Page 23 of Three Kisses Before Christmas

Chapter 6

There comes a timein a man’s life . . .

Or so Wolfstan’s father had been fond of starting a sentence. How many times had a conversation with the late Earl started with those exact eight words? And presently they were jumping around in his head. Because, honestly, there did come a time in a man’s life when this or that happened or some sort of clarity was to be gained. But did there ever come a time in a man’s life when he blurted out a marriage proposal to a woman after he had kissed her the day before when he had never shown any interest in her before that?

God forbid.

Did there ever happen upon a man a time when the woman he adored above all else dropped her jaw while she gaped at him as though he had grown several sprouts from his temple?

“M-marry you?”

Wolfstan cursed his tongue. What happened to seduction? Kissing, touching, and complimenting.

You have never seduced a woman before, you fool.

Maybe not, but seduction was supposed to be instinctual to his way of thinking. His stumbling over his every word suggested otherwise. If he could not court Rebecca, and he blundered any attempt at seduction, what the hell was he supposed to do?

“Did Mason put you up to this?” she demanded.

“Lonsdale? No.”

She sucked in a breath. Audible. Nerve-grinding. “Then this is a twisted prank.”

“I will never jest about matters of matrimony.”

“Then you have lost your head?”

“I’m perfectly sane.”

“Then you must be foxed.” She narrowed her eyes on him. “Are you foxed?”

“No,” Wolfstan bit out. “I am not inebriated. I have not lost my marbles. I am perfectly clear-minded. I want to marry you, Rebecca Flowerdy. I always have.”

“I do not understand.” She looked perfectly put out.

“That is my fault, I’m afraid. I am going about this all bloody wrong.”