Page 65 of The Swan Detective (The Swan Syndicate #2)

Stella rolled over, a bit surprised to find Beckworth still asleep next to her. He’d left the bed earlier, but she’d been too exhausted to open an eye. The scent of coffee reached her senses, and she smiled at his persistence in keeping her happy.

Eleanor and Mrs. Walker had prepared a huge farewell party the night before that included their guests and the staff.

It had lasted late into the evening, giving all the staff an opportunity to join in.

She’d dropped into bed like a boat anchor, and Beckworth had followed some time later, momentarily waking her up with a sweet kiss and then spooning.

She lay on her side and watched him sleep.

It was a rare moment since he was such an early bird.

His eyelashes were lusher than hers, and fine lines edged the corners of his eyes.

Libby had once mentioned that he smiled more than he had in the past, and she hoped she’d been the cause of that change.

That she had given him more joy than pain.

She held in a snort. God knew she could definitely be a pain.

She lightly ran a finger down the bridge of his nose and over his cupid-bow lips.

AJ had been right. He was a handsome man.

Those lips, so kissable, could turn playful, irritated, and even cruel, though she’d only seen the latter a couple of times, either when dealing with Gemini or during a mission.

Early morning light shone from the French doors that led out to the balcony.

Beckworth started leaving a bit of the drapes open each evening.

He never said why, but she suspected it was so she could tell the approximate time when she woke.

Every action he took seemed to have her in mind. How more perfect could he be?

His lashes fluttered, the first stirring of wakefulness.

She ran her hand down his chest, over his belly, and then farther until she found just the right spot to force a smile on those fabulous lips.

Rather than stop her or take over as he usually did, he stretched, his eyes still closed, then put his hands behind his head, a heavenly smile on his lips.

She followed the trail of her hands with her lips, ducking under the covers. A few minutes later, the covers were thrown back, and he hauled her up before rolling over her.

“I like the way you wake me up, Lady Caldway.”

“Always at your service, Lord Beckworth.”

His grin turned to something more passionate as he performed his own foreplay rituals. She ran her hands through his hair, loving the feel of it through her fingers as his lips and tender nips moved over her body.

When they joined, the staccato beat of her heart made it difficult to breathe. She didn’t care. Afterward, she draped her loose limbs over his body.

“I need coffee.” She kissed a spot just below his ribs.

“If you’re expecting me to get it for you, you’ll need to move.”

“Mmm. Maybe it can wait a few more minutes.”

He chuckled as he rolled her off him before things became more heated. “We still have some time before our last breakfast with friends, and I could use a cup myself.”

He poured two mugs and placed them on the table by the bed, but he didn’t join her. Instead, he wandered into the dressing room. A few minutes later, he walked out wearing his robe and holding an envelope-sized package wrapped in brown paper.

He crawled into bed and handed her a mug.

They sipped their coffee, and though she tried to ignore it, it was impossible not to be curious about the package.

And she sensed a tension in Beckworth that hadn’t been there earlier.

The only way to speed up events was to finish the coffee, and she chugged it down.

He grinned, though there was something lurking behind his cornflower-blue gaze she couldn’t name. Worry was the first thing that came to mind, but that didn’t make sense.

“What’s this?” She decided to take the direct approach.

“I wondered how long it would take you to ask.”

“Well, it didn’t seem as if you were going to say anything.” She nudged the edge with a finger. “What is it?”

He took her mug and placed both on the table before sitting up and turning to her, the bed covers pooled at his waist. For a moment, she couldn’t stop gazing at the small bit of chest revealed by the robe before slowly lifting to meet his eyes.

He picked up the package and fondled it until she blew out a sigh.

“Do you want me to open it?” she asked.

He shook his head. “Just give me a minute.”

He was nervous, and it was making her equally anxious. When he finally opened the package and a black satin pouch fell out, she tilted her head, then licked her lips. More jewelry? It had to be.

He opened the strings of the pouch, but instead of taking out whatever was in there, he simply held onto it.

“You made a comment when we argued about you and Libby tracking the thief down that alley.” His words were light, and he caught her gaze. “You called yourself an oddity, and it bothered me.”

