Page 65 of In the Prince's Bed

“I see.” A muscle worked in his jaw as he glanced away. “So how long will you make me wait? He’s in the country, and you don’t know when he’ll return.”

“Lord Napier’s estate is only a short ride from London. I’ll call on Sydney’s mother tomorrow to find out the direction, then send a message saying I want to see him. If he doesn’t come in a few days, then we can assume we’re free to announce the marriage.”

He scowled at her. “Wearefree. You’re the only one saying otherwise.”

He looked so delightfully grumpy about the whole thing, she couldn’t help smiling. “You’re adorable when you’re jealous, you know.”

His rigid features slowly relaxed, though he grumbled, “Adorable, am I? Next you’ll tell me I’m sweet.”

“Youaresweet.” She laid her hand on his arm. “Most of the time.”

Drawing her close, he kissed her roughly, brazenly, his hands roaming her body as if to mark his claim. When he pulled back, her heart was racing.

“And the rest of the time?” he rasped. “What am I then?”

“The only man I can ever imagine marrying.”

Relief showed in his eyes as he rubbed his thumb over her lower lip. “How in God’s name will I wait until after we marry to make you mine? I can hardly bear to leave you now.”

The sincerity of his tone warmed her heart, making her smile and lean into him. With a sigh, he lowered his head toward her lips again, but the sound of the door rattling, followed by a loud knock, made him release her.

“Blast. I have to go. If they can’t get in the front, they’ll come to the back and I’ll be trapped.”

The door rattled again. “Miss?” came a worried voice. “Are you in there?”

“I’m here!” Katherine turned to the door to call out. “I’m coming.”

When she turned back to tell Alec she would see him outside, he was gone.

Chapter Sixteen

The rake should never let duty come in the way of pleasure—unless he wants lectures on crop planting to be his only entertainment.

—Anonymous,A Rake’s Rhetorick

As the carriage trundled back to the town house, Alec ignored Mrs. Merivale’s nonstop gushing about his “feats of daring.” All he thought of was Katherine, all he saw was Katherine, sitting across from him in her demure gown.

Which now hid nothing from him. Because he knew what her pert breasts looked like under the layers of fabric, how fine her skin was to the touch…how reckless the nature that lay coiled beneath her controlled demeanor.

His wife-to-be might possess the practical instincts of a woman used to taking care of everybody and everything…but they were tempered with a healthy dose of pure animal lust.

And when do I get to taste and touch you?He broke out in a sweat just thinking of her lips pressed to his chest, her teeth tugging on his nipple, her tongue licking over his—

By God, how would he make it until their wedding night? Especially with her no longer resisting his physical advances. Just to see what she’d do, he stroked his boot up the side of her leg farthest from her mother, using the darkness and her skirts to cover his actions.

Her eyes widened, then grew sultry. Casting a furtive glance at her mother, she echoed his caress with her slipper.

Every muscle in his body went instantly hard. Which wasn’t wise when he wore glove-tight breeches and sat across from his future mother-in-law.

Ruthlessly he wrestled his lust into submission. Had he ever desired a woman this intensely? If so, he didn’t remember it. But Katherine was no ordinary woman. Who else could take in stride his impulsive inclusion of her in an equestrian performance?

Not to mention his revelation of secrets any other woman of rank would have found appalling. But not Katherine; oh no. She merely found them intriguing.

Thank God she didn’t know the worst of them.He must go to any length to keep her from finding out until after the wedding.

But what then? After they were married and back at his estate, she would have to learn how poor he was. Given her clever little mind, she would probably realize that her fortune had provoked his initial interest.

She wouldn’t like that one bit. And when he revealed that he was really the by-blow of a debauchee whom she regarded with contempt…