Chapter Twenty-Five

S eth’s mouth went dry at the sight of her shapely leg, turned ankle, and soft thigh caressed by her garter.

“Is that a yes?” He needed confirmation.

“Yes,” she answered, which brought a tremendous amount of relief.

“A Special License as soon as it can be obtained,” he insisted. Except… “Unless you want a wedding with all the ceremony of a wedding breakfast, ball…” He trailed off when she placed a finger against his lips.

“A simple reciting of the vows before a minister is all I want or need.”

“It will be the first thing I do as soon as the sun rises,” Seth insisted. “Then, the moment we are wed, and as soon as we have privacy, I will remove your garter.” He wanted to do so now, but wanted to act honorably and not take Frances to his bed before they were wed.

“Not now?” she asked with disappointment.

“You are not my wife—yet.”

Frances leaned forward, her breasts pressed against his chest, lips hovering near his.

“I never wager more than I am willing to lose, and as I did cheat earlier…”

“Are you trying to seduce me?” he asked.

“If you are willing,” she answered. “Though in truth, I’m not certain how to go about doing so.”

“I am not so difficult, Franny. You simply need to walk in the room and I want you.”

Her brown eyes searched his and he noted doubt and perhaps fear, as if she was no longer certain of them.

“I love you, Franny. With my whole heart, I love you, and have for so long that I can no longer remember when the love of a dearest friend turned to the love of my heart.”

She smiled. “My seventeenth summer,” she said. “That is when I realized that I was in love with you.”

“It was the same for me.” He smiled. “I had returned from London, full of myself, a most mature nineteen-year-old and then you stepped into the cottage where I was waiting for you, and I truly lost my heart.”

“You did not tell me that you loved me until two years later,” she reminded him.

“I was afraid to lose my dearest friend. Afraid that it would change everything between us.”

“Do you not think we have waited long enough?” she asked.

Seth was tempted. He wanted her with a desperation he did not think possible, and as they were to wed as soon as possible, he gave up the fight to act with honor and placed his lips to hers.

Franny immediately relaxed against him. On a sigh, her lips parted and he plundered, pulling her against him as her arms lifted and her fingers feathered through his hair.

Slowly he backed her toward the bed until the mattress met her legs then lifted his head.

“Are you certain?”

“I have never been more certain of anything in my life.”

“You will be my wife,” he ordered.

“I would not be here otherwise,” she returned and pulled him down to kiss her again.

Seth made quick work of the fastenings at the back of her gown and as he slid the fabric of her dress and chemise over her shoulders and down her arms, he moved his lips from hers to her jaw, then neck.

He left the gown to drop as soon as her breasts were exposed then lifted them, caressing each erect nipple with the pad of his thumbs.

Frances sucked in a breath and he bent to suck a perfectly formed bud between his lips. Frances began to fall, and he quickly anchored an arm around her waist since her knees seemed to have given out. He then slowly let her sit on the bed and he dropped to the floor, supported by his knees and worshipped her perfect breasts.

Instead of being lost in desire, Frances busied her hands by pushing his suitcoat from his shoulders, which Seth shrugged out of while still trying to remain attentive to her breasts, until he was forced to give up.

She then yanked on his cravat, loosening it before she tossed it aside.

He then unbuttoned his waistcoat and tore it off before Frances reached forward and pulled his shirt from his trousers and then over his head.

Once it was gone, Seth returned to kissing Frances as his hand slid under her skirts and over the silk stockings until he encountered her garters. He smiled as he determined that they would remain. He then caressed higher, stopping only when he reached the apex of her thighs.

Frances sucked in a breath as he lifted his head, his fingers just hovering over her damp heat. He wanted to look into her eyes when he finally touched her.

Her breaths were short, nearly pants, and then he touched her, his fingers meeting the dampness of her desire before he found the point of pleasure and swiped his thumb across it.

Frances let her head fall back as her eyes closed on her moan.

She was nearly ready for him, but it wouldn’t be like this, with her seated on his bed and still partially clothed. And, as much as he hated to draw away from her now, Seth did so and stood, then pulled Frances to her feet and quickly removed her dress and chemise, leaving her naked before him except for the stockings and garters. He then quickly removed his boots and trousers, which freed his painful arousal, before he took her in his arms again and gently lowered her to the bed.

