She laughed throatily, her eyes bright with tears of happiness. “You don’t need to convince me of that.”

He buried his mouth in her throat. “I’ve missed you…Lily, my love…”

Her breathless laugh dissolved into a moan. His body was hot and demanding against hers, his muscles taut beneath her palms as she caressed him. Hastily he undressed her, and stripped off his own clothes. She reclined on the bed as she watched him, wanting to cover herself but knowing that he took pleasure in the sight of her. Lowering himself to the bed, he pulled her smooth, na*ed body against his and cupped her buttocks in his hands, urging her hard against him. “Tell me again,” he muttered.

“I love you,” she whispered. “I love you, Alex.”

His hand slid deep between her thighs, while his mouth possessed her in a long kiss. She touched her tongue to his, and they slid together in a mingling of silken heat and fire. “Again…” he said, but this time all she could do was sigh brokenly and writhe in time to the invading push of his fingers. As she arched against him, the tips of her br**sts dragged through the springy hair on his chest. He bent his head and wet her ni**les with his tongue, stroking and circling until the rosy peaks ached exquisitely.

Turning her face, she pressed her lips to his shoulder, drawing in the scent and taste of his golden skin. Moving lower, she searched with her tongue until she found the flat, silken point of his nipple, and he groaned with pleasure. Inquisitively her fingers combed through the thick, inviting hair and over the tautly delineated muscle of his abdomen, following the narrow tracing of hair that led to a denser thatch. Her palm slid over him, lightly gripped the silken hardness, and she caressed him once, twice, before he moved, pulling back and spreading her wide, easing inside her soft body with a guttural moan.

Intoxicated by the sensation, she wrapped her arms and legs around him, urging him deep within her supple strength. He nudged upward, driving high and slow, lost in an intense enchantment. He pulled back and she grasped at him hungrily, using her legs to press him inside her once more. He repeated the movement, taking fierce delight in the way she worked to pull him back. The smooth, controlled motion drove her wild, and she felt herself sliding helplessly into a trembling state of madness, existing only to feel him pushing and thrusting, his back turning as hard as oak beneath her hands, his h*ps driving with relentless force until the torment ended with a soaring, shattering burst of pleasure.

Afterward she moved her fingertips idly over his face, tracing each beloved line, the texture or his shaven cheek, the lush crescents of his lashes. Filled with contentment, Alex took her hand and pressed his lips fervently to the delicate palm.

“I’ve been afraid of so many things for so long,” Lily mused absently. “And now…now there’s nothing left to be afraid of.”

Alex propped himself up on an elbow and looked down at her with a lazy smile. “How does it feel?”

“Strange.” Her warm brown eyes stared lovingly into his. “It feels strange to be so happy.”

“You’ll get used to it,” he assured her gently. “Soon you’ll take it for granted.”

“How do you know?” Lily whispered with a smile.

“Because I’ll make certain of it.” He lowered his head over hers, while her arms slid lovingly around his neck.

Epilogue

The coolness of autumn blew in from the partially opened window, causing Lily to snuggle deeper into the warmth of her husband’s arms. They were in Wiltshire for a hunting weekend hosted by Lord and Lady Farmington. Gazing at the dark sky outside, Lily sighed regretfully as she realized it would be time for the hunting party to rise soon in order to attend the early-morning meeting.

“Tired?” Alex asked.

“We didn’t sleep much last night,” she murmured.

He smiled against her hair. “No one did.” Together they had rested in bed and listened to all manner of nocturnal sounds—feet creeping down the hallway, doors quietly opening and closing, whispers of inquiry and assent as the weekend guests sought out bedpartners for the night. Lily had made Alex chuckle by pointing out that they were one of the few married couples who actually desired to share the same bed instead of someone else’s. To demonstrate just how much he appreciated her company, he had kept her awake for most of the night with his lovemaking.

The discreet tap at the door by Alex’s valet alerted them to the fact that it was time to get dressed. Stretching luxuriously and grumbling, Alex left the bed and picked up the clothes that had been laid out for him. Lily, who usually prepared for a hunt with lively anticipation, was strangely slow to move. She propped herself up and watched him from the bed with a slight smile. Her hair, a thick cloud of curls that reached her shoulders, spread across the downy pillows.

Alex paused and regarded her questioningly.

“Darling,” she said slowly. “I don’t think I’ll hunt today.”

“What?” Fastening his breeches, he came over to her and sat on the edge of the bed. His face darkened with a frown. “Why not?”

She seemed to choose her words carefully. “I don’t think I should.”

“Lily.” He took her shoulders and pulled her to him gently. The unanchored sheet fell to her waist, baring her slender body. “You know I’d rather you didn’t hunt—I can’t stand the thought of a single scratch or bruise on you. But I don’t want to deprive you of anything that makes you happy. I know how you love to hunt. As long as you’re careful, and walk the horse around the more difficult jumps, I don’t have any objections.”

“Thank you, darling,” she replied with a tender smile. “But I still don’t think it’s advisable.”

His eyes became shadowed with concern. “What’s the matter?” he asked quietly, his fingers tightening on her shoulders.

Lily returned his searching stare and traced the curve of his lower lip with her delicate fingertip. “It’s just that women in my condition should avoid strenuous activity.”

“Women in your—” He broke off in astonishment, his face becoming blank.

She smiled in the silence. “Yes,” she whispered in response to the question in his eyes.

Suddenly he crushed her against him, burying his face in her hair. “Lily,” he muttered in an aching whisper of joy, while she laughed softly. “How do you feel?” he demanded, pushing her away so that his gaze could wander over her. His large hand searched gently over her body. “Are you all right, sweetheart? Are you—”

“Everything’s perfect,” she assured him, lifting her face as he scattered kisses over her cheeks.

“You’re perfect.” He shook his head in bemusement. “Are you certain?”

“I’ve been through this before,” she reminded him with a smile. “Yes, I’m certain. What do you want to wager that it’s a boy?”

Alex bent his head to murmur in her ear.

Lily laughed throatily. “That’s all?” she teased provocatively. “I thought you were more of a gambler than that.” Smiling, she drew him down to her, her hands clasping his broad back. “Come closer, my lord,” she whispered, “and we’ll see if we can’t raise the stakes.”