Surrendering heart and soul, Louise wrapped her arms around Alistair’s neck and pressed her chest to his. Lord, it felt wonderful! So did the feel of his hand moving over her back and the press of his lips against hers. If a woman could melt, she believed she would do so at any given moment.

But then his lips parted, and she was no longer in danger of melting but of catching fire.

“Just follow my lead,” he murmured.

So she did, tasting and touching as he did. Her hands slid over his shoulders, testing their shape beneath the wool of his jacket. Then down over his back and around his waist. He did the same, though perhaps with more skill and daring. His palm now rested against her breast, and the way he was kissing and touching her… It made heat curl its way through her until she found herself consumed by an inexplicable need. It was like hunger, but not for food – for something different and unfamiliar.

It was unlike anything she’d ever experienced before, and it was wonderful! And when he pressed up harder against her, the urgency building inside her expanded until a desperate plea for more was forced from between her lips. He answered it by trailing kisses along her neck and down over the wide expanse of skin that rose from beneath her neckline. There, with his face nestled against the top of her breasts, he expelled a rough breath and, to her great frustration, went utterly still. “Louise.” His murmured words tickled her skin.

“Yes.” She raked her fingers through his hair, encouraging him to continue.

But he didn’t. Instead, he muttered a curse before pulling back. When his eyes met hers, they bore a strenuous look of hard-won control. His arms, still wound around her, trembled as he leaned back further and finally spoke. “We should wait.”

Louise felt her entire body contract with appalled displeasure. “What?”

His jaw clenched, and he was suddenly gripping her harder. “I have refrained from seducing you – from ruining you – for the past two weeks, Louise. It wasn’t easy. In fact, considering all the opportunities with which I was presented, it felt bloody impossible at times. And yet somehow I managed to be the gentleman I’ve been raised to be.” Lowering his arms, he took a step back, adding distance. “To ruin that now in a hasty moment of weakness would be a mistake.” Swallowing, he closed his eyes briefly before opening them again. “I don’t want us to start our life together with a mistake. You deserve better than that.”

“Thank you, but I—”

“We deserve better than that. Which is why I insist we wait until after the wedding to consummate our union.”

Was he serious? His determined expression suggested he was. “That will be at least three weeks if we marry locally. Longer if we return to London.”

“Is that where you wish to get married?” His voice was hoarse. “I suppose you would like for your sisters to attend.”

“I honestly haven’t really considered it yet, since I’m still getting used to the idea of getting married. But waiting a couple of months seems rather infuriating.”

He smiled in response. “It would be a trial for both of us, I suspect.” Growing serious once more, he said, “I also refuse to make you mine here beneath my niece’s roof. Even if no one found out, it would still feel disrespectful and wrong, which is the opposite of how I want it to be.”

“I suppose so,” she agreed with some reluctance.

He touched his hand to her face, tipping her chin so she would meet his gaze more directly. “There is the option of procuring a special license. My brother can take care of that for us, if you like. Or we could go to Scotland.”

“We could be husband and wife within a few days.” As much as she wanted her sisters to be present, the idea of starting her life with this man as soon as possible also felt incredibly right. So she nodded, thoughtfully at first and then with greater assurance. “I would welcome a marriage license for Christmas.”

She was back in his arms before she could draw breath again, succumbing to his kisses and his whispered words of thanks. “I will see to it immediately then,” he promised when he released her once more. Eyes twinkling, he stepped toward the door and took one last look at her before opening it. “And I will promise you that you will not regret your decision. We’ll visit your sisters immediately after the wedding.”

* * *

Alistair second-guessed his insistence to take the honorable path at least a thousand times in the days that followed. It didn’t help that Louise began dressing more like a young lady ought and less like a stuffy old spinster. But as soon as the news of their engagement had spread to the rest of the family, Lady Channing had whisked Louise off to a seamstress after declaring the soon-to-be Lady Alistair ought to be dressed in silk instead of coarse wool. And if Alistair had thought his niece would protest over having to give up her newly acquired governess, he’d been wrong. Not even his brother was as thrilled as Lady Channing was to welcome Louise into the family.

The two had quickly become fast friends, sharing confidences over tea until Alistair felt the need to drag his fiancée off to a private room somewhere so he could have her for himself. Which was probably what Lady Channing suspected him of wanting to do, for the woman stuck to Louise’s side like glue, denying him any chance at all of stealing a kiss or two.

Which was probably for the best since a kiss would not be enough at this point. In fact, he was beginning to fear he might grab a pistol and shoot someone by the time his wedding day rolled around. But as he stood in the church that morning, tapping his foot, as if doing so would speed things along, he also felt a surge of great satisfaction. Because now, when he finally took her to bed, it would be the most anticipated moment of his life – a prize unlike any other – and an unforgettable moment to be cherished forever.

