He laughed against the soft skin of her neck at her teasing tone. There was no doubt on the matter. They had decided to travel the continent as a wedding trip, and as a way to honor their mutual desire to travel. What better way to start the adventure that was marriage than with a grand journey abroad?
“Mmm,” he murmured, his hands still wandering with just as much mischief. “That is as I’ve heard it as well.”
She pretended to think the matter over as he leaned forward and dropped a kiss along the tempting décolletage that he’d been dreaming about for a fortnight. “I am glad we departed so quickly after the ceremony,” she said. “What with that great distance yet to cover.”
Her “however” was silent, though he could fill in the rest. He grinned with his lips still pressed against her soft skin. “Are you impatient, my love?”
He heard her soft huff of laughter, husky and sensual. “Why, are you?”
He shifted her so suddenly she let out a little squeak followed by a laugh as she found herself on her back beneath him on the cushioned seat. “Unbelievably impatient,” he growled, only partially teasing.
They had waited this long to make their union official and he certainly would not rush things now. Her laughter made him grin. This was a new side of her, but one he was eager to explore.
The more he grew to know her the more he saw of this soft, vulnerable Eliza—a woman no man had seen before, he was nearly certain. The thought was humbling. “I cannot wait to have you in my bed and as my wife,” he said, dropping a kiss on her nose.
She smiled up at him. “That was my thought exactly.”
He caught the teasing undercurrent, subtle but there. “Indeed, and what else were you thinking?”
She feigned a thoughtfulness. “It also occurred to me that we are wed,” she said slowly. “Twice, in fact.”
He kissed one of her cheeks, murmuring, “For good measure.”
Her smile was sweet and uncharacteristically shy. “It also occurred to me…” Her voice faded off as she licked her lips.
Oh hell, he was nearly too far gone with desire to form coherent words. But after a lengthy pause, he couldn’t bear it any longer. “Yes?”
She softly cleared her throat. “It occurred to me that as we technically have been married for days now, we are already a bit…behind on matters.” Her voice trailed off and she bit her lip. Her serious, honest, searching brown eyes met his. “Are we not?”
He groaned as he claimed her mouth with his, all the desire he’d been trying to keep in check let loose by those sweet, innocent words. When he pulled back enough for them to breathe, he growled his response. “No truer words have ever been spoken.”
She rewarded him with the sort of beaming smile no man should ever take for granted. “So we are in agreement then?”
He didn’t answer, instead adopting a polite, formal tone he knew would make her laugh. “Tell me, are you in any hurry to reach France?”
She shifted beneath him, laughter bubbling up as she spoke. “One thing you taught me during our last trip is that it’s not about the destination when one enjoys the journey.”
He grinned, not even attempting to hide his devilish glee. “In that case,” he drawled. “I know of a lovely little inn no more than an hour from here.”
She laughed, pulling him down for another kiss. “That sounds perfect, husband.”
He smiled even as he pressed his lips to hers. “I am glad you think so, wife.”
Thank you for reading A Gentleman’s Gamble! If you enjoyed it, reviews are greatly appreciated.
If you missed Anne and Davenport’s story, you can find it in Earl of Davenport, a standalone novella from the multi-author Wicked Earls’ Club series.
Did you miss Claire and Nicholas’s story? You can find it in A Rake’s Ruin.
You can read about how Georgie fell in love with her duke in A Duke’s Distraction.
About the Author
MAGGIE DALLEN IS a big city girl living in Montana. She writes romantic comedies in a range of genres including young adult, historical, contemporary, and fantasy. An unapologetic addict of all things romance, she loves to connect with fellow avid readers. Subscribe to her historical newsletter at http://eepurl.com/dgUNif or her contemporary newsletter at http://eepurl.com/bFEVsL
LINKS & OTHER WORKS
Facebook: facebook.com/MaggieDallenAuthor
Twitter: twitter.com/Mag_Dallen
Website: maggiedallen.com
Check out Maggie’s other books:
Historical Romance
The Reluctant Spy
The Reluctant Bride
One Night at Sea
Barely a Fairy Tale Series
Cinderella Blackmail
Snow White Espionage
Rose Red Rebellion
Beauty & The Heist
Starting from Zero Series
Love Times Two
Less Than Three
The Plus One
Chance Romance Series
The Accidental Engagement
The Accidental Boyfriend
The Accidental Elopement
Sexy in Spades Seres
Lust for Life
Passion for Players
Desire for Days
Reel Romance Series
Her Leading Man
His Leading Lady
Her Leading Hero
What the critics say about Maggie’s books!
"What an absolutely delightful romantic romp....The Accidental Engagement is such a lighthearted, simply fun read. I could easily picture this as a romantic comedy movie...I would definitely recommend this for anyone who loves to... well, fall in love. Indulge yourself and enjoy."
—KEEPER BOOKSHELF
"A fun read, I recommend The Accidental Engagement for any romance reader looking for something sweet."
—HARLEQUIN JUNKIE
"I loved every minute of this story and couldn’t put it down until the very last page...I can’t wait to see what Maggie Dallen has in store for her other characters...Maggie Dallen is now on my must-read list."
—EYE ON ROMANCE
A Gentleman's Gamble (Devilish Lords Book 3) Page 15
