“I still cannot fathom that we are all married,” Josephine said as she glanced at each of her sisters in turn. They were seated at the dining room table, enjoying the wedding cake she and Devon had cut a few minutes earlier. Her mother-in-law, the dowager duchess of Snowdon, was also in attendance, along with Rowena and Priorsbridge. “It certainly wasn’t what I expected might happen when the two of you set off for Whitehaven and Bournemouth.”

“Apparently a lengthy carriage ride can alter one’s course in the best way possible,” Louise said, a secretive smile directed at her husband, Lord Alistair.

“So can a snowstorm,” Eve murmured, exchanging a heated glance with her husband, the Earl of Ravenworth.

Josephine found herself blushing profusely when Devon leaned closer and whispered next to her ear, “Apparently staying in Town can be quite exciting too.” He addressed Lord Alistair. “I hear you will be investing in Eastern European wines?”

“Yes.” Lord Alistair reached for Louise’s hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “My wife discovered the opportunity. It will compliment my investment in The Ace.”

“The new club on Oxford Street?” Ravenworth asked.

Lord Alistair nodded. “Yes. I believe it will be a great success since its doors will be open to men and women alike.”

“Oh!” Eve clapped her hands together. “How exciting. Can we apply for membership there?”

“I don’t see why not,” Ravenworth murmured. “With my reputation fully restored, I find myself eager to venture out into society again. Especially if it means showing off my lovely new bride.”

“You have all made excellent matches for yourselves,” the dowager duchess observed. As apprehensive as Josephine had been about meeting her future mother-in-law, she’d taken an instant liking to the older woman, whose frankness was quite on par with her own. “It is a pity you were denied the Seasons you should have had, though it all turned out well in the end. Your triumphs are certainly exemplary, my dears, and with your husbands’ support, I’ve no doubt you will be welcomed back into Society quicker than you can imagine.”

While Josephine had initially had her doubts, she’d begun to believe this might be true. Especially after seeing how many people had filled the church that morning, not only to gawk at her as she’d feared but to wish her and the duke a long and happy union filled with good health and prosperity.

“I am already looking forward to our first ball together in the spring,” she said, catching a flicker of adoration from her husband’s steady regard. He’d made the suggestion earlier in the week, claiming such an event would be the perfect way to earn her favor amidst the aristocracy.

“Please let me know if you need help planning it,” the dowager duchess said. “I would be more than happy to do so.”

“As would I,” Rowena said. “Now that I’ve finished my matchmaking efforts and helped you with your wedding arrangements, I find myself in need of a new project.”

Josephine set down her spoon after taking a bite of cake. “Matchmaking efforts?”

“Had it not been for my pretend sprained ankle, I doubt the two of you would have gotten engaged as quickly as you did.”

“Trust me,” Devon murmured. “We would have managed.” For Josephine’s ears alone, he whispered, “Though I dare say our subsequent argument did inspire a great deal of passion.”

In spite of the heat he stirred in the pit of her belly, Josephine turned to face him with a frown. “Really?”

His eyes darkened, the edge of his mouth lifting in the wickedest smile she’d ever seen. “Did I not mention the effect your temper has on me?”

Her heart thudded against her chest. She cast a hasty glance at her guests to ensure none of them were paying attention to their exchange. Satisfied they were talking among themselves, she shook her head. “No.”

“Well, suffice it to say, the incident might have played out differently than it did had we been alone behind closed doors.” The casual ease with which he reached for his wine and took a sip belied the sizzling timbre infusing his voice. “I’m glad I managed to show some restraint, however. It will make our wedding night so much more special.”

Unable to speak on account of the flustered state she was now in, Josephine did her best to focus on what her guests were discussing in the hope she would not reveal how much her husband’s scandalous words affected her. The desire he stirred in her was intense, so much so she could hardly wait for the two of them to be alone in the suite they’d be occupying at the Park View for the next week. She began tapping her foot, as if doing so would move the meal along at a faster rate.

And then it was finally over, and their family and friends were wishing them well as they climbed back into their carriage and started making their way toward the hotel. A comfortable silence settled, during which Josephine reflected on all the events that had taken place in the previous month and a half. It really was incredible. She was thrilled on behalf of her sisters and for herself, as well. Her hand clutched Devon’s, holding on to his comforting strength.

It wasn’t until they were truly alone, standing in the large bedchamber they would be sharing and with the door closed and locked to the outside world, the magnitude of what would soon transpire began to sink in.

“I don’t know what to do,” she said.

The warmth of his smile soothed her nerves. “You have nothing to worry about.” He shrugged out of his jacket and started unknotting his cravat. Taking a seat in a nearby chair, he removed his shoes and socks and told her to take off her slippers. He then rolled up his sleeves and came toward her, crossing the distance with a careful tread. “Remember the kisses we’ve shared until now?”

There had been several in the weeks following his proposal, whenever they’d managed to escape his mother and sister. “Yes.”

He placed his hand against her cheek, infusing her with his warmth. “It came naturally to you, did it not?”

She could only nod this time, her words stolen from her by the force of his nearness when he stepped closer still.

“This will be no different. All you have to do is give yourself up to passion.”

Her eyes met his, the intensity of his gaze reminding her how much she wanted this man in the most elemental way possible. Surrendering to this awareness, she allowed herself to be bold, to lift her hand and run her fingertips down the side of his neck. Curiously, she watched his tendons there work, listened to his shuddering breath as her thumb smoothed over his collarbone.

“Josephine.” Her name hissed past his clenched teeth.

“Hmm?”

She tugged at his shirt, and he caught her wrist. A pause followed—one long hesitant moment in which her anticipation grew—and then his mouth captured hers, kissing her feverishly and dragging her to him until their bodies were molded together in one singular form. His hands slid up her back, his fingers working the buttons of her gown and then the ties of her stays until both were eased away from her body, leaving her only in her chemise.

And since she had no intention of being the only one left in a state of complete dishabille, she tugged Devon’s shirt free from his trousers and pulled it up over his head. The garment sailed through the air in a flurry of white, banished from Josephine’s mind. All she could do at present was admire her husband’s stunning physique. Stilling, he allowed her perusal. Nor did he move to stop her when she hesitantly set her palm to his abdomen, marveling at the rows of muscle and how they flexed in response to her touch. Unable to resist, she leaned in and pressed a reverent kiss to his chest.

But when she ran her hands toward the waistband of his trousers and dipped her fingers inside, he moved with incredible speed, clasping at her chemise and drawing it over her head before she could manage a breath. She was suddenly in his arms, her mouth subject to his exploration as he carried her to the bed. Gently, he laid her on the mattress, sinking down with her while deepening the kiss in a sensual exploration of taste and touch.

His hands forged sensuous paths along the length of her body, sliding across the curve of her waist and trailing over the length of her thighs. When she reached for his waistband again, he made no attempt to stop her, helping her instead in her effort to divest him of his remaining clothing. And then they were both perfectly naked, their bodies touching in all the right places, heightening her need until she cried out with indescribable pleasure. “Devon!”

He planted a series of kisses upon her neck, sparking a deeper desire – an unfamiliar yearning for increased contact. “I love you,” he whispered against her ear as he joined his body with hers. “You’re everything to me—” He moved in closer, commencing an age-old rhythm of uninhibited craving. “My entire world.”

Amazed by every sensation he wrung from her body, Josephine stared up into his hooded gaze. “I love you too. With all that I am.” Nothing had ever felt truer than this, no experience more perfect and no future brighter. He was what she’d been looking for all of her life—the missing part of her soul.