“But that’s the other reason I came here with you.” Her voice trembled.
“So you could be alone with me?” His eyes locked with hers.
“Yes.”
The longing and desire he saw burning in her eyes almost undid him. Slowly, he closed his eyes and then reopened them. “Yvette, you cannot marry Lord Shelley.”
Yvette grew very quiet and the silence echoed through the room. Jeffrey held his breath and waited, pressing her hand to his lips. The fire crackled and the snow continued to fall silently outside.
After what felt like an eternity, she finally whispered, “I know I can’t marry him. I’m not going to accept his proposal.”
“You’re not?” His heart skipped a beat and relief flooded through him. Yvette was not going to marry Lord Shelley. It was almost too good to be true.
Her expression was full of sorrow. “No. I can’t marry William. I’ve really tried, but I don’t love him enough.”
“I’ve known that all along.”
“You have, haven’t you?” She looked at him intently.
“Yes.” He continued kissing her fingers, quite slowly, quite gently.
“How did you know?” she murmured, staring at his mouth.
“I just know these things.” He shrugged lightly. “The most telling was that you felt nothing when he kissed you. You can’t be in love with a man who leaves you feeling nothing.”
“But I feel something when you kiss me.”
He almost couldn’t breathe. “What do you feel when I kiss you?”
Her cheeks reddened. Her voice was so soft he could barely hear her confession. “I feel hot and shivery . . . and I never want you to stop.”
Never in his life had a woman’s words had such an effect on him. Her sweet and honest answer left him speechless. He turned her hand over and placed a kiss on her palm.
“Did you feel something when you kissed me, Jeffrey?” Yvette asked softly.
“Oh, yes.” He looked in her eyes. “Like nothing I’ve ever felt with any other woman.”
She was in his arms in an instant and he was kissing her mouth. He didn’t know who had moved forward first, him or her, but it didn’t matter. His lips met hers, eager and hungry. They kissed and kissed, their lips pressed together, their tongues in each other’s mouths. He was lost in the utter sweetness of her. He could drown in her. He was drowning in her.
An intense heat blossomed between them, stirring them. Jeffrey forgot to breathe. He had Yvette in his arms again, where she belonged. And she wanted him.
His fingers slid into her silky hair, loosening the pins and setting her golden curls free to spill around her shoulders. The scent of gardenias enveloped him and he pulled her tighter to his chest. She sighed and clung to him. Losing himself in the feel of her body, his hands grew bolder in their caresses, moving over the flare of her hips and cupping her breasts over the fabric of her pretty green gown. She arched her back and leaned into him as he touched her. And still they kissed.
He stroked her back, slowly unfastening the hooks down the back of her high-necked dress, wishing for the first time that she were wearing that infernal low cut gown, so he would have easier access to her breasts. He was ready to tear the many layers of clothing to shreds to get them off her. Instead he ran his hands over her bare shoulders, nuzzling kisses against her smooth neck, her soft throat.
She tugged at his jacket sleeves and he removed it, flinging the jacket to the floor. Next, she undid his neck cloth and the top buttons of his shirt. She pressed her mouth to his bare neck, kissing the base of his throat. He groaned with the pleasure of it. His mouth returned to her mouth for more of the kisses that he craved.
Gently, he eased her back onto the sofa, until he was lying on top of her, the length of her curvaceous little body beneath his. One hand ran the length of her leg, slowly pushing the skirt of her gown up as he went.
He wanted her. All of her. And he was absolutely terrified. He could take her now and she would willingly let him. He had never been more certain of anything in his life. Yvette Hamilton wanted him as much as he wanted her. And he wanted her desperately. Wanted to remove every inch of her clothing and make love to her slowly, over and over, for days and days on end.
But this wasn’t just any woman. This was Yvette Hamilton.
He groaned as he broke off their kiss. He cupped her face with one hand.
She cried out in protest.
He soothed her, whispering. “We can’t do this, Yvette. Not here. Not now. When it happens, I want you in my bed, all night. Not like this.”
