Page 95 of Impassioned
He took his hand from hers and cupped her face, holding her as he stared into her eyes. “Promise you’ll never be afraid of me again. I would never hurt you. I love you completely.”
His words lit a brightness inside her that would never be diminished. For as long as she lived, she would remember this moment, this man, and this outpouring she’d never imagined to see from him. The tears she’d held back spilled forth, trailing down her cheeks and onto his hands.
“My love,” he whispered before gently moving his lips over hers. “I wanted you even before we were wed. I was hurt when I learned you didn’t want to marry me, but I think I always hoped we would find a connection. If only I’d told you so—”
“Shh. Don’t look back.” Sabrina clutched at his lapels and held him to her. “I love you too,” she said, but she feared the words were lost against his mouth. She pulled away to look into his eyes. “I love you, Constantine.”
His hands stroked down her neck and rested on her shoulders. “You came here to change, and in doing so, you changed me.”
“I prefer to think we both discovered our truths—about ourselves and each other.” She wrapped her arms around his waist. “I’m sorry it took an ill-conceived stratagem. If I could go back and change that, I would.”
“Itwasill-conceived, and yet we really can’t complain about the results. I was desperate to do anything for you.” His voice broke, and Sabrina’s heart twisted.
She squeezed him tightly. “I treasured every moment of those encounters when you bared yourself to me in ways I don’t think you realized. That’s when I started to fall in love with you. Then you courted me, and I fell completely.”
“You’re right in that seeing the tutor helped me become myself, to strip away the artifice of being my father’s son.”
“Pretending to be a former courtesan allowed me to lose my inhibitions, to become your wife, not just your countess.”
He laughed softly. “I suppose we should be thankful for the ruse after all. And to Lucien and Mrs. Renshaw for their meddling.”
“Perhaps, but in the interest of speaking honestly, I must say I prefer to give the credit to us. You’re the one who made me feel desirable, and ultimately that gave me the courage I needed.”
“You are infinitely desirable.” Constantine lowered his head and kissed her jaw, then her neck. “Perhaps you’d like me to demonstrate how much?” His lips and tongue elicited a shiver as need gathered inside her.
She moved one hand to the back of his neck, urging him to continue with his mouth. “May I make a request?”
“Anything,” he whispered against her neck. “Make every request. I want to hear everything you are thinking from now on, no matter what.”
“Everything? Well, then, I want you to blindfold me. I imagined that must have heightened your senses when I was the tutor, and I wanted to know what that felt like.”
“Would you like me to be your tutor?” he asked huskily, provoking a flash of lust so hot and bright that Sabrina quivered in his arms.
“Yes, please. Tell meexactlywhat you want me to do.”
He lifted his head and looked into her eyes. “Just love me.”
“That’s easy because I already do.” She narrowed her eyes at him and tugged his hair. “You’re going to have to be naughtier than that.”
He swept her into his arms with a growl and strode to the bed, depositing her carefully onto the mattress. After removing his boots, coat, and waistcoat, he returned to her as he stripped his cravat away. “Ready?”
She nodded, eager for this night and all the nights to come.
He paused, his eyes glistening as he looked at her. “I love you, Sabrina, with all of my cold, black heart.”
She cupped his face and kissed him hard and fast. “Your heart is not cold, nor is it black. It is warm and kind and full of love. And it ismine.”
Epilogue
April 1, London
“Why are you smiling?” Constantine asked his wife as their coach arrived in Portman Square, where they would attend a ball with Cassandra. While Sabrina was no longer her official sponsor, she and Constantine had agreed that they would continue to support his sister in her Season—if only to provide an additional defense against their father’s meddling.
“I was just thinking of the new kitten and how Grayson already seems to adore him. I think he wanted a brother.”
At both Sabrina and Constantine’s insistence, Haddock had found another kitten the day before. Sabrina, with Constantine’s full endorsement, had insisted both he and Grayson have the run of the house. The buff-colored kitten had slept on Sabrina’s lap that morning as they’d breakfasted, and Constantine suspected that would become a regular occurrence. Both woman and cat had appeared quite content.
“I’m not at all sure the addition will calm Grayson, however,” Constantine noted. The two liked to tussle, and it was rather amusing to watch.
