Chapter 20

It would have pleased Anthony greatly if the wedding could have taken place immediately upon their return to London. But since he believed Ada would like for her sisters to be in attendance, and since they required time to plan for being away and to travel, he accepted the eventual delay.

Athena’s and Penelope’s birthday, falling right at the end of the bans being cried, posed an additional hindrance.

Ada hadn’t wanted to overshadow their celebration the following Saturday, so the date was finally set for the subsequent week. Five weeks after their return from Hitchin.

Instead of the fanfare generally associated with high society weddings, they had decided to limit the event to family only and host it in Anthony’s garden. Athena and Penny were present of course. So was Mr. Quinn, along with Ada’s sisters and brothers-in-law.

Unfortunately, Mama was still half-way around the world somewhere and would have to find out her son had married when she returned.

Mathis and the rest of the servants lined the path the bride would travel. The vicar stood by Anthony’s side, ready to proceed with the service. Anthony himself held his breath. She ought to arrive at any moment. His heart gave a solid thump.

And then there she was, dressed in cornflower blue with a crown of forget-me-nots tied in her hair. Anthony sucked in a breath and took a step forward in order to greet her. The sparkle in those deep blue eyes and the perfect curve of her kissable lips were lovely beyond compare.

“You’re radiant,” he murmured, a little breathless in the face of such beauty.

“Thank you, Your Grace. You’re rather striking as well.”

The blush in her cheeks was irresistible. Leaning in, he kissed her cheek then offered his arm and led her the last few steps to where the vicar stood waiting.

Taking turns, they made their vows. Despite a couple of hymns and the scripture the vicar elected to read, the service did not last as long as Anthony feared it might. He turned to Ada – his wife and duchess – a little dismayed by the sting in his eyes. She beamed at him and he saw that she too was overcome by emotion. The tears gathering near her lashes spilled over at the exact same time as his.

Grinning, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her, long and deep and with the unspoken promise that he’d make her just as happy as she was right now for the rest of her life.

* * *

Since Ada’s family had been invited to stay at Westcliffe house during their visit to London and Anthony’s sisters also lived there, Ada and Anthony had agreed to spend their wedding night at Mivart’s. The hotel, which had been established in 1812 and located at the corner of Brook and Davies streets, was known for its top-notch cuisine and exclusive clientele.

Despite Ada saying that they could forego the expense, Anthony had insisted, and she’d not been able to talk him out of it. For which she was rather glad, she decided, while lounging on the velvet sofa that stood in their suite of rooms.

The half-empty bottle of champagne they’d shared still sat in its silver ice bucket while the trays they’d picnicked from on the floor had been placed on top of the dresser. Ada’s silk slippers lay near a chair where she’d toed them off the moment she and Anthony were alone. His shoes had been kicked to one side, his discarded jacket flung over the back of a chair.

She tracked his movements as he grabbed the champagne and refilled her glass. “Did you and your friends agree on the ending you’d like to use for your novel?”

“Yes,” he said as he gave her the glass. “You didn’t make it easy for us, but I rather like the way it turned out.”

Moving her legs to make space beside her, she sipped the bubbly drink and nodded. He wasn’t wrong. After reading all three endings, it had been impossible for her to choose. Each one was perfect in its own way, but upon closer reflection, she’d realized there was a reason for this. Each had a magical touch, so her suggestion had been to combine them.

“Does that mean it’s finished?” she asked, meeting his gaze with a hopeful smile.

“It does.” Instead of sitting, he retrieved a dark blue silk box tied with a cream-colored bow and placed it on a nearby table. “This is for you – the final edition.”

Ada’s heart leapt. “Anthony…”

“I encourage you to read it,” he told her. “And to let me know what you think. Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Precisely.” He closed his hand around hers, pulled her to her feet, and took the glass she’d been holding, which he placed beside the box. “There are more pressing matters for us to attend to right now.”

“What could possibly be more pressing tha—” Her eyes widened as he drew her flush up against him. “Oh!”

