When he held her like this, when he worked his special magic on her skin, she had no doubts at all. She would follow him anywhere, and she would be happy.
Just the two of them and Trevor. And maybe, if they were lucky, more children. Three or four. Nine or ten …
She’d forgotten how many she wanted, how many they had finally agreed on. And what did it matter how many? She would love them all, every one.
And by then, she’d forgotten everything—everything but this, but the man who held her, the man who filled her. The pleasure was building, spinning fast, and then gathering tight.
Only to open outward, a sudden blooming, so hot and perfect. She cried out again, loud enough that he had to cover her mouth with his hand.
She laughed against his fingers, a wild sound. And then he was laughing with her. And still the pleasure bloomed and grew. And all at once, they were silent, serious, concentrated, eyes wide open, falling into each other.
Falling and spinning, set gloriously free: the two of them, locked together. She was lost in his eyes. And more than happy to be so.
She whispered his name.
With a low groan, he gave hers back to her.
She must have slept for a time.
When she woke, he was braced up on an elbow, looking down at her, his eyes black velvet, his mouth an invitation to sin.
She reached up, curved her fingers around the back of his head, pulled him closer. They shared a quick, gentle kiss. “It’s so good, to wake up and find you here. I want to do that for the rest of my life.”
“And my darling, you shall. Now go back to sleep.”
“Soon. Tell me about your parents. Are they angry, that you married me?”
“No. They’re pleased. Very pleased.”
She wasn’t buying that. “They don’t even know me. You met me and married me in like, ten minutes or less. How can they be pleased with that? I mean, I could understand if you said they were … accepting. But pleased?”
“They know me. They know that I’m happy, that I’ve found the woman I want to be with for a lifetime. They’re relieved and they’re grateful.”
“Well, okay.” She traced the shape of his ear. It was such a good-looking ear. “I get that. I mean, they were probably getting pretty concerned, right, that you wouldn’t marry in time?”
/> “They were, yes.” He caught her hand, kissed the tips of her fingers.
“But if you’d married the Princess of Alagonia, wouldn’t that have made them a lot happier?”
“No. Evidently not. They told me they didn’t think Lili and I would have been a good match.”
“You’d think they might have said that earlier.”
“My response exactly.”
“Someone should change that ridiculous law.”
“My mother’s great-grandfather, who ruled Montedoro for fifty years, did change it. He abolished the law. And then my mother’s father put the law in place once again.”
“But why?”
“My mother’s grandfather didn’t marry until late in life. He had eight children, but only one was legitimate, my mother’s father, my grandfather. Then my grandfather had just one child, a daughter, legitimate, my mother. The family was dying out. My grandfather took action. He put the law back in place.”
She laughed. “And then your mother obeyed it. She married young, brought in fresh blood and took her reproductive duties to heart.”
“Yes, she did. And look at us now.”
“Heirs and spares all over the place.”