Her breath was shallow and rapid, her arms still wrapped around his neck. “But Jeffrey, I . . .”
“No.” He shook his head, wondering if he had lost his mind. He’d never been this close to making love to a woman and stopped.
“Why not?” Her question was filled with confusion and disappointment.
“Because I want to marry you first.”
He waited, holding his breath. She didn’t move. She didn’t say a word. When he felt her tears on his hand, saw them glistening on her cheeks, he thought he would die.
There, in the flickering firelight, he should have confessed his love to her, but he couldn’t. He simply could not bring himself to say the words aloud. “Yvette, I want you to marry me.”
“Oh, Jeffrey,” she sobbed.
He pressed his forehead against hers, kissing her tears. “Say you will marry me.”
Jeffrey didn’t care what anyone else thought. He didn’t care that he was twelve years older than she was. Or that he’d once thought of her as his younger sister. Because she wasn’t a little girl anymore. She was a beautiful, intelligent woman who had become his closest friend. He enjoyed being with her, from simply sitting and talking together all night, to flirting and dancing at a ball, to dealing with the unpredictability of both their families. He loved this woman and he wanted her with him for always. He wasn’t half good enough for her, but he wanted her anyway. If she didn’t say yes, he wouldn’t be able to go on.
The silence between them grew.
“Yvette,” he whispered her name like a plea.
Her hand reached around to the back of his head, her fingers splaying through his hair. Her gentle touch made him tremble. She leaned up and kissed his mouth, and he could taste her tears. The sweetness of her made him want to cry.
“Yes.”
“Yes?” Had he heard her correctly? Had she just agreed to marry him?
She kissed him again. “Yes, Jeffrey, I’ll marry you.”
He sat up in disbelief. “You will?”
She sat up too, wiping at her tears with her hands and nodding her head. “Yes.”
Jeffrey stared at her. She’d said yes. Yvette Hamilton had agreed to be his wife. Filled with relief, he pulled her into his arms and she rested her head against his chest. “What about becoming a duchess?” He waited with bated breath for her answer.
“I’d rather be with you.”
His heart flipped over in his chest and he squeezed her tighter to him. “You have no idea how happy that makes me.”
She looked up at him, her eyes still wet with tears, her long hair tousled around her. “It’s strange, isn’t it?”
“What?”
“That of all the people in the world, I’m ending up with you. Someone I feel I’ve known my whole life.”
He smiled at her words. “Yes, here we were under each other’s noses the whole time. I suppose we were just waiting until you grew up.” He kissed her again, the sweetness of her mouth almost undoing him. “What do you think your sisters will have to say about us?”
Her expression was thoughtful. “I don’t know exactly what they will think, but it’s safe to assume they will be surprised. Except maybe for Paulette. They’ve always thought of you as a brother, and now you will be their brother. Mother already loves you so I can’t imagine that she’d object.”
He figured her mother and sisters would be fine with them being together
, but Lucien Sinclair had given Jeffrey more than a questioning look when he came by Devon House that morning to gather Yvette and her things for their trip to Berkshire. In fact, he’d looked a little suspicious. “Lucien might hit me again.”
Yvette laughed and kissed his cheek. “No, he won’t. But if he does, you just go right ahead and hit him back this time.”
“Thank you for your permission.” He smiled at her, loving that they could tease each other.
“What will your parents say?” she asked.
“They will be wildly happy. I think my mother asked you here with this purpose in mind and my father has wanted me to marry one of you Hamilton girls for years.”
“I’m so glad.” Yvette sighed and snuggled into him.
He kissed her again and she kissed him back. His tongue slid into her mouth and she leaned back into the pillows once more, drawing him down on top of her. God, but he wanted to melt into her, kiss every inch of her. The desire to make love to her then and there on the velvet sofa was too tempting.
“Come, Yvette. Let’s get you upstairs to bed,” he whispered thickly. With great reluctance he withdrew his arms from around her warm body and slowly stood up. He smiled ruefully and held his hand out to help her to her feet.
