of his pulse against her lips, and knew that he was just as aroused as she was. “We could make love right now if we wanted to.”
“We could,” he agreed, groaning when she nipped him with her teeth. She felt as though she wanted to eat him alive. Swallow him whole. She lifted her head, and the second she did he captured her lips with his own, but instead of the slick, ravenous kiss she was expecting, hoping for even, his lips rubbed softly, almost sweetly over hers. He kissed her chin and her throat, working his way down.
“Take me into your bedroom,” she urged, sliding her hands up to tangle in the curls at his nape, feeling so hot she could burst into flames. “Right now.”
“God knows I want you,” he said, brushing his lips over her collarbone. “I’ve wanted you since that night. It’s all I’ve been able to think about.”
“You can have me. Right now.”
He trailed his way back up to her mouth and whispered against her lips, “Or we could wait until we’re married.”
She groaned her disappointment. She wasn’t even sure she could wait. “I feel as though I might go out of my mind if I can’t have you right now.”
“All the more reason to wait,” he said, sounding far too rational. “Think of how special it would be on our wedding night.”
She opened her eyes to look at him and smiled. “Isn’t that supposed to be my line?”
He grinned. “Poke fun all you want, but you know I’m right.”
Yes, he was right. Not that anything about their relationship up to this point could be called conventional. She might have worried that he just didn’t want her, and was trying to let her down gently, but the tent in his pants and the color in his cheeks said he was just as aroused as she was.
“Is that really what you want?”
He took her hands from around his neck and held them, his expression earnest. “I think we should wait.”
It was clear that this wasn’t an easy decision for him to make, and if she pushed the issue he would probably cave and make passionate love to her all night long. She didn’t really understand why this was so important to him, but it clearly was. Besides, what was a few more days?
She would respect his wishes and wait for her wedding night, she decided grudgingly. But that didn’t mean she had to like it.
Five
Anne was barely home for five minutes that evening when Louisa knocked on her bedroom door. It was nearly eleven—well past Louisa and Garrett’s usual bedtime. Garrett had taken over management of all the royal family’s vast farmlands so their brother Aaron could go to medical school, so he rose well before sunrise every morning. Not to mention that Louisa and Garrett were still newlyweds. They were constantly holding hands and touching. Sharing secret smiles and longing glances, as though they couldn’t wait to be alone.
Anne would even admit to being jealous a time or two. But soon it would be her turn.
“You’re up late,” Anne said, pretending she had no idea why Louisa was so eager to speak to her, keeping her hand casually behind her, so she wouldn’t see the ring.
“I just wondered how your date went,” Louisa said, stepping into the room and closing the door behind her.
“Technically it wasn’t a date,” Anne said, walking to the bed and sitting down with her hands under her thighs. “We just had things to discuss.”
Louisa sat beside her. “What did you talk about?”
“The baby mostly.”
“That’s it?” Louisa hedged.
“Pretty much,” she said, then added casually, “Oh, and he asked me to marry him.”
Louisa squealed so loudly Anne was sure the entire castle heard her. “Oh my God! Congratulations! What did you say?”
She shrugged. “I told him I would think about it.”
Louisa gasped in horror, looking as though she wanted to throttle her. “You didn’t!”
“Of course not.” She grinned and pulled her hand from under her leg, flashing Louisa the ring. “I said yes.”
Louisa threw her arms around Anne and hugged her. “I am so happy for you, Annie. You and Sam are going to be perfect together.”
“I really hope so,” Anne said.
Louisa held her at arm’s length. “You will. If you believe it, it’ll happen.”
She wished that were true, that it were that easy. “I just keep thinking about you and Aaron and Chris. You all found the perfect person for you—you’re all so happy.”
“And you will be, too.”
“It just seems as though every family has at least one person who goes through life always ruining relationships. What if I’m that person? I’ve always been so negative. What if I don’t deserve to be happy?”
“After all we’ve been through with our father, don’t you think we all deserve some happiness? Besides, nothing is predetermined. Your life is what you make of it.”
“That’s what I’m worried about. Up until now, I’ve made a mess of it. Especially my love life.”
“That was just bad luck. You just happened to meet a string of jerks. But anyone who knows Sam will tell you he’s a great guy. And he’ll be a fantastic husband and father.”
Anne didn’t doubt that at all. She never would have accepted his proposal otherwise. It was herself she was worried about. For the first time in her life she had a real shot at happiness—and she was terrified that she would find a way to screw it up.
“I’m sure you’re right,” she told Louisa.
“Of course I am,” she said, as if there was never a doubt. Her relentless optimism never ceased to amaze Anne.
After Louisa went back to her room, Anne changed into her softest pajamas and crawled into bed, but her mind was still moving a million miles an hour and she was practically bursting with excitement. Thinking that a cup of tea might soothe her nerves, she climbed out of bed and put on her robe. The halls of the castle were silent but for the muffled wail of a baby crying from Chris and Melissa’s room. Five months from now Anne could look forward to the same. She and Sam, she reminded herself with a smile.
She expected the kitchen to be empty and was surprised, when she switched on the light, to find their butler, Geoffrey, sitting at the butcher-block table. He squinted at the sudden bright light.
“I’m sorry,” Anne said. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“No need to apologize,” he said. His jacket was draped over the back of his chair and his tie hung loose around his neck. In front of him sat a bottle of scotch and a half-full highball glass. “What brings you down here at this late hour, Your Highness?”
