Page 22 of A Wager With A Rake (Wicked Widows #32)

Theodosia

T heodosia drew a deep breath, steeling herself to say what she came for after Rebecca had all but dared her to do so. For a moment, she hesitated, then raised her hand, but before her gloved knuckles could make contact, the door swung open, revealing Court’s handsome silhouette in the opening.

His chiseled jaw went slack at the sight of her. “Tess?”

Theodosia’s heart skipped a beat, and she was rendered speechless. Weeks had passed since she’d seen him, and the days were the most agonizing of her life. Even more so than her marriage to Dundas, which said something about the constant state of misery she had been in.

Court blinked rapidly as if not trusting his own eyes. “What are you doing here?” His voice was gruff with surprise.

She lifted her chin, feigning more confidence than she felt. Each second that passed, she questioned how desperate she must appear to him. Wasn’t he supposed to be the one to come after her, to grovel at her feet and beg her to love him? Or something of the like?

Theodosia drew a deep breath. Fuck that.

She had played games and spun tales to avoid facing what she truly felt, but she’d put all that behind her for good.

The only thing she had patience for was truth and fact.

And the fact was that she loved him. “I’ve come to see you.

To clear up a few things between us. Might you invite me in? ”

Snapping out of his momentary daze, he nodded and stepped aside. “Yes, yes, of course. Where are my manners?” His eyes followed her hungrily as she swept past him, grinning to herself at his reaction. At least she wasn’t the only one who remained affected.

Theodosia turned to face him, then pulled out a letter from her reticule and handed it to him.

Court took the letter and eyed it in his hands, but only shook his head in response. “I’m not reading this until I speak first.”

“Isn’t the standard typically that ladies are first?” Her tone was teasing.

“I hope you’ll forgive my breach of etiquette once you hear what I intend to say.” His emerald eyes bore into hers with an intensity that stole her breath. And would do so every single time he looked at her.

She swallowed hard, pulse racing in anticipation and trepidation. Hopeful, but tempering her expectations that he might not feel as she did, regardless of what Rebecca had believed.

Court took a step closer, and it took every single bit of her restraint not to throw herself into his arms.

“Tess…” He reached out as if to touch her cheek, then seemed to think better of it, curling his fingers into a fist.

She held her breath, heart suspended in her throat as she waited for him to continue.

Court took a deep, bracing breath as if steeling himself for a herculean task.

“Theodosia… I love you. I didn’t intend it, nor did I believe love was possible for me.

But here I am, dreaming of you every night and aching for you every day.

I should have never left as I did… and I don’t expect you to forgive me or even feel the same.

After what you’ve been through, it’s understandable if you couldn’t…

” His voice was low and pleading as he continued to speak, until she held up her hand to stop him.

“Why did you leave? And in the middle of the night without so much as a word.” The question escaped her lips before she could stop it.

He dragged a hand through his hair, agitation rolling off him in waves.

“Because I didn’t believe myself worthy of you…

of your love, of the life we could have together.

” His shoulders slumped in defeat. “After years of my father’s constant derision and believing me a useless disappointment, that was all I could hear repeatedly in my head.

That I would never be good enough, that I was fundamentally lacking as a man, and most certainly as a…

husband. Especially after your first husband was such a disappointment. ”

His gaze fixed on hers when he spoke the last word. He swallowed hard before speaking again. “But I believe differently now.”

Theodosia fought not to react to him. To not give away immediately that his words were all she had hoped to hear, that she had felt the very same. Her pulse hammered in her ears as she pointed to the missive. “You should read my letter.”

He eyed her curiously, confusion marring his handsome face, followed by a twinge of disappointment. It was agonizing not to immediately give him the affection he so obviously wanted from her.

“I have exhausted my hand from writing letters of apology, and one is for you.” She said the words as calmly as possible while he broke the seal and unfolded the missive.

“Letters of apology?” he asked, glancing up at her.

“Are you going to read it, Court?”

He glanced back at the parchment, holding it so he could read the words aloud.

My dearest Court, I am atoning for the wrongs I’ve done, hoping the fates might allow me to finally have a bit of happiness.

I apologize for tricking you. For using your attraction to me and training to steal Rosewood from you.

But I don’t apologize for loving you. That is the one truth that came out of the whole affair, and I can never be sorry for that.

Everything between was very real for me.

And a life with you is the happiness I hope to find. Yours always, Tess

After he finished reading, she fought the flutters in her chest when his expression shifted into a wide smile.

“So you do love me?” he asked, dropping the letter to the floor and pulling her into his arms.

Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes. “Of course I do.” She took his face between her palms, forcing him to meet her loving gaze.

“You dear, silly, wonderful man,” she breathed, her thumbs caressing the stubbled planes of his cheeks. “How could you ever think yourself unworthy? If your father were still alive, I’d give him a piece of my mind to feast upon. Any woman would be more than lucky to capture your heart.”

“And you, my love, are the only one who has done so. Who could ever do so.”

“I feel exactly the same for you, Court. I didn’t think myself capable of love either after how many times I’ve been wronged by the men in my life.”

He placed a tender kiss on her lips and then tucked a loose curl behind her ear. Overwhelmed with love, she pictured a lifetime of such tenderness between them. “Those days are behind you,” he said. “I intend to make up for the awful cruelties you’ve been subjected to.”

Again, he slowly lowered his head to capture her lips with his in a searing kiss that set her body alight and her heart singing.

