Page 81 of In Need of a Duke
“Remember what?”
He picked her up again, this time kissing her as he walked her to his rooms, her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, then slowly set her down on her feet.
He clamped his hand over her eyes, and she laughed. “You are so frustrating right now. I was enjoying a nap before you barged in and woke me up. So tell me, Ian, what is it you wish for me to remember?”
Ian swallowed down the jumbled mess of his stomach and dropped his hand before turning her around to see a small table adorned with hothouse flowers and candles.
“The night I fell in love with you.”
CHAPTER 22
The world spunas it always did, surely, even if it felt as if time froze when Ian and Charlotte were announced. All eyes turned to them for the briefest moment before everything rushed to spin ahead again.
“Oh lovely, we were able to sneak in without anyone noticing,” Charlotte leaned in to whisper.
He patted his hand over hers, fighting back his grin.
“Careful, Duke, they may not fear you if they see a smile.”
“I don’t need their fear in order to be happy, Lottie.” He led them into the ballroom, searching the crowd.
“You are full of surprises.”
This earned her a genuine smile. It didn’t escape him when she swallowed hard and then tore her attention away to the din before them.
“Follow me,” he said, leading them forward. There by the lemonade table, tucked near the back of the ballroom, was the giant Scotsman and Kate and Lily and Rafe, all deeply engaged in conversation before Kate caught sight of Charlotte and squealed.
“It worked!” Kate cried.
“What worked?” Charlotte asked, pulling back from Ian to narrow her eyes on him. “This was your plan.”
“We helped!” Lily piped in.
All three women hugged one another, then pulled back to shower each other with praise and compliments, leaving the men to stand around awkwardly.
“Good evening, Your Grace,” Rafe said at last. The Scottish giant merely grunted, watching his wife intently.
“Well, we have done our part…”
“Oh no you don’t, Mr. Davies.” Lily plucked the champagne glass out of his hand and steered him by the sweets. “If you will excuse us, my husband is peckish.”
“Your husband wants to go home.”
“Cake will help.”
“Not everything can be fixed by cake, Lily.”
“That’s what you think before you have a bit of cake.”
Kate merely giggled at Lily’s banter with her husband. “It’s cute how she married someone so capable of sparring with her. It was exhausting trying to keep up.”
Charlotte wrinkled her nose, joy bubbling through her. “I can’t believe we are finally all together. I wish it were longer than one evening.”
Ian didn’t wish to interrupt. Nor did he wish to stand by when he was certain Kate and Lily still hated him. But he wouldn’t leave Charlotte.
“That’s the problem with Scotland,” Kate sighed, opening her fan.
“A problem, now?” Gabriel’s deep burr cut the awkwardness.