A wolfish smile told her she might as well put off all plans to read for the moment. Her husband was right. There were indeed more pressing matters, like all the tiny ridiculous buttons holding her gown in place, and the intricate knot some evil creature had made of Anthony’s cravat.

“Mind if I ruin this gown?” he asked while kissing his way down her neck.

“Only if you’ve no intention of seeing me in it again,” she sighed. “I’m abysmal with a needle and thread. Just ask my sister. She had a—”

A ripping sound accompanied the ping of a hundred small buttons dancing all over the room. Cool air caressed her skin as Anthony pushed the cap sleeves aside, sending swaths of lace-covered silk to the floor.

Ada gulped. She only wore her chemise, stays, and stockings now. But judging from the gleam in Anthony’s eyes, that wasn’t a bad thing. Her pulse quickened. Perhaps she ought to reciprocate?

Her gaze slid sideways, searching for something until…

She moved to the desk along one wall and snatched up a letter opener. Anthony’s eyes widened. He held up his hands and took a step back. “What’s your plan, Ada?”

“To get you out of those clothes.”

His horrified expression from seconds ago transformed with a laugh. “Very well, though I’m not sure what you hope to accomplish with a letter opener. They’re not that sharp.”

“It’s not the sharpness I require.” She moved toward him, raised her hand, and instantly saw apprehension return to his face even though he made an effort to hide it. “I promise not to hurt you, my love. Please trust me.”

“I do,” he said, and her heart melted all the more because he agreed to do so despite his concerns.

“All I want is to nudge this knot open. After that, I’ll use my fingers.” She pried the tip of the letter opener into a teensy tiny gap in the linen. “One would think this was tied by someone who did not want you to take it off. Is your valet really that diabolical?”

“I don’t have a valet.” He cleared his throat and spoke while she worked. “I’ve been dressing myself for years, Ada. So I tied this one just as I’ve tied a thousand others. But I was nervous today and may have used added strength to make certain it wouldn’t unravel.”

She pressed her lips together and willed herself not to laugh. He was simply too adorable for words. So she kept her gaze on his neck and told him honestly, “I was nervous too. More than I’ve been before in my life. It’s a relief to know I wasn’t alone.”

“How about now?” he asked when she finally managed to pull one edge of his cravat loose. “Are you still nervous?”

“A little,” she whispered, then amended that statement by admitting, “quite a bit, if I’m being perfectly honest.”

His fingertips found the curve of her neck and trailed over her shoulder. “Don’t be.”

She shivered in response to his touch and the sizzling effect it had on her nerves. Her stomach tightened even as she managed to undo the rest of the knot at his throat. “That’s easy for you to say. You’ve done this before, have you not?”

“If you are referring to getting naked and tupping a woman, then yes, I have. But I’ve never considered what she might think of my physical appearance or worried whether or not her experience would be a memorable one. It was just a need that had to be sated. But with you it’s entirely different. With you my heart is racing a million miles per second and I constantly feel like I’m breaking out in a sweat. I worry I’ll disappoint you, which is something I’ve never considered with any previous partner.”

His honesty was humbling and put her more at ease. It helped knowing she wasn’t the only one who felt like a novice, even if he did have the experience she lacked. “If the kisses we’ve shared are any indication, I’m sure I’ll be more than pleased by your efforts.”

She pulled the length of white linen from around his neck and barely managed to toss it aside before he kissed her with wild abandon, wrapping her tightly in his arms and pulling her close. His palms flattened over her spine, pushing heat under her skin and increasing her need for something more.

Getting him out of his waistcoat and shirt would be an excellent start, she decided when he went to work on her stays. So she broke their kiss and leaned back, catching his smoldering gaze as she started undoing his waistcoat buttons. Her stays fell forward and she pulled her arms free so the garment could be tossed aside. His waistcoat followed and then she was tugging his shirt loose from his trousers while he began to bunch her chemise.

His nails scraped her thighs, sending a series of sizzling sparks over her flesh. She gasped and he chuckled while bending to press scorching kisses against the curve of her neck. The thin lawn fabric of her chemise fluttered against her stomach as it was hitched higher.

