An Improper Suitor (23 page)

He slipped his hands under her hair, cradling the back of her head. ‘They’ll see exactly what they expect.’ His lips trailed down her neck, bringing delicious shivers down her spine. ‘Why do you think your grandmother left us to our own devices?’ She sputtered in laughing agreement, thinking how Grannie had wanted this for her. ‘She’s probably watching even now,’ he added, between kisses, ‘and
reporting
everything we’re doing to the others.’

She recoiled in horror, stared fixedly at the keyhole, and edged away from him.

Lionel threw back his head and laughed, a laugh charged with joy and tenderness. ‘I’m merely teasing,’ he said, drawing her towards him so that she rested her head on his shoulder. ‘I can see that I’m going to have to marry you quickly,’ he said. ‘You seem to be uncommonly afraid of being compromised.’ He stood up, took her hand gently in his and drew her up to stand next to him. He straightened out her clothes for her, and smoothed down her hair. ‘We’re not in a hurry, in any case,’ he murmured, planting a feather-light kiss on her lips and looking down at her with love
glittering
in his eyes. ‘We have a lifetime in which to indulge our needs.’

She smiled up at him, laughter bubbling up in her. ‘True,’ she said.
Then she tumbled back down on to the settee and pulled him down on top of her. ‘But I’d like to start right now,’ she whispered, and threw all caution to the swirling wind.