Page 11 of One of a Kind (Singular Sensation #7.5)

December 24, 1818

Culpepper House

Berkley Square, Mayfair

London, England

“You’d best hurry and dress else we’ll be late for Timelbury’s dinner party.”

Andrew turned at the sound of his wife’s voice with a grin of his own. “Whose fault is that? You are the one who encouraged me to fit in a quick bout at the boxing salon before I needed to dress.” He stood half clothed in the middle of their shared dressing room, for though she’d had all afternoon to complete her toilette, he would need to freshen up at the basin.

“I won’t apologize for adoring your body in this prime condition, so I will do everything I can to encourage you to keep it.” As she came toward him, the satin of her orchid gown rustled in the silence. The color was as vibrant as she.

“You won’t find dissent with me.” He offered no protest when Annabelle closed the distance between them and layered herself against him while he removed his fine lawn shirt. “While I enjoy engaging in fisticuffs, either bare knuckle or with the mittens,” he snagged his pair of worn leather gloves and held them up by their tied strings, “I adore it even more when you distract me by exploring.”

Which had happened quite often during their newlywed existence. In fact, they’d been married just over a year, and in that time, life had been turned on its head and sent in what felt like a hundred new directions. Since that glorious day, he had only fallen deeper into love with her. She soothed his ruffled nerves after long sessions in Parliament, she listened to his fears and concerns if he awoke in the night from terrors and horrible dreams, and she embraced the trips they took to his country estate. Through it all, she had tried several things on her own until she’d found a cause she felt comfortable with—a counseling service for women of the aristocracy who had lost pregnancies but felt they couldn’t talk to anyone close to them for fear of censure or shame. They’d renovated the downstairs parlor into a private apartment where her clients could feel safe and secure.

Damn, but he was proud of her.

“Speaking of that, do you think we have time for a quick romp before we set out? After all, you are halfway naked.” Her voice was much a purr as she glided her fingertips over his bare chest.

He dropped the boxing mittens. “You said we would be late before you brought this up.”

“Mmm.” As she pressed her lips to his left pectoral, she slipped one hand down his torso, past his abdomen which caused his muscles to tense, and when she arrived at the growing bulge at the front of his breeches, he gasped, and she giggled. “That isn’t the only thing that will be up before too long, I’ll wager.”

“Sweeting, if you don’t stop, not only will we be hopelessly tardy to your brother’s Christmas Eve dinner, but there’s a good possibility we won’t leave this room.”

“Is that such a bad thing?” But she sighed then teased one flat disc of his nipples until the bud hardened. “Fine, though don’t you find it suspect that Cornelius of all people is having a group of us over for dinner and dancing later?” When she pulled away from him, Andrew sighed, for she was quite potent. “I think it’s because there is a woman in his life.”

“If that is true, that is his affair, not yours.” Andrew strode across the room to the wash basin. He spent the next few moments washing the sweat from his skin. “Timelbury can live that life as he sees fit without your interference.” He tugged off his boots and rested them to one side of the wash stand.

“He did the same to my life, so turnabout is fair play, don’t you think?” She drifted to a comfortable winged-back chair and flounced onto it.

“I do not.” Did he know what was going on in the man’s life? Yes, yes he did. Would he spoil it by telling the man’s sister? Absolutely not. Cornelius was a fellow brother-in-arms, and he refused to break that trust. He might not remember his time in the military clearly outside of the nightmares, but he took his blood brothers’ privacy seriously.

“I suppose that’s just as well.” Oddly enough, she didn’t sound miffed about it.

“Why is that?” He peered into the small oval mirror that hung on the wall above the wash basin and caught her gaze in the reflection. “You usually don’t give in this easily.”

“Honestly, I’m not going to have time for him and whatever scandal he’s undoubtedly gotten himself into in a little while.”

“Again, I’ll ask why?”

A slow smile curved her pink lips, and there was a certain glow, a definite wonder in her expression that caught his imagination. “There is something I need to tell you that I’ve been holding back in the event my suspicions were wrong.”

“Oh?” As he turned to face her, Andrew’s heartbeat accelerated.

Annabelle nodded. “Darling, would it bother you too much to know that if we are fortunate, we will have a new member of our family in about five months’ time?”

Shock plowed into his chest as if he’d been punched. “Do you mean to say…?” He couldn’t finish the inquiry lest he was wrong.

“Yes.” As she nodded, tears sparkled in her eyes, magnifying the blue so that they matched the sapphire stones in the engagement ring he’d given her on that seemingly long-ago day. “While you were out meeting with your man-of-affairs this afternoon, I had the midwife in. She confirmed what I already knew. I am increasing, about four months along.”

“Damnation, but that is wonderful news.” Not caring he was still wet from the quick bath, he hurried over to her chair and dropped to his knees before her. “Are you well? I haven’t noticed symptoms of a pregnancy, but then, perhaps I’ve missed them.”

“They’ve been there, and though sometimes I feel sick, it’s usually in the afternoon when you’re away.” She put a palm to the side of his face. “Are you happy? We hadn’t discussed the possibility of having children in-depth during our marriage, for it didn’t truly matter, but…”

“I’m ecstatic.” Andrew turned his head and pressed a kiss into her palm. “But if fate decides this isn’t to be, I shall still have you, and I am quite content with that.” Then he rested a hand to her belly that was just beginning to round. “To think, after everything, I am to be a father.” Even he heard the awe in his voice. “I hope I won’t prove a disappointment.”

“You can never be that, have never been that,” she murmured then encouraged him close so she could briefly kiss his lips. “Thank you.”

“For what?” Truly, he didn’t know why she would say that.

“For everything. I think that night I found you in Hyde Park, you rescued me as well. Saved me from a strangling, dull ton life by giving me the freedom to explore who I was and who I needed to be.”

“Sometimes, paths were just meant to cross.” Then he stood and tugged her into a standing position. “Come with me, Lady Hazelton.”

“Where?” But she followed him without protest.

“The bedchamber because I am going to show you just how much I love you.” He grinned when she gasped. “Cornelius will just have to understand that his sister was delayed, for she and her husband were celebrating some much-hoped-for news.”

She squealed as he tossed her onto the bed. “Oh, my gown will be hopelessly crumpled.” But his wife was quite enthusiastic when she reached for him as he joined her and covered her body with his.

“As if that is such a bad thing,” he whispered in a fair mimic of what she’d said earlier. Then nothing else was said for a long time afterward, for they didn’t need words to communicate their joy and affection.

It truly went to show that living a whole new life wasn’t as terrifying or daunting as he’d originally thought, as long as he had a loving, supportive partner by his side. Those memories were etched upon his soul and would never be forgotten.

The End