This was where she belonged. He was her home. It wasn’t Rosewood or any other dwelling.

It was Court.

Theodosia knew as much with complete certainty as she melted into his embrace. In the arms of the man she loved, the man who owned her heart—yesterday, today, and for all the days to come.

She almost pouted when he broke the kiss to pull away from her. “We have company,” he said, nodding down the hall.

Theodosia was already well aware that Rebecca and Harrison would be in residence. It was part of what had given her enough courage to make the trip. Knowing that if he didn’t return her feelings, she would at least have her closest friend to help her pick up the pieces.

He clasped her hand and pulled her with him, making their way to the drawing room. As they crossed the threshold, they found Rebecca and Harrison cuddled together, his hand on her stomach. The moment was almost too beautiful to interrupt.

Before they could decide to back away, Rebecca saw them in the doorway.

“Well, well, well,” she drawled, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

“It seems my little nudge worked wonders. I might have learned a few things in the art of getting people to bend to my will in the years I spent watching Theodosia at work.”

Theodosia laughed. Rebecca had always remained by her side, even when she didn’t agree with Theodosia’s tactics. And she wasn’t the slightest upset about the jest. “Quite impressive,” she admitted. “And I believe we are quite satisfied with the outcome.”

Court chuckled, drawing Theodosia closer to his side. “As do I, though I do feel honor-bound to point out that your meddling was entirely unnecessary. I would have eventually found my way to Theodosia, groveling to get back into her good graces, you know.”

“Ha!” Rebecca scoffed, waving a dismissive hand. “Left to your own devices, who knows how long it would have taken you to pull your head out of your arse.”

“She has a point,” Theodosia said, casting Court an amused smile.

“And here I thought your sharp-tongued days were behind you,” Court teased, pulling her into his arms again.

She cast him a heated gaze, hoping he would understand her meaning. “I think not where you are concerned.”

“This is taking an interesting turn,” Harrison said, clinging onto his wife as he raised his eyebrows at her.

Rebecca cast him a sideways smirk and focused her attention on Court and Theodosia. “I trust you’ll both remember my instrumental role in your reconciliation when it comes time to name your children. ‘Rebecca’ has quite a nice ring to it, wouldn’t you say?”

Theodosia’s cheeks heated from the direction the conversation had taken, even as Court threw back his head and roared with laughter. “You might be thinking a tad early in that regard.”

“Somehow I don’t think so,” Rebecca said, her lips curled into a playful grin.

Before Theodosia could formulate a suitably quelling retort, Court swept her into his arms, startling a rather undignified squeak from her lips.

“On that thought, please don’t come looking for us,” he said over his shoulder to Rebecca and Harrison. And with that, he carried her from the room, Rebecca’s delighted laughter echoing behind them.

Scarcely a heartbeat later, as the excitement built within Theodosia, they were inside Court’s bedchamber.

He closed the door firmly behind them and locked it.

Theodosia’s pulse raced as Court set her gently on her feet, his hands lingering at her waist as he gazed down at her with smoldering intensity.

“I love you,” he murmured, the words falling from his lips like a prayer. “I love you so much, Tess. And I intend to spend the rest of my life showing you just how much.”

Theodosia’s breath hitched, her heart swelling with emotion. “I love you, too, Court. More than I ever thought possible.”

His answering smile was the happiest she’d ever seen him, and then his mouth was on hers, his kiss hungry as he massaged his tongue against hers.

His fingers made quick work of the fastenings of her gown, and Theodosia shivered as the garment pooled at her feet, leaving her clad in nothing but her thin chemise.

Court’s heated gaze raked over her, his pupils blown wide with desire.

“Everything about you is… I can’t believe you are mine,” he rasped, his hands skimming up her sides to cup her breasts through the flimsy fabric.

“I want you so much, Theodosia.” He pulled back and stared at her.

“Unless you wish to wait until we’re married…

?” He didn’t sound as if he wanted to wait at all but was a man honorable enough to at least ask the question.

“Married, hmmm?” she teased, trailing a finger down the front of his shirt. “Why, my lord, I don’t recall being asked to marry you.”

The words had scarcely left her mouth before Court was sinking to one knee before her. “Please allow me to rectify that oversight immediately.”

She brought her hand to cover her mouth, unable to believe she’d finally get the happiness and love she’d longed for.

He gazed up at her. “My beautiful Tess,” Court began, his voice rough with emotion. “You are the love of my life, and everything I never knew I needed. I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my days by your side. So will you please marry me?”

Tears of joy spilled down Theodosia’s cheeks as she beamed at him. “I suppose we could make a wager.”

His lips formed an amused flat line as he stared back at her.

Unable to tease him any longer, she nodded frantically. “Yes,” she declared with complete certainty. “Yes, Court, yes!”

Court immediately rose to his feet and pulled her into his arms, his mouth slanting over hers in a fierce, possessive kiss that left her weak in the knees and aching with need.

He lightly bit into her bottom lip. Everything about the kiss charged.

“Please tell me you don’t aim for us to wait,” he whispered against her lips.

“As much as I might like to drive you mad with anticipation for a moment longer, I cannot. I need you, Court.”

“You have no idea how much I need you,” he breathed, the words punctuated with soft, suckling kisses. “You have no idea the wicked dreams you have tortured me with already.”

“Show me,” Theodosia whispered, bold in her certainty and her desire. “I want it all, Court.”