Page 119 of Rakes & Reticules
His lips descended on hers, her pliable body molding to his. This is what he had imagined all those years ago, and he would have it. If he had to beg her every day for the rest of his life to be his, he would.
She placed a small hand on his chest, her breathing coming out in pants. “I can’t think when you kiss me.”
“Good.” He kissed her again, slow and steady, his entire body alive. Her lips were soft and pliant; the taste of champagne still lingered on her tongue. Giving her one last gentle peck, Fitz leaned back, staring into her eyes. “I’ll see you home. We leave tomorrow for London.”
“We both know this is what you really came for, Fitz.” She took the reticule out of his hand, opening it and pulling out the neatly folded papers.
Holding them out, Patience waited for him to take them.
He didn’t. Fitz would give up everything for another opportunity for her to be his wife. To hell with the earldom and the debts, none of it mattered anymore.
“Yes. I admit that at first I came for the papers. It was the only way that Prinny would assist with my family’s debt to the Crown.” Stepping up to her, Fitz cradled her face as he stared into the most beautiful brown eyes he had ever seen. “Then I saw you again, and it was as if no time had passed between us.”
“Don’t. Please don’t. “We’re different people now, Fitz. I don’t know this version of you, and you don’t know me anymore,” she said, sadness on her face.
He slipped his hand around her waist, pulling her to him. “Then allow me to spend the rest of my life getting to know this version of you.”
He was aware that they could be discovered at any moment, but she needed to know how he felt.
“Be reasonable. I’m no longer that doe-eyed girl who believed she would truly find a love match.” She leaned forward, resting her head against his shoulder.
His arms tightened around her, needing her closer. Fitz wouldn’t allow her to go another moment without knowing how he felt then, and now. “You did find a love match,” he said honestly.
Her eyes widened slightly as she shook her head side to side. “Fitz,” she whispered his name like a secret.
He basked in being with Patience again, wanting that moment in time to last for the rest of his life. Tilting her head back so that he could capture her mouth, his lips found hers insistent and demanding. His tongue explored and dominated, needing to convey the gravity of the situation to her.
Fitz couldn’t live five more years without her… not again. His hand traveled over her bare arms. His fingers shook slightly, hope swelling in his chest and spreading throughout his body.
His kisses became frantic, one of his hands tightening around the back of her neck, stilling her movements. Claiming her mouth so forcefully he was sure her lips would be swollen from his kisses.
Tearing her mouth from his, her head fell forward and he kissed the top of her wild hair. “I can’t go to London with you. I—”
“Marry me,” he said, squeezing her to him.
It was the one thing he had wanted for himself since the day he first met her five years earlier. Seeing her again had reawakened the love he had always had for her.
Patience shook her head, taking several steps back, releasing herself from Fitz’s hold. The papers fell out of her hand, falling open to the floor to reveal blank pages.
Fitz stared, vaguely aware of the loud gasp that Patience released. Bending slowly, he picked up the blank parchments, turning them over in his hands.
Dear God.This could not be happening to him.
He raised his head to stare at Patience. Five years ago she broke his heart. Did she do it again?
“Did you know?” he asked, wanting to hear the truth from her own lips.
Patience shook her head, taking the papers from his hand. “No, no, this cannot be,” she cried out in distress, her bottom lip trembling, her eyes watering. “What am I going to do? This was my only chance to leave Brighton.”
Fitz ignored her comment. Once they had the papers, he would marry her.
“Patience.” He bent down, taking her by the hands. They needed to figure out what happened to the originals. “Are you positive you had the papers in your possession?” he asked, looking in her eyes.
“No, I never opened them fully. When Cecelia handed me the reticule. I simply checked that the papers were inside, but I did not read them—”
“Who the bloody hell is Cecelia?” he demanded. It was unfathomable to think that she hadn’t looked inside, but he could admit that he too had been too busy with other things.
“Mrs. Fitzherbert's lady’s maid. Oh God,”Patience said, holding her hand to her mouth.