But she refused and stared at him with a mutinous expression. “Jeffrey.”
Shaking his head, he reached out and took her hand to help her off the sofa. Then he turned her around and slowly began to refasten the back of her dress.
“Your bedroom is right next to mine,” she whispered suggestively to him. “No one would have to know but us, Jeffrey.”
His hands froze on her back. He’d like nothing more than to scoop her up in his arms and carry her to his warm bed for the night. “You’re staying in your room and I’m staying in mine.” He placed a kiss on the back of her neck and continued fastening her dress.
“Who knew you were such a gentleman?” she muttered ruefully. “Honestly, Jeffrey, I’m beginning to wonder about all I’ve heard of your powers of seduction.”
Jeffrey spun her around and kissed her mouth hard, leaving her breathless. He then cupped her face in his hands. “I can have any woman I want. And I have had more than my share. But you are the only woman I want now, Yvette.”
She blinked at him in surprise.
“I can’t make you a duchess, but I can certainly treat you like one. We’re waiting until we’re married.”
“Oh, Jeffrey . . .” Her eyes welled up with tears again.
He kissed her cheek softly and took her small hand in his. “Come now. Let’s go up to your room.”
She followed him obediently, out of the warm study and up the stone staircase of the cozy house. He stopped in front of the door to her bedroom. Yvette looked at him with longing.
He gave her one of his most seductive smiles. “I promise I will make it up to you.”
“None of my sisters waited until they were married, you know,” she said rather petulantly.
“Unfortunately, I do know.”
“You do?” she asked, her face incredulous.
“Yes. But you are not your sisters. You’re different and you mean more to me than you know.” He grinned at her before kissing her senseless once more and sending her to bed without him.
28
My True Love Gave to Me
Yvette stood beside Jeffrey in the little stone chapel at Eddington Grove the next morning, while Maxwell Eddington, the Duke of Rathmore, married Janet Rutherford, the mother of his only child, thirty-three years after the fact.
As the chaplain spoke the ceremonial words, Yvette felt Jeffrey slip his hand into hers. At his touch, warmth flooded through her. She glanced at him next to her, so handsome and sweet. Last night she had told him that she would be his wife.
She was really going to marry Lord Jeffrey Eddington! She bit her lip to keep from giggling nervously at the thought of it. It was so preposterous, yet so perfectly right at the same time. Jeffrey. Jeffrey, of all people! Jeffrey must be in love with her to want to marry her.
Over the last three months, her feelings for him had changed so gradually, so slowly that she had not quite realized them. It wasn’t until she’d felt utter relief that William Weatherly had been taken ill and could not propose to her that she’d known something was wrong. Whenever she was with William she found herself comparing him to Jeffrey and longing to be in Jeffrey’s company instead. She simply could not marry Lord Shelley once she’d realized her feelings were all for Jeffrey.
Last night it had become quite clear to her that she was in love with Jeffrey. Perhaps she had been in love with him for weeks but had been too blind to see it? In either case she was deliriously happy now. She loved Jeffrey!
That morning they had told his parents of their plans to marry and she’d thought the Duke of Rathmore was going to burst with happiness at their news.
“Well, that just makes this day even more special!” He’d kissed Yvette soundly and pinched her cheek. “I’m delighted to have you as a daughter and I’m relieved my son wised up and grabbed one of you Hamilton girls. I was afraid he’d wait too long and lose you to some other fellow!”
“I’m grateful that she accepted me,” Jeffrey said in a somewhat serious tone.
“Oh, my dear, I’m so happy for both of you!” His mother hugged her tightly and whispered only for Yvette to hear, “I told you he was in love with you, didn’t I?”
Yvette smiled at her, too emotional to say more.
“Well, we shall have another wonderful announcement at our Christmas ball this Friday!” Maxwell exclaimed. “Both Eddington bachelors finally getting married!”
Now they stood quietly in the little chapel, as the chaplain declared Maxwell Eddington and Janet Rutherford to be man and wife. Becoming almost teary, Yvette listened to the familiar words, thinking she would be saying them to Jeffrey soon.