Once again, he caressed her breasts, her stomach and when he reached her curls brought her to pleasure, her moans echoing in his ears and encouraging him until she stiffened and cried out her release. Seth wanted to bring her to pleasure over and over, but his body would not be denied and he moved to rest between her parted thighs.

“Are you certain?” he asked again.

Frances held out her arms, welcoming him to her and Seth pressed forward, her heat surrounding him. He tried to be gentle, but it was too difficult and he surged forward and stopped and waited. Bracing himself above her with his palms pressed against the mattress, he looked down into her brown eyes. She stared up at him, a small smile on her lips. It was as if she gave him further permission and Seth began to move.

Over and over, he thrust, just as he had imagined when he was teaching her billiards until his release came upon him in such a force that he arched and moaned deeply, his seed filling her until he was spent and fell to her side.

Frances could barely catch her breath as she stared at the ceiling of the bedchamber.

She wasn’t certain Seth had recovered either as he nearly panted in her ear, his arm draped over her waist and leg over her thighs.

“That was…”

“Incredible,” he answered.

The act had been explained to her, though it was difficult to truly understand, but she now most definitely understood why Tessa and her husband snuck off so often and when they returned, why Tessa was flushed and her hair slightly mussed.

“I do not want a Special License,” Seth announced.

Frances’ heart nearly stopped before it began thumping against her sternum.

Was this all a ruse? Had he decided to get his revenge on her after she had cheated and won his club?

For five years she hadn’t trusted him. Had she been a fool again?

“If we are going to break the rules, create a scandal—”

“—Scandal! What scandal?”

“The one that will be on everyone’s lips as soon as they learn you won The Emerald Garter from me in a game of chance.” He started to smile. “Therefore, we should only make it more scandalous.”

Was he going to tell everyone what she had wagered and what he took? That would certainly be a scandal and she would be forced to return to Yorkshire and never leave again, and that was assuming her family would let her live with them.

Seth certainly wouldn’t be so cruel, would he?

“How?” Frances asked with hesitation.

“Gretna Green, of course.” He grinned. “It is only fitting after such a wager. A simple Special License is boring, but eloping, far more fun.”

Frances blew out a sigh when she hadn’t even realized that she’d been holding her breath.

Seth rose up and cradled his head in his hand, his elbow on the mattress supporting him. “Franny, what is wrong? You are rather pale. Did I harm you?”

She nearly laughed. “No. When you decided against a Special License, I feared…”

She couldn’t force the words.

“Oh, Franny.” He tucked a curl behind her ear. “I am sorry to have frightened you. Given my poor decisions in the past, I understand why you were suddenly afraid. I promise that we will marry as quickly as possible and I will not leave your side until you tell me to go away.”

She smiled up at him, noting the warmth in his blue eyes. “I cannot imagine doing so,” she whispered while she fought the urge to cry both with relief and happiness.

“I love you,” he insisted.

“I love you,” she returned.

“Then it is settled.” Seth grinned. “As soon as we can put ourselves to rights, we will head off to Gretna Green. I understand that such journeys begin in the middle of the night.”

“It is nearly morning.” She laughed.

“Close enough.” Seth rose from the bed.

“What of my position. Tessa and Bethany are expecting me tomorrow night.”

“They will simply have to do without,” he insisted as he pulled on his trousers. “We will leave them a note after we stop only long enough for you to pack a satchel.”

Her eyes brightened. “Truly?”

“Yes. We have not had an adventure and it is high time that we did.”

The coolness of the room began to penetrate her skin and Frances’ face burned with embarrassment as she realized she had been lying there, completely naked, while he was dressing.

Quickly she sat up and searched for her dress before pulling it over her head, then standing to shake it out.

“Will we stop by your home as well?” she asked. “Lady Blythe should not be left to wonder what happened to you.”

Seth paused for a moment and cocked his head. “I suppose that I should. And I will likely need a change of clothing.”

Frances bent to pull on her slippers, though she had no idea when they were removed, or her cloak either, which was on the floor beside the bed.

Goodness, Seth certainly knew how to muddle her thoughts.

“When we return, I will introduce you as the new owner of The Emerald Garter.” He leaned forward and kissed her.

“Co-owner,” Frances insisted.

“So long as you promise to also always wear emerald garters.”