Surprised, she leaned back, cupping the sides of his face. “You would all like to call me mother?”
He nodded solemnly.
She wanted to laugh, to hold him tight and dance around the room. Instead, she nodded just as solemnly as he had. “I would like that very much indeed.”
“No!” Mary Ellen cried out as she burst into the room. “No, no, no!”
Meg’s sister rushed at them in a whirlwind of concern. Startled, Beth stood. Meg’s entire family had arrived a fortnight ago, the younger girls excited about the wedding. Considering Beth’s family was long dead, she appreciated their lively chatter, and the boys adored teasing the many females who had invaded their sanctuary.
“Your hands are dirty.” Mary Ellen glared down at Tommy. “And you’ll wrinkle the gown!”
Tommy stepped back, flushing. “They’re clean. Sort of.”
When he hid his hands behind his back, Mary Ellen sighed. “Off with you now.”
Tommy gave her a cheeky grin before he raced out the door. Beth hid her own smile. She could only imagine what mischief the child was planning. Mary Ellen would do best to watch her back tonight, and for the rest of the visit.
Meg entered as Mary Ellen smoothed down Beth’s skirts. “Nate wanted you to have these.”
Beth took the beautiful bouquet of white roses that must have cost him a small fortune and brought them close, breathing in the heady scent. She’d told him months ago she loved white roses.
He’d thought himself a monster, how silly he’d been. He was more considerate, kind, human than anyone she’d ever met. He and the boys had become incredibly close now that he didn’t fear hurting them. And her relationship with Nate and his children had blossomed into something she never would have dared to imagine.
At times Beth would find gifts when she’d least expect it. The other night a pearl bracelet had been left on her pillow. He made her feel wanted, loved and strangely strong. He would ask her opinion about things, and listen when she spoke. Truly listened. No man had ever done that before. Not her father, not her brother and certainly not Christopher.
“Here we go!” Mary Ellen cried out, clapping her hands together in delight. “We’re ready!”
As they moved toward the door, Mary Ellen scurrying ahead of them, Beth caught one last glimpse in the mirror. There was something different about her, she realized. She didn’t recognize the woman reflected in the mirror. She looked actually…happy, alive, hopeful. And there were no reservations deep down as she’d had with Christopher when she’d been so very young.
Meg walked her down the hall, toward the stairs. Instead of nerves, every step closer only brought her much needed peace. Nothing had ever felt so very right.
“If you want to run, now is your last chance. I have the perfect place to hide.”
Beth laughed, knowing her friend jested. “No more hiding.”
They reached the bottom of the steps and Beth was surprised to see Charlie standing outside the doors, looking just as dashing as Tommy. “Would you…” The boy blushed, pulling at his collar. “That is, I thought…perhaps…”
Meg and Mary Ellen left Beth standing there, and moved into the parlor, giving them privacy. “Yes?”
“Would you allow me to walk you to my father?” Charlie blurted out.
His gaze looked so hopeful, so vulnerable that Beth felt her eyes well up once more. She gave a quick nod. “I’d like that very much indeed…as long as you have no plans to slip a frog down the back of my dress.”
He grinned. “No, Mother. Of course not.”
Beth stilled at the title. She’d been revered as a lady her entire life, yet nothing sounded as good as being called mother. Instead of weeping with happiness, or pulling him close and hugging him as she so desperately wished, she gripped her flowers tightly and slid her arm through his.
“Ready?” she asked.
He nodded.
A smiling Reynolds and Mrs. Turner pulled the parlor doors wide and the world paused. The room had been transformed into a fairy-land. Meg’s family watched excitedly from their chairs, while the boys were lined up by Nate, each one grinning.
Beth’s gaze swept over her friends, the beautiful white flowers, over the many candles that made the room glow, briefly glancing at Meg’s father who would marry them, before finally landing on Nate. The man she loved. The man who had given her a life. Hope.
His gaze found hers and held.
In that brief moment it was only the two of them. No one else was there, nothing else mattered. Vaguely, she was aware of Charlie leading her into the room, of the smiling faces of Meg’s family. Vaguely, she was aware of Tommy and John pushing at each other, an argument about to brew. But nothing mattered. Nothing but Nate.
****
The silken sheets slid down her back, as Beth moved to settle atop him. Smiling, she ran her hands over his muscled chest, as she straddled his waist. Vixen. His body shivered, his veins heating. Dear lord, he prayed she never stopped touching him. Never tired of him. He’d spend every damn day of his life making sure she was happy.
“You know I hated you when we met?” she admitted.
He stacked his hands beneath his head and grinned up at her. “Really? Well, my dear, you wouldn’t be the first. But I am curious as to your reason?”
“Because you’re too handsome.”
He laughed, wrapping his arms around her waist. He couldn’t help himself, he had to touch her. “Now, that is a first.”
She pouted. “I’m serious.”
He moved his hands up her smooth back as he fought the urge to have her again. To slide into her fully, completely. “Perhaps people find me attractive, but I am a right arse.”
She lifted a delicate shoulder. “True.”
With a growl, he flipped her onto her back, looming over her. “You think so?”
She grinned up at him. “You said it first.”
He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. She tasted of tea, of sugar, of him. The animal inside rumbled with contentment. He’d never thought it would be possible to feel so bloody good. “You have no idea how stunning you truly are.”
She flushed, lowering her attention to his neck.
He smiled, partly amused, and partly frustrated. Nate slid his finger under her chin and forced her to meet his gaze. “Why do you not believe me?”
She shrugged, looking highly uncomfortable. His wife did not like compliments, but she would have to get used to them. With a sigh, he slid his knee between her legs, parting her thighs so he could rest fully against her and prove just how attractive he found the blasted woman. Beth gasped as the proof of his arousal pressed intimately to her folds.
“Do you not believe me because, perhaps, someone said you weren’t beautiful?”
She flushed from embarrassment, but also arousal. He could sense her need, her desire, and it fed the animal within him. “Maybe.”
“Your parents, perhaps? Some silly, overly-coifed ninny at a ball, jealous of anyone who might take attention from her? Hell, Beth, I’ve seen it at every gathering I’ve attended. There are always a few so insecure and desperate for attention they must bring others down.”
And Brockwell of course, although he wouldn’t dare mention the man’s name and ruin their wedding day. He could imagine the vile, hateful things he had said to Beth.
“Yes,” she whispered meekly.
He smoothed his knuckles down the side of her face. He could tell her that her skin was as soft as a petal, her skin as clear as porcelain. He could tell her that her hair was like waves of fire that flowed across the white pillow. He could tell her that she had the eyes of a flirt, the body of a seductress, and a mouth made for kissing. But his wife was too rational for such poetry. She wouldn’t believe him.
“Your parents and this woman who ridiculed you…do you hold them in high esteem? Do you believe them to be honest, truthful sort of people?”
She frowned, her brows drawing together. “No. Not particularly.
They were rather wretched, actually. The sort of people who would say anything to get what they wanted, much like Brockwell had been.”
“Then, my darling Beth, why would you ever believe such pathetic sods?”
She