wedding cake. I can think of a few things we can do with the icing.”
“For Christ’s sake, have some mercy,” Poppy groaned from her other side. “Unmarried lone woman over here.”
Willow stifled a laugh. “You are not a lone woman.”
“I certainly feel like one listening to you two and watching those two practically devouring each other with their eyes.”
“Jonathan is eligible, you know,” Willow said with a mischievous smile. “You might consider him—”
“Do not start, I beg of you. I prefer men with impossibly arrogant swaggers, if you recall.”
Willow chuckled just as the ceremony ended with Warton sweeping his new bride into a passionate kiss, eliciting another groan from Poppy. No sooner had the family congratulated the couple then Holly rushed over to them, Warton in tow.
Willow cast a nervous glance to her husband. “Please behave,” she murmured sweetly through her smile.
Warton’s dark countenance, on the other hand, did not bode well, nor did Ambrose’s cool stare.
Holly cast an uncertain glance at Ambrose.
“Ambrose,” Willow warned.
He sighed. Heavily. “I believe felicitations are in order,” he said to no one in particular.
Willow cleared her throat. Honestly, men could be so high handed at times.
“And please accept my apology,” he continued begrudgingly.
Warton’s brow shot up.
“Lord, they are like dogs sniffing each other,” Poppy muttered. “And to think I was envious.”
This time Holly jabbed an elbow into her husband’s ribs.
“Bloody hell, fine!” Warton glowered at Ambrose. He nearly choked on the word. “Accepted.”
Holly clapped her hands together and beamed at the two men. “Smashing!” She turned to Willow, eyeing the duke’s arm around her waist. “We have some catching up to do, it seems.”
Warton made a protesting sound.
Ambrose growled low in his throat.
It appeared there was only so much the men would tolerate.
Willow blushed under her sister’s curious scrutiny, but not before her husband swooped her into his arms and carried her from the room. “You can catch up later, Lady Warton,” he said over his shoulder. “At the moment, we have babies to make.”