Page 25 of The Duke’s Lance (The Duke’s Guard #12)
O ’Malley woke slowly, appreciating the warmth and curves that were still snuggled against him. “I’d be happy to wake up the rest of my life, just like this, Lord. Thank ye.”
“Eamon?”
His wife’s sleepy voice had him nuzzling her ear. “Good morning, Mrs. O’Malley.”
“Good morning, Mr. O’Malley. Is it really morning already, or are you planning to bathe my sore parts again?”
He rolled until she was tucked beneath him. “Ah, lass, I hoped that ye wouldn’t be too sore this morning. We’ve a long ride ahead of us.”
“It was worth every moment, Eamon. You made it beautiful for me.”
“Ye deserve to be treasured, lass. And ye have no regrets?”
“None. How long before we have to leave?”
He looked over his shoulder. “The curtain is in the way. I can’t see outside. Though I hate to even suggest it, I need to get up.”
“Will you kiss me first?”
“With pleasure, lass.” He kissed her gently, tenderly, cherishing her.
“You kissed me differently last night.”
“If I kissed ye like that again, I’d be hard as a rock, needing to find release, when I’d best be waiting until ye aren’t as sore.”
She sighed and brushed the tips of her fingers along the width of his shoulders. “Will we be stopping at the inn to see the coachman?”
“We will.”
“Have you spoken to the Hinkle sisters about returning to Wyndmere Hall with us?”
“Weren’t you there when I let them know I sent word to Their Graces?”
“I may have been distracted at the time.” She snuggled closer and sighed. “You are so warm—it’s going to be cold when I get out of bed.”
“I’ll get out first. That way, the sheets will cool to the point where they aren’t comfortable and ye’ll want to get out of bed.”
She laughed. “I never would have thought of that.”
He slipped out of bed and tucked the covers around her. Knowing she was watching him from behind, he swaggered over to the washstand and washed his face and hands. “Are ye as hungry as I am?”
“Maybe more. I was too nervous to eat before the vicar arrived.” She shivered and reluctantly got out of bed.
“I’m going to make a suggestion that you may find odd. I can dump the water from the bowl into the chamber pot, and ye can have fresh water to wash in.”
“I’m accustomed to making do, Eamon, and rarely have been the first one to use the bathwater.” She smiled. “After what we shared last night, I think it would be a pleasure to use the same water that you used.”
He slipped the chemise over her head and helped her into her gown. “Wife of mine, will ye always be surprising me?”
“I guess we have the rest of our lives to find out.”
She watched him don his trousers and held his shirt for him. Next came his socks and boots. He laughed when he reached for her foot to put her satin slippers on. “Ye’re still wearing yer stockings.”
“It’s scandalous, isn’t it?”
“Aye, but only the two of us will know.” O’Malley drew her into his arms and pressed his lips to hers. “Ye nearly broke me heart when ye left Wyndmere Hall.”
“It broke mine to leave you.”
“Why didn’t ye say goodbye?”
“I would not have been able to leave you, Eamon. And I did not know how to tell you about my past.”
“If ye had only asked, I could have told ye that I already knew all about it.”
“I was not as strong as I am now.”
“Life challenges us, lass. ’Tis how we meet those challenges that shapes us. We’re better for it…stronger.”
“I know I am.” She rose on her toes and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for not giving up on me.”
“Thank ye for not being able to resist me manly charms.”
Helen laughed. “Do you think you’ll be too tired for another lesson in love tonight?”
“Lass, I’ll never be too tired to make love to ye.”
“Is that a promise?”
“Aye, lass. Pucker up, and I’ll seal me promise with a kiss that’ll curl yer toes.” Lord love her, she gave as good as she got, and kissed him until his eyes crossed. “If ye’re after distracting me, ye’ve succeeded, but I must warn ye that the penalty will have the both of us back in that bed and me brother and cousins banging on our door.”
Helen’s lovely lips curved into a smile that warmed the cockles of his heart and sent a bolt of heat straight to his bollocks, which had his shaft again making its presence known.
“Ah, lass, are ye after killing me dead?”
“No, Eamon, I’m after getting you back in that bed.”
He swept her into his arms, carried her over to the bed, and knelt on it, placing her gently in the middle. The tangled sheets told the story of their first time making love. “Well now, here we are, lass. What did ye have in mind?”
The heavy pounding on the door was his reminder that making love to Helen would have to wait.
“Bollocks!”
“Get up, Eamon! Yer party of four is ready to leave now.”
“Go away, Flaherty!”
“I was thinking about something Lady Phoebe mentioned…about lips and teeth and tongues,” Helen murmured.
His attention caught, he slowly smiled. “And what did she say about them?”
“That’s just it—she never gave specifics, but the mention of it had Caro and Prudence sighing.”
“Well now, I know exactly what she had in mind. Would ye care for me to show ye?”
“Open the bloody door, Eamon!”
“Go feck yerself, Flaherty!”
“Is this what the rest of our lives will be like?” Helen asked.
O’Malley snorted. “I’m tempted to stretch the truth and tell ye that it’ll never happen again, but I cannot lie.”
“From this moment forward, there’ll be no secrets, and we’ll only tell one another the truth.”
“Aye, lass.” He lowered his forehead to rest on hers. “If ye must know, the truth of it is that me family is a royal pain in me arse, but they’ll be there to stand beside us, to hold us up when we need it. We’ll be there for them, too.”
“They love you, Eamon.”
“Open the bloody door!” Flaherty growled as he hammered the wood with his fist.
“He’ll be singing a different tune when a lass falls into his path and turns life upside down,” O’Malley said.
“Have I turned yours upside down, Eamon?” Helen asked.
“Aye, lass, and I wouldn’t change one moment of it.” His lips met hers in a kiss that promised a lifetime of ups and downs, highs and lows. “Let’s get started living the rest of our lives.”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
“What in the bloody hell is keeping ye, Flaherty?”
O’Malley chuckled. “Sounds like me brother’s patience is spent.”
“’Tisn’t me,” they heard Flaherty reply. “’Tis yer randy brother!”
Helen’s eyes were filled with laughter. She leaned close and whispered, “Do you think you’ll be randy again tonight?”
“Depend upon it, lass.” He winked at her, stood, and held out his hand. “Ye carriage awaits, lass. Are ye ready to face me irritated cousin and brother?”
“With you by my side, Eamon, I’m ready for anything.”