Wearing a pink silk gown with a fur-trimmed velvet spencer to match, Louise came toward him at a quicker stride than a bride was expected to use when walking up the aisle. Her smile was wide and exuberant, her eagerness to reach him expanding his heart until he was overcome by anticipation and joy. She was everything he’d been looking for – her presence in his life more valuable than anything else in the world – and she would be his in another few minutes.

The realty of it struck him when she reached his side and placed her hand in his. Her hazel-colored eyes reflected the contents of her heart, the sincerity and love assuring him that marrying her was the best decision of his life. Faintly, in the background, he registered the reverend’s voice asking him if he would have Louise to wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony. “Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honor, and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?”

“I will.” His voice was loud and clear, as was hers when she said her vows. Other words were spoken before the reverend finally handed Alistair the ring for him to place on Louise’s finger. He did so swiftly, barely waiting for their union to be confirmed before pulling his wife into his arms for a kiss that resulted in loud cheers and clapping from those who’d gathered to watch.

A wedding breakfast, beautifully arranged by Abigail, followed the service. The cake was cut and eaten, and it was finally acceptable for Alistair and Louise to take their leave. “I thought we’d never escape,” he said, once they were alone in his carriage.

She leaned into him, surrounding him with her sweet perfume. “It was kind of Abigail to arrange a celebration. To leave any sooner would have been ungrateful on our part.”

“You’re right, but every second of it still passed with sluggish tediousness.” Dipping his head, he kissed his way along her cheek until he was able to whisper in her ear, “I’ve been anxiously anticipating our wedding night.”

A tiny gasp, not of surprise but of pleasure, made him wish he could force the horses into a gallop. Instead, he put his arm around her and pulled her closer, loving the comfort of having her near and the affinity that bound them together.

“Are you nervous?” he asked, when he closed the door to the room at the inn where they’d chosen to spend their wedding night.

She shook her head. “Not really.”

“Anxious?”

Again, she shook her head. “On the contrary, I feel inexplicably calm and…ready.”

He knew what she meant for he felt the same way, though he couldn’t deny the eagerness that made his heart pump a good deal faster. For five long days he’d looked forward to this exact moment –fantasized about how it might be. Now, he moved to where she stood, untied her bonnet and tossed it across the room.

“Alistair!”

“Hmm…” He unbuttoned her pelisse and threw it onto a nearby chair, then took a step forward and drew her into his arms.

She looked up, her eyes more green than brown, and she gave him a tender smile. “I love you, you know.”

Pressing a kiss to that gorgeous mouth of hers, he whispered against her lips, “And I love you.”

* * *

Recognizing the moment when Alistair gave up control, Louise welcomed the urgent touch of his fingers tugging and pulling, unbuttoning and untying until layers of clothing began falling away. Her gown went first, then her stays and chemise, until she was left wearing only her stockings. “You look delicious,” he murmured, trailing his fingers over her sides, leaving molten heat in their wake.

Stepping back, he held her gaze, eyelids lowering while he began to untie his cravat. Involuntarily, she licked her lips as more of his skin came into view. “Lord, you tempt me to be improper,” he said, discarding the long piece of linen. Shucking his jacket, he tossed it aside and in one swift movement pulled his shirt up over his head. The garment fell to the floor and Louise’s mouth went dry.

Never in a million years would she have imagined herself so fortunate as to marry a man like him. He was the embodiment of masculine power and virility. His chest rippled with hard planes and grooves, the muscles of his arms bunching when he flexed his fingers.

“Come here,” he murmured, his dark eyes luring her to him, forcing her closer until her breasts grazed his chest. Nostrils flaring, he lowered his mouth to hers, kissing her while he picked her up in his arms and carried her to the bed. There, he laid her down gently before removing his trousers and smalls.

Louise stared. She couldn’t seem to do anything else when more of his glorious body came into view. And then he was climbing onto the bed, his hands sliding up her leg and over her thigh. She sighed as he kissed her again.

“Yes.”

The pleasure he wrought was divine – touching, tempting, teasing – heightening her pleasure in ways she’d never believed possible. And when he finally nestled between her thighs and she dug her fingertips into his back, he blew out a tortured breath of his own while joining his body with hers.

Another, “Yes,” was wrought from his throat, and when he started to move, he set a pace that carried her higher – up to a place where every sensation was sharp and dazzling. Then suddenly, on a rush of euphoria, everything seemed to collide in waves of pure pleasure.

“Amazing,” was the only word Louise could think to describe what had happened between them, when she lay cocooned in Alistair’s arms a short while later.

“And to think we get to do this every day for the rest of our lives,” he murmured. His hand swept along the curve of her back.

“Every day?”

“Without doubt.” Kissing the nape of her neck, he ran his fingers over her side and down across her belly.

“I’ll hold you to it.” Turning in his arms, she welcomed his kiss with the keen awareness that surrendering was so much sweeter than holding on to control, and that loving this man as he loved her, was the greatest reward in the world.