Eager to see what her husband looked like in a state of undress, she pushed him back slightly so she could wrestle his shirt over his head. Laughing, he helped her free his arms and even managed to send her chemise flying in the process.

His eyes widened while Ada took a sharp breath, her fingers tentatively reaching and trailing over the firm chest before her. He shivered slightly beneath her touch. She felt his heart leap as she pressed her palm to it, and when she traced the hard bands of muscle comprising his stomach, they flexed in response.

“You’re stunning,” she whispered while letting her gaze roam over his powerful arms before dipping back down to his narrow waist. “I never imagined…”

“Neither did I.” His voice mirrored her awe and her gaze snapped to his. She’d been so distracted by his perfection she’d completely forgotten that she stood before him, completely naked, except for her stockings.

Self-awareness rushed through her and she instinctively raised her arms.

“No,” he murmured, catching her wrists before she could shield herself from his view. “There will be none of that, Ada.”

“But—”

“You’re everything I desire and so much more. Don’t hide that from me, my love. Revel in it.” As if to lend encouragement, he undid his placket and took off his trousers and smalls. A roguish grin tugged at his lips. “See?”

She sucked in a breath. “Oh my.”

“Precisely the sort of response I hoped to receive,” he teased as he swept her into his arms. He strode to the adjoining room where a lovely canopy bed dressed in white linen waited.

A deep kiss followed as he lowered her onto the bed. He settled himself beside her, his fingers gently exploring her while his mouth coaxed her into a restless state of inexplicable need. She sighed, a little embarrassed by what she suddenly wanted – his hands, everywhere.

Shifting, she tried to adjust her position so he’d be encouraged to touch her in the right places. Instead, the wicked man merely chuckled against her shoulder and playfully nipped her with his teeth.

He added a soothing kiss. “I wonder what you desire.”

The urge to smack him was equal to her wish for him to continue with his seduction. For that was surely what the annoying man was about. Either that, or he meant to drive her mad.

“Anthony,” she implored. Abandoning all her scruples, she allowed her legs to fall open.

“Yes, my love?” His hand found her ankle and began sliding upward. “Is this what you’re after?”

“Not quite.”

“How about this?” he asked while stroking her knee.

“No.” Frustrated, she curled her hand behind his head and drew him in for a deep and unyielding kiss before desperately whispering against his lips, “Please put me out of my misery.”

Holding her gaze, he granted her wish, sweeping her into a maelstrom of new and powerful sensations. She moaned in response to the exquisite pleasure and clutched at his shoulders with increased force as the fire he’d stoked became an inferno.

A gasp was her first response. But as wave after wave of bliss swept through her, she cried out his name and gripped him harder. His mouth found hers once more and he kissed her deeply while settling his body between her thighs.

Then, distracting her with additional pleasure, he joined his body with hers.

What followed was without doubt the most glorious experience of Ada’s life. If she’d thought the ecstasy Anthony had bestowed a few seconds before was incredible, it was nothing compared to the feeling of being one with the man she loved.

Each move they made told a story of unity, friendship, love, and devotion. It was so achingly beautiful – intimate in a way nothing else could be – and made her feel closer to him than she’d ever felt to anyone else in her life. It cut down the last remaining barriers between them and bound them together so tightly she felt their souls meld.

“Promise we’ll do this as often as possible,” she said a while later while snuggling against his side. Heavens, she’d never felt so languid before.

“Nothing would please me more,” he told her, the arm he’d wound around her tightening slightly. “If you like, we can continue right now.”

“It’s not too soon?”

“Only if you’re sore.”

She considered that for a second. “I think I’m all right.”

“In that case…” Before she could blink, he’d rolled her onto his outstretched body. “I’m more than happy to further your education, Your Grace.”

He waggled his eyebrows and Ada grinned. “Really?”

“Allow me to demonstrate,” he told her in a seductive tone.

And so he did, until she was breathless once more.