Page 49 of Tempting a Gentleman
Emma pointed to the top of the list. “’Tis me name. Why did ye fink I should go with ye?”
“Those reasons were developed by Landon, not I.”
She tilted her head to look up at him. He couldn’t resist kissing the frown from her brow. “I couldn’t be objective. I desperately wanted you to come with me. I couldn’t bear the thought of not waking up next to you every morn, but I didn’t want to force you into something you would hate me for later.”
"I love ye for giving me the time to figure it out on me own.” Emma rested her head against his shoulder and released a sigh. “I’m looking forward to marrying ye, Christopher Neale, but I’m afraid once we wed, ye’ll not be able to get rid of me. I’ve been told I’m rather stubborn, and I’ll not be separated from me husband.”
Reaching into his coat pocket once more, he extracted Emma’s ring. Twirling the gold band until Emma could see the engraving, he said, “It says,me kisses are fer ye.”
Emma stared at the posy ring and then raised her hand out for him. As he slid the ring on her finger, Emma pressed her mouth to his. She shifted. Her knees on either side of his hips, she straddled him and pushed her chest to his. She was so close he could feel her heart beating as wildly as his own. Christopher wrapped his arms around her waist. He was never letting go of this woman.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Firmly seated upon her betrothed’s lap, entangled in his arms, Emma’s entire world narrowed and centered upon one man—Christopher. Warm. Safe. Secure. Her worries about the future slipped from her mind. Undoubtedly, they would return later, but for now, she wanted to languish in the moment. Emma boldly pushed Christopher to lie on his back.
“Ow.” His head had hit the floor.
Rolling forward, Emma placed her hands on either side of Christopher’s head. She giggled and removed the half-eaten chicken leg that he had landed upon. “Sorry.”
Taking the bone out of her hand, Christopher threw it back into the picnic basket. Face-to-face, Emma raised her hand and smoothed the worry lines creasing his forehead. Dark shadows sat beneath his playful brown eyes. “I can see ye have been working long hours.” She cupped his face and ran her thumb over his cheekbone. He needed rest. He needed a wife to take care of him.
He turned and kissed her palm. “Requesting a member to give up the only life he or she has ever known is not something one does without significant consideration.”
At the tender gesture, she lowered to capture the lips that had just branded her hand. Emma meant to lightly brush her lips over his, but when his fingers curled behind her head, she crushed herself to him until he was the one left breathless.
Shifting down his hard body, she rested her cheek on his shoulder and peered up at him. “Is that wot ye and Lord Hadfield have been discussin’ behind closed doors for past few nights—the bloomin’ list?”
His chest rumbled in her ear. “Landon will be your brother soon. He won’t tolerate you referring to him as Lord Hadfield.” His hand came to rest atop her head and then trailed down her neck and along her spine.
Emma snuggled closer. She’d always kept her distance from others, but she was drawn to Christopher and his caresses. It made her feel treasured. Emma drummed her fingers over his chest instead of working on sliding the three buttons of his jacket loose. “Ye didn’t answer me question, luv.”
Christopher’s hand paused mid-stroke down her back. “I like it when you call me love.”
“Then I shall continue—ifye answer me questions.”
He chuckled and said, “Yes. I was gathering the names of the members to be selected for the assignment of supporting Lord Burke. I wanted Landon’s insight, but in fact, for once in our lives, he proved as unfamiliar with the topic as I. So you see, my dear, it isyourassistance I need.”
His request wreaked all sorts of havoc on Emma. He wanted her opinion, which meant he valued her judgment. Emma flattened a hand upon his chest and pushed herself up to sit astride once again. She searched her soon to be husband’s handsome features. Honest. Sincere. Christopher was not the complacent second son she had assumed him to be. “Ye need me?”
“Aye. There is no one else I trust.”
A lump formed in her throat. Emma’s finger traced the outline of one of his buttons. She let the wave of pleasure of being desired roll through her. Emma raised her gaze to his and said, “I’ve faith in ye too.” She kissed him once more. The rub of his coat against her chest and the intensity of his gaze brought about both a physical and a more profound need within her. She wanted to reassure him he’d not misplaced his trust in her. Staring into his eyes, she shifted her hips lower. She wanted more than kisses. The craving to prove she was his and would be forever had her hips rotating until she felt his cock bulging against her core. Her dress slipped off her shoulders. Christopher had managed to release the ribbons of both her dress and stays and was skillfully divesting her of her clothing. Smiling at his talent, she rose slightly to pull her hands through the gaping sleeves, but in order to be free of the material, she had to pull back further from his warm body to shimmy out of her dress. The gleam of desire shone brightly in Christopher’s eyes. Emboldened, Emma ran her fingers along the seam of his coat until they reached the top button.
Christopher inhaled sharply. “You, my dear, are eliciting every ungentlemanly thought I possess.”
She eased the top button through its hole. “And ye are makin’ me blood boil.” She began to work on the second button.
Christopher emitted a low growl from the back of his throat.
She paused and lifted her gaze back to his eyes. “Is somethin’ the matter, luv?”
His lips thinned into a straight line. Christopher slowly rolled his head from side to side. Emma freed the last button and spread his coat wide before running her hands up his sides and over his chest. The friction of the fine material against her palms sent shivers through her. “I fink it only fair I see ye naked before we wed.”
She tugged on his waistcoat, urging him to sit up. Christopher complied, rolling to a sitting position, which shifted her hips, causing her center to graze against his manhood. The ache between her legs intensified, stalling her hand on his cravat.
“What will you do once you have me naked?” Christopher’s voice deepened.
Emma grinned at his teasing remark. “Hmmm. Perhaps I’ll lull ye to sleep, as ye did to me last time.” Her bare skin pebbled at the memory of his hands kneading her muscles.