After their heartfelt congratulations and a hasty breakfast, Jeffrey and Yvette left Eddington Grove to begin their journey to reach London by nightfall, leaving the new Duchess and Duke of Rathmore to honeymoon alone. The second carriage followed behind transporting Jeffrey’s valet and Yvette’s lady’s maid.
With Jeffrey’s strong arms around her to keep her warm, Yvette sat beside him in their carriage. She felt so happy, just being with him, resting her head on his shoulder as the carriage swayed along the road to London. Never had she known such complete and utter happiness.
“It was a lovely ceremony,” she said. “Quite romantic.”
“I’m happy for them, that it worked out in the end,” he said quietly. “But I don’t think I would call any of it romantic.”
She frowned. “Why not?”
“Their affair caused a great deal of pain to a lot of people and ruined his marriage.”
“Yes, but that is all in the past now,” Yvette reasoned.
Jeffrey’s expression was somber. “Yes, it’s all in the past now, I suppose.”
Yvette lifted her head from his shoulder and stared at him, noting the pained look on his handsome face. She touched his cheek gently. “But if it were not for their affair, you wouldn’t be here and I should be devastated without you.”
He smiled at her words and her heart melted.
“You were the good that came out of bad circumstances,” she whispered, placing a kiss on his cheek. “You made it all worthwhile, Jeffrey.”
He cupped her face in his hands and looked deep into her eyes. “I need you to know that I am not like my father. I will never go outside of our marriage, Yvette. You are the only woman for me. In spite of my reputation with women, I swear to you, I will always be faithful to you.”
Overwhelmed by the intensity of his feelings, she whispered, “I know you will.”
They kissed then, and that slow, now-familiar heat flamed between them once more. She slipped her tongue into his mouth, hungry for more. She loved kissing Jeffrey, loved being held by him. Loved him. Loved everything about him. He pulled her across his lap and
kissed her deeply. Yvette sunk into him and sighed with pleasure.
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she wished they weren’t wearing their heavy coats and scarves. “Let’s take these off,” she whispered seductively in his ear.
In an instant, she was placed back on her own side of the seat.
“Are you trying to kill me, Yvette?” he demanded with a strained laugh.
“No. Not at all. I just want to be with you.” She wanted him so desperately and didn’t know how he could be so controlled. She’d barely slept the night before because she was too filled with excitement. She had been giddy with desire for him and stunned that he wanted to wait until they were married. She had been willing to do anything with him on the sofa last night, surprising herself with her own wantonness.
He shook his head firmly. “I told you. Not until we’re married. No illicit encounters. No illegitimate children. I don’t want to start off that way with you, no matter how much I want you.” He smiled at her wolfishly. “And believe me, I want you.”
Yvette stared at him, suddenly understanding why he wanted to wait. “Oh, Jeffrey.” She placed a kiss on his lips. “Then we better marry right away.”
Giving her a pointed look, he said, “I believe you ought to have a little chat with Lord Shelley first.”
Her stomach lurched at the thought. That was a task she was not looking forward to, but it must certainly be done. William was going to be terribly disappointed in her. “Yes. As soon as I can, I shall tell him. Tomorrow.”
“Good.” He leaned over and kissed her deeply.
“Oh, how soon can we marry?” she asked breathlessly.
He eyed her with all seriousness. “I thought you would wish to have a big, lavish wedding, Yvette, with a beautiful gown and anyone who is anybody in London in attendance. The social event of the Season?”
“Is that what you want?” she asked softly.
“I want whatever will make you happy.”
Yvette grew quiet. There had been a time when all of that was quite important to her. The big society wedding had been her dream for years and years. To be a stylish and important duchess, to be admired and even envied by everyone, to wear the finest clothes, to host the most sought-out parties, and to have the best of everything had been what she thought would make her the happiest. But somehow when she was with Jeffrey, none of those things mattered at all anymore. When she was in his arms, she had everything.
His By Christmas (Hamilton Sisters) Page 22
