gs that do not matter. The clothes you wear. The amount of beauty God has bestowed upon your person. The circumstances of your birth."
She pulled his face down to meet hers and he felt helpless to stop her. Her words and tone mesmerized him.
She kissed him, softly, gently, with promise. "You are an honorable man. A true gentleman. A man I am proud to call my husband."
Then she kissed him again and it was anything but gentle. It was as if she were trying to imprint her certainty on his lips. She let her hands slip behind his head and she locked her arms together, forcing his mouth against hers. He groaned, wrapped his arms around her, and took control of the kiss.
He slanted his mouth over hers again and again until they were both panting from desire.
Knowing that if they didn't stop he would make love to her, he pulled away. "We should get back to the breakfast before our absence is noted."
"You would think that our disappearance would be expected."
He shrugged. "No."
She frowned. "Let me guess, another tonnish rule?"
He laughed at her disgruntled tone. "You'll learn."
She didn't look as if she believed him. "I did warn you that I did not strive to be a perfect patterncard of Society. Remember?"
"I remember."
She nodded, looking a little relieved. "Good." How could she worry about living up to Society's standards, when no matter how hard he tried, he never would? "Thank you," she said.
Her words took him by surprise. "For what, kissing you? I assure you, it is my pleasure."
"No. For marrying me."
Suddenly, it was too much. "How can you thank me after what you went through with those ladies by the buffet table? Marrying me has opened you to such attacks."
She nodded as if she had worked something out.
"I thought you might have overheard. You looked so strange when I saw you. Not at all your confident, some might even say arrogant, self." Earnest conviction filled her eyes. "The thing is, I do not like hypocrites. I should be very disappointed to invest time in friendship with someone only to discover that they are shallow and base. My marriage with you has the effect of illuminating such flaws quickly in those I meet. It is a benefit I had not considered."
He didn't know what to say. She couldn't possibly see marriage to him in that light. Yet she radiated sincerity with every fiber of her being. She believed she meant what she said. Yanking her into his arms, he decided to believe her as well.
They did not return to the wedding breakfast for another hour.
When they did, his aunt immediately accosted them. "Where have you been, you naughty children? People have been asking for you, and I've had to pretend to have seen you here and there."
Giving a pointed look to Drake's hastily finger-combed hair, she said, "One would have thought if you could not wait until your wedding night to engage in such activity, at least you would have the foresight to straighten your appearance."
Thea smiled in glee as her thirty-year-old, shipping magnate husband blushed guiltily under his aunt's glare.
She released his arm. "Go fix yourself. You will notice that your aunt finds nothing remarkable in my appearance."
Drake obeyed and went.
Lady Boyle turned to Thea. "You're a saucy gel. I like that. Pierson did remarkably well in choosing you to wed."
Thea felt her own cheeks heat, but for a different reason entirely.
Lady Boyle's praise pleased her. "Thank you."
"Yes, well, you're a definite improvement over the other ladies he has paid attention to. Stuffed prigs, the lot of them."
Thea thought to tease the older woman. "Surely you aren't finding fault with ladies who are more amenable to the rules of the ton than myself."