His expression turned smugly satisfied. “I know. You couldn’t help yourself.”
Arabella felt laughter bubbling up inside her. Marcus had known she would come to love him. He had understood her better than she understood herself. “You are very confident, my arrogant lord.”
His bright blue gaze was amused, tender, loving. “Only now, darling. Ten minutes ago I wasn’t nearly so sanguine.”
“I do love you, Marcus. I love you wildly, madly. I always will.”
“The feeling is mutual.” He chuckled. “I admit I never intended to lose my heart to you, Belle. You intrigued me from the first. I wanted you in my bed from the moment you threatened me with my foil. But I never thought I would feel this kind of love for anyone.”
“Truly?”
“Truly.” He bent his head to press a light kiss on her lips. “I never expected to be so fortunate, either, Arabella. I found the woman who is my ideal match, the perfect challenge for me.”
Her heart rejoiced at his declaration. “Thank you, Marcus.”
“For what?”
“For not giving up. For giving me reason to risk loving again. For opening my heart.”
His thumb came up to stroke her cheek. “I’ll never break your heart, Arabella. You have my solemn promise on that. I will never forsake you. I’ll never stop loving you, no matter what happens in our future.”
She closed her eyes for a moment. “I feared I might have lost you through my own obstinacy.”
Marcus grasped her chin lightly, forcing her to look at him. “Never. Your
wits have gone begging if you thought I would ever be content to let you go. I was only regrouping and planning my new campaign strategy.”
Arabella laughed, her heart spilling over with love and desire. “And I was planning mine. I told my mother I intended to come here today and confess how much I love you. I was prepared to make you a new wager if you no longer wanted to marry me, but she didn’t think it would be necessary.”
“So she approves?”
“Yes. Mama is eager to see us wed. You clearly charmed her, just as you do every female you meet.”
“Not every female. I had the devil of a time charming you, not to mention your sisters. What do they have to say about our union?”
Arabella’s smile turned even softer. “Roslyn is happy for me and Lily is hopeful. I convinced them I couldn’t live without you.”
In response, Marcus gave her a kiss of such intimacy, such warmth and sweetness, that her knees went weak. To her surprise and disappointment, though, he broke off suddenly. Going to the study door, he turned the key, locking them inside.
“What are you doing?” Arabella asked curiously as he returned to stand before her.
“Exploring how deeply we feel for each other.”
Heat flooded through her at the sensual look he was giving her, and her heart began to throb, thick slow beats. He untied the ribbons of her bonnet and set it aside, then unfastened the buttons of her spencer and slid it off her shoulders. Beneath, she wore an elegant gown of sky blue muslin.
When he drew her over to a plush leather sofa, Arabella realized Marcus intended to indulge in a passionate bout of lovemaking. “Your butler will be scandalized,” she said with a mischievous smile. “Hobbs and I did not begin on the best footing, and if I am to become mistress here, perhaps I ought not offend his sense of propriety any further.”
Marcus’s grin was tolerant as he sank down onto the sofa. “Hobbs will have to become accustomed to us being private together. When you are my wife, I intend to spend a great deal of time behind locked doors with you. Don’t worry-I won’t dishevel your gown or your hair just now. But this may be the last chance I have to make love to you for some time, and I won’t let it go to waste.”
Arabella put up no argument. She didn’t stand a chance of refusing Marcus anyway. Not when he was bent on seduction. Not when he was so irresistible. She allowed him to pull her down onto his lap and immediately twined her arms around his neck. He obsessed her, tantalized her, drove her mad with wanting him.
He took advantage of her compliance by nibbling at the soft skin below her earlobe.
“You know,” she murmured, her voice suddenly husky and thick, “when it comes to propriety, you set a terrible example as my guardian.”
“True, but it hardly matters, since I am abdicating my role as guardian. From this moment forward, I’m concerned solely with my role as lover and husband.”
Marcus nipped at her neck, his breath sending a warm shiver of pleasure down her spine, while his hand roved downward over the skirts of her gown. Finding the hem, his fingers glided up her bare thigh to cup the moist, feminine folds of her woman’s mound.