LOS BRIDGERTON

CHAPTER 68

He pulled back, letting his hand slip down her leg toward the edge of her skirt. "We can't do this here."wI know," she said, sounding so sad that his hand stilled on her knee, and he almost lost his resolve to do the right thing and mind the dictates of propriety.

He thought hard and fast. It was possible that he could make love to her and no one would walk in on them.Heaven knew that in his current state, it would be an embarrassingly fast endeavor, anyway.wWhen is the wedding?" he growled.wA month."wWhat would it take to change that to a fortnight?"

She thought about that for a moment. "Bribery or blackmail. Maybe both. Our mothers will not be easily swayed."

He groaned, letting his hips sink against hers for one delicious moment before heaving himself off. He couldn't take her now. She was going to be his wife. There would be plenty of time for midday tumbles on illicit sofas, but he owed it to her to use a bed for the first time, at least.wColin?" she asked, straightening her dress and smoothing her hair, even though there was no way she was going to make the latter look anything even approaching presentable without a mirror, hairbrush, and maybe even a maid. "Is something wrong?"wI want you," he whispered.

She looked up at him, startled.wI just wanted you to know that," he said. "I didn't want you to think I stopped because you didn't please me."wOh." She looked as if she wanted to say something; she looked almost absurdly happy at his words.wThank you for saying that."

He took her hand and squeezed.wDo I look a mess?" she asked.

He nodded. "But you're my mess," he whispered.

He pulled back, letting his hand slip down her leg toward the edge of her skirt. "We can't do this here."wI know," she said, sounding so sad that his hand stilled on her knee, and he almost lost his resolve to do the right thing and mind the dictates of propriety.

He thought hard and fast. It was possible that he could make love to her and no one would walk in on them.Heaven knew that in his current state, it would be an embarrassingly fast endeavor, anyway.wWhen is the wedding?" he growled.wA month."wWhat would it take to change that to a fortnight?"

She thought about that for a moment. "Bribery or blackmail. Maybe both. Our mothers will not be easily swayed."

He groaned, letting his hips sink against hers for one delicious moment before heaving himself off. He couldn't take her now. She was going to be his wife. There would be plenty of time for midday tumbles on illicit sofas, but he owed it to her to use a bed for the first time, at least.wColin?" she asked, straightening her dress and smoothing her hair, even though there was no way she was going to make the latter look anything even approaching presentable without a mirror, hairbrush, and maybe even a maid. "Is something wrong?"wI want you," he whispered.

She looked up at him, startled.wI just wanted you to know that," he said. "I didn't want you to think I stopped because you didn't please me."wOh." She looked as if she wanted to say something; she looked almost absurdly happy at his words.wThank you for saying that."

He took her hand and squeezed.wDo I look a mess?" she asked.

He nodded. "But you're my mess," he whispered.

And he was very glad for that.

CHAPTER 16

Colin liked to walk, and in fact frequently did so to clear his mind, it was no surprise that he spent much of the next day traversing Bloomsbury... and Fitzrovia... and Marylebone ... and in fact several other London neighborhoods, until he looked up and realized that he was standing in the heart of Mayfair, in Grosvenor Square, to be precise, outside of Hastings House, town home of the Dukes of Hastings, the latest of whom happened to be married to his sister Daphne.