Page 43 of Enticed By an Earl
Kitty blinked into a look of surprise. “Dev, courting me is one thing, but you cannot possibly think that we could marry.”
Now that the idea had been spoken, Dev grasped hold of it. “And why not?” he asked. “What better way to ensure that the world knows and accepts only Kitty if she is not merely Miss Dryden, but Lady Catherine Ogilvy?”
“Two men cannot marry,” Kitty whispered.
“But we are not two men,” Dev insisted. “Not to the outside world. I can think of no better way to codify your identity than to marry you. In the eyes of the law and the church, you would be who you are, now and forever.”
“But the reality—” Kitty began, but stopped. She held still for a moment, her eyes losing focus as she considered Dev’s words.
Dev was patient. He knew what he was proposing was something monumental and risky. It was impractical to believe that the truth could be kept secret from everyone at all times, but marriage would provide Kitty with a legitimacy that she would never have otherwise, and perhaps protection, too.
“Do you think we could?” Kitty asked at last, coming out of her thoughts and focusing on Dev.
“I think we could try,” Dev said with a smile. “I think it will be easier to make this miracle happen if we act swiftly and marry this summer, while everyone is in the country. If we have as few witnesses as possible, there will be fewer people to question us.”
“We would still have to have the banns read,” Kitty pointed out. “Someone might object.”
“Let them try,” Dev said. He was so inspired by his idea, and by the prospect of spending the rest of his life with Kitty, that he slipped off the bench and dropped to one knee in front of her, holding both her hands tightly. “Kitty Dryden,” he began, “would you do me the honor of marrying me?”
Kitty caught her breath, staring at Dev both as if he had grown another head and as if he were the most wonderfulthing in existence. She was still and silent for a moment, and just when Dev did not think he could withstand the anticipation any longer, she nodded and said, “Yes. It is utterly mad and it may result in disaster, but I will marry you.”
“My darling,” Dev said. He stood, bringing Kitty with him, and slanted his mouth over hers in a kiss that would make whomever might be watching them gasp at the scandal. There would be much more scandal ahead for him and Kitty if they were not careful.
Kitty sighed and allowed herself to be kissed, but quickly pulled back, though she did not try to break away from Dev’s embrace. “We cannot do this here,” she whispered. “We should return home at once.”
“We most certainly should,” Dev agreed in a lusty purr.
Kitty actually laughed. It was a beautiful sound, considering how much strife they had had to endure to hear the sound.
They left the garden in a hurry, barely mindful of the few people who had witnessed their scene from various parts of the garden and who watched them with excited smiles. Once inside the ballroom, they sought out Lady Everly and Kitty’s friends to inform them that they were taking their leave. Lady Everly seemed particularly pleased as she bid them goodbye with a sly grin.
The journey back to the mistress apartment passed in a haze as Dev dared to kiss Kitty in the safety of the shadowy carriage. He was so filled with joy to have found exactly the person that he wished to spend the rest of his life with that he could not help but slide Kitty over his lap and caress her with his hands and lips as they jostled through the streets of Mayfair.
Once they reached home, he could not get Kitty undressed and into bed fast enough.
“Is this what our marriage is destined to be?” Kittylaughed as Dev pulled at the ties of her gown and peeled off the expensive layers. “Have you forgotten my true nature so much that you will be intent on attempting to get me with child?”
Dev laughed, thrilled by that prospect. “And would you mind?” he asked.
Kitty turned away for a moment as she stepped out of her voluminous skirts. The way she glanced back over her shoulder at Dev was exactly the wicked, teasing, charming answer Dev needed.
He raced through removing his clothing as Kitty put aside some of the more delicate items of her ensemble. She took great care with removing her wig, which Dev had grown to have much respect for. The time Kitty took meant that he could throw aside his clothing entirely and slide into bed to watch and wait.
Watching Kitty strip away the layers of disguise until she was simply her natural, beautiful self was something Dev did not think he would ever grow tired of. He knew the pain and uncertainty his beloved felt in a body that did not perfectly fit who she felt herself to be inside, but Dev did not care about bodies. Not truly. They were useful to give each other pleasure, but it was the soul that lived inside Kitty’s svelte, changeable body that he loved so much.
“Come here,” he said, his voice deep and dark, when Kitty removed the last of her clothing and began to be caught up in staring at her reflection. “Come to me, my love.”
Kitty turned. The slight pinch of angst on her face told Dev everything he needed to know about the conflict that would always stick within her like a burr. It did not last long, though. With a growing smile, Kitty hurried to the bed and stretched toward Dev.
Dev took her into his arms, rolled her to her back, andkissed her so thoroughly and deeply that Kitty let out a sigh of contentment.
“Never doubt that I want you and desire you, no matter what you look like,” Dev said. “You are mine, my beloved, soon to be my wife, and I love every bit of you just as you are.”
“Dev,” Kitty breathed out, resting a hand on the side of Dev’s face. “Do not hate me if I have my moments of doubt about myself.”
“Never,” Dev said, then kissed her again.
It was easy, at least for Dev, to forget everything about who both he and Kitty were and who they were meant to be as they kissed and caressed each other. If Dev could have lifted the lingering anxiety from Kitty’s mind simply by loving it away, he would have. As it was, he did his best to touch and kiss and fondle away everything that he could. Kitty was still shy about reciprocating feelings of lust and need, but Dev did not care. He loved being the one to take the lead, even when it meant taking Kitty’s cock in his mouth and bringing his beloved nearly to the point of orgasm.
