Page 99 of Impeccable
“After I sent Ash to your house. I needed advice. I wanted to go to you, to fight for you, but I didn’t think you wanted me to. I was going to try to let you alone, as I did when you returned to London, but that was excruciating.”
“And in that instance, you also used Ash to get to me.” She ruffled Ash’s fur as she smiled at Gregory. “You’re very clever.”
He continued to stare at her in disbelief. “I can’t believe you love me.”
“How could I not? You make me feel valued and important.” She took a breath as joy surged in her chest. “Cherished.”
He cupped her face and kissed her, soft and lingering, with so much love she felt she might burst. “You are cherished.” He kissed her forehead. “Worshipped.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Beloved.”
Unable to speak past the lump in her throat, Evie kissed him again. It was several minutes before he backed away, smiling. He picked up his discarded shirt and pulled it over his head. “When shall we wed?”
Evie froze. Loving him was one thing. Marriage was something else entirely. That would be a definitive end to her independence, to the life she had so painstakingly built. “I told you I don’t want to get married. That hasn’t changed.” She saw the joy recede from his expression and rushed to explain. “If I marry you, everything I have will become yours. I’m not wealthy by any means, but I’ve saved for my future, particularly over the past two years. I don’t think I can give up my independence.” She plucked nervously at her chemise.
He was quiet a moment, and she could practically hear his mind turning. He sat on the edge of the bed, angling his body with one knee onto the mattress so he faced her. “I also have a tidy sum—my father made sure I wouldn’t ever have to rely on my impulsive brother. Shall we see who has more?” He said this with humor, and it helped her relax. A little.
“No, because I’m sure it’s you.” She couldn’t possibly compete with the wealth a marquess bequeathed to a favored son.
He smiled gently as he tucked a hair behind her ear. Her hair must look a mess. She hadn’t taken it down, so it was likely in a complete state of disarray due to their activities.
“I promise your money will remain your money. I won’t try to control anything you do or anything that our daughters, should we have any, want to do. I’ll make provisions to ensure you will always have control.”
He was educated in the law, so she believed him. “Daughters? I don’t know that I even want to be a mother.” Loving him was hard enough because she was afraid. There was so much to lose—and to protect—with children. “You can’t want to marry me hearing that.”
“That doesn’t change my mind one bit. I love you, and with Ash, I’d say we have a nice little family right here.”
Emotion overwhelmed her, and a tear tracked from her eye. She quickly wiped it away. “I need to think about it. Marriage, I mean.” Did that mean she would consider it? She had to if she wanted to live with him—and with Ash. She realized theywerea family.
He took her in his arms. “Take all the time you need, my love. I will be here waiting, and I will never lose hope.”
Chapter20
Gregory hadn’t realized just how vulnerable Evie really was. She was so confident and strong, but didn’t everyone fear something? He supposed for him it was fear he’d disappoint his parents. Evie’s worries were so much more important—or so it seemed to him.
She’d dozed in his arms and now, as he watched her sleep snuggled with Ash, he felt an overwhelming sense of responsibility. He wanted to do right by her, to be the man she not only needed, but the man she wanted.
Rising from the bed, he pulled on his breeches and stockings and went to stoke the fire. What if she couldn’t agree to marriage? Was he prepared to continue as they were? That wasn’t what he wanted. He wanted this—her in his bed, with their dog folded into her side.
He turned back to the bed and saw her moving. She sat up. “Where did you go?”
“Just tending the fire,” he said, returning to the bed.
She pushed her hair, half of which was tumbling from its pins, back from her forehead. “What would we do after we wed?”
Gregory could think of any number of things, several of which they had already done. “I’m guessing you aren’t speaking of bedchamber activities.”
“Not entirely, but that is lovely to ponder.” She gave him a warm, seductive smile as she slipped from the bed. “I meant, how would our lives change? I’ve been wondering if I ought to leave London, at least for a while, but… I don’t really want to. It’s the only place I’ve called home.” She came toward him and warmed herself in front of the fire.
Fetching a blanket from a dresser, he brought it to her and wrapped it around her shoulders. “You don’t have to leave. We could live in your house, if you prefer. I’m not particularly attached to this place.” He’d leased it for the Season, and it was only sparsely furnished.
She clutched the soft ivory wool around herself. “I’d like that. But aren’t you concerned about your reputation? I’m a pariah, and if you marry me, I can’t imagine your career prospects will flourish.”
There was a note of humor in her voice, but her question was valid. “I’ve considered that. I intend to set myself up as a barrister. It may be that I don’t work for the upper echelons of Society.” He waggled a brow at her. “I’m quite satisfied with that.”
“You’ve thought this through,” she said softly.
“I’ve tried to. I’d like to make decisions with you. What about you? Without the Phoenix Club to manage, what do you want to do?”
She blinked at him. “As in a job?”
