He had to be kidding. “Certainly not.” Bella frowned at him. “Technically, we’re already betrothed. At least until I cry off.”
Greg agreed with a nod. “Yes, but once all of this is over, I don’t think my sister will make that easy on you, not now at least.”
Bella shook her head. Being Greg’s betrothed in reality would be nothing short of…well, wonderful, especially if he touched and kissed her like that the rest of her days. In fact, she was fairly certain she would never want for anything more the rest of her life. But that wasn’t the agreement they made all those many days ago. “That would hardly be fair to you, not when you’ve only agreed to do me this favor.”
“I was the one taking liberties just now.” Greg squeezed her hand. “And I actually think we would suit each other rather well, Bella. What do you think?”
Was he serious? Her heart leapt at the suggestion. Still, this wasn’t their first conversation about marriage. “Aren’t you the same man who told me you never planned to marry?”
He nodded once more. “I have recently been reminded that once upon a time I experienced life as it came. And…well, you have enchanted me, Bella, from that first night at the Astwicks’ until today.”
She enchanted him? Did she really? Bella swallowed a bit nervously. “Are you saying you want to marry me? In reality?”
“In any way you’ll take me,” he said, looking more than sincere. Then he shook his head as though he couldn’t believe he’d said as much. And she couldn’t quite believe it either. “But you should know I’m not the selfless hero you’ve made me out to be. I’m flawed. I can be stubborn and difficult. I don’t want to fool you into thinking I’m something, someone that I’m not.”
He was the most heroic man she’d ever encountered. Every single thing he’d done since she met him had left Bella in awe. But he still hadn’t said he loved her. Of course, love had never been one of her requirements. If I end up married to a courteous man, that’s all I require. That was what she’d said to Cordie all those many days ago, wasn’t it? And Greg was courteous, more so than she could have ever hoped for. How often had she thought no other man would ever compare to him after their little ruse ended? Still, she had to know. So she swallowed a bit uncertainly and then asked, “Do you love me, Greg?”
“I adore everything about you, and I do care for you, Bella.” He frowned slightly. “But I’m not certain if I’m capable of love anymore. I fear I’m too scarred for that.”
Her heart ached at hearing those words. Could she marry a man she loved if he didn’t necessarily feel the same for her? If I end up married to a courteous man, that’s all I require. Was it all she required? What if she walked away from Greg and never found love again? What if she ruined the one shot she had at happiness because he might not be capable of loving her back? What if Grandfather insisted she marry Johann or arranged for her to marry someone equally unappealing if she cried off from this betrothal? She’d be a giant fool if she walked away from Greg, especially since she did love him. “But you want to marry me anyway?”
She shouldn’t ask that. She should just accept his offer and be relieved that she never had to worry about her future.
Greg lifted her hand to his lips, his green eyes boring into hers as he kissed her knuckles. “If you’ll have me. And if you think you could give Rufford Hall a chance. I think we could be very happy together.”
Of course he wanted to leave Town, he’d never even really wanted to be here in the first place. Bella did love being with him, and she thought she would be happy as his baroness, even if he never completely loved her. But he adored her. He said he did. She could live with adoration, couldn’t she? “I think I’d like that.”
And she might adore Rufford Hall, especially if her grandfather wouldn’t be allowed entrance.
Greg grinned and looked so handsome doing so. “In that case—” he tugged her onto his lap “—I think a kiss, or a number of them, is called for.”
“Greg!” she giggled in surprise. Goodness! Cordie had just stumbled upon them. Someone else could walk by and see her sprawled across his lap. “I am supposed to paint you today.”
“We’ll do that too, but first...” He pressed his lips to hers once more.
And any thought, any objection she had, evaporated right into nothingness.
* * *
God, Greg could get lost kissing her. She felt so perfect, so very right in his arms, and he never wanted to let her go. She kissed him back, her enthusiasm making up for any lack of experience. Yes, yes, they were going to get along rather well in the years to come. He had no doubt about that.
She shifted slightly on his lap and Greg’s cock ached for more. God in heaven, she was so sweet, so innocent, the most tempting of bundles. If he could just…
Greg cupped her breast.
Bella sucked in a breath at his touch, but she didn’t move away from him. Thank God for that as she felt more than perfect in his hand, soft and feminine. He squeezed her again, hating the muslin of her dress and wishing she was bared for him to gaze upon, to touch, to taste.
Greg groaned against her lips. How in the world was he going to wait until their wedding night?
Damn it all. If they didn’t stop now, he’d never be able to. So he broke their kiss, though his eyes landed on her lips and he wanted nothing more than to kiss her again. “I…um…” he began though his heavy breaths. “I think you’d better paint me now or we’ll be in trouble.
Chapter 18
Restingagainst the doorjamb of Clayworth’s green parlor, Greg watched his sister for a moment. With a book in her lap, she looked quite content, to be honest; and he was relieved to see her so. She deserved contentment, she deserved happiness every day of her life. Even so, he was more than certain that she’d meant to play matchmaker for him with Bella from the very onset of this little plan of hers. As it was, he couldn’t even be annoyed with her. The prospect of making Bella his was one he was quite eager for, especially after the way they’d spent the afternoon together. Until this foray into London, he’d had no plans to ever marry and would have most likely lived out his days in complete loneliness at Rufford Hall. Oh, he would have never admitted that he was lonely, not even to himself, but looking back on the last several years of his life, he had definitely been that; something he would have never realized if Bella hadn’t come into his life. And if his sister hadn’t interfered in something that was none of her concern… Well, he supposed he owed Cordie another debt, and he’d happily repay her in kind, if he only knew how.
Greg must have made some sort of sound because his sister glanced at him. She smiled slightly as she closed her book to spear Greg with one of her more perceptive stares. “Alone, are you?”
“Bella has returned home.” He crossed the floor and stopped behind a chintz chair across from his sister, grasping the back in his hands.