She laid a hand on his knee, and though she couldn’t feel anything more than the lump of its form, she felt a slight reflexive jerk. Instead of pulling away, she squeezed his knee, and he gave her a small smile.

“I know I spent a good portion of the fancy balls with the men, leaving you to the ladies, but I’m not naive about the women who attend those parties. It wasn’t a surprise that you received more invitations than you could possibly attend, and I understood why, even before you made your comment.”

He took her hand. “I hear the rumors and the innuendos. Consort, mistress…the words are all the same, and they never bothered me before because I knew what you were to me. Not what others might see, but what I see. What I know.”

She wasn’t sure where this came from, though she remembered using the word oddity and the flash of pain in his gaze. “You know I don’t care about that.”

He smiled. “Maybe.”

She squirmed, refusing to admit that it might have bothered her a little bit. Not for her, but how it might make him feel.

If he noticed her growing discomfort, he ignored it. “One day, when I was riding through London on my way to see Hensley, I passed a store where I’ve done business once or twice before.”

He tipped the pouch over, and a silver ring fell into his hand.

She gasped, not prepared for this. Her hands shook, and she clasped them together after pulling the bedcovers around her tighter. “Teddy.”

“Shush.” He took her hand, and though she tried to pull it away, he held on tight.

“I love you, Stella, and I have no intentions of rushing into anything. Not until we’re both ready.

But I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea about what you mean to me.

Perhaps someday you’ll tire of me, but until that day comes, I want to show you my commitment to this relationship. ”

Still holding her hand, he held up the ring. “You don’t have to wear this for more than a few seconds, and only if you’re just as committed to this strange bond we share. Then you can take it off and hide it in a drawer until you’re ready to wear it for all to see.”

She curled her fingers around his hand and blinked back tears. “Maybe you should put it on.” She gave him a half shrug, though she couldn’t stop shaking. “You know. Just so I can see how it looks. It might not even fit.”

He grinned and slid the simple silver ring onto her ring finger. She instantly pulled her hand back to get a closer look. It wasn’t as plain as it first appeared. Intricate filigree designs encircled the ring, and she ran a finger over the unique patterns.

He cleared his throat. “There’s etching inside the band.”

She pulled the ring off and squinted as she read the inscription. “Forever your Teddy.” A tear slipped as she put the ring back on. She stared at it for some time, and Beckworth said nothing as he waited to hear her response.

“I love you, Teddy. You know that.” She pulled back. “I wasn’t expecting this.”

“I probably didn’t do this right. I should have waited and asked Finn.”

“No. It’s surprising, that’s all. Yet somehow perfect for our last day at Waverly.

” She stared at the ring for some time before giving another shrug.

“I don’t know how I feel about wearing it.

” She gave him a quick glance and reached out to grab his hand.

“You know that has nothing to do with how I feel about you.”

He laughed, and whatever tension was there earlier was long gone. “I’m only grateful that you didn’t toss it back in my face. I know we’re not ready to make things official.”

She squeezed his hand. “You mean I’m not ready.”

He ran his knuckles over her cheek. “I don’t want others dictating who we are or setting expectations for us. This isn’t about you or me. It’s about us. I never want you to doubt what you mean to me. I’m all in.”

“Me too.”

They fell back and cuddled. She held out her hand so they could both look at the ring. “It has the unique attribute of being new here, but it will be considered an antique when AJ sees it.”

“You’ll show it to her then?”

“Eventually. For now, it’s just between us. When we’re ready, we’ll make a splash.”

He chuckled. “That sounds more like us.”

She ran a hand over his cheek. “I’m a lucky woman, Lord Beckworth.”

“And I’m a lucky man, Lady Caldway.”

When a knock sounded moments before the door burst open, Stella hid her hand under the covers while Beckworth shoved the pouch behind him. Libby barely gave them a glance when she waltzed in.

“Sorry to disturb you, but you’re both running late. The group is already waiting in the dining room.” When she rushed past them into the dressing room, Stella pulled off the ring, and Beckworth stuffed it back in the pouch, both of them laughing like children caught doing something naughty.

He pulled his robe closed and got out of bed, slipping the pouch into a drawer before heading to the dressing room as Libby raced out with a sage-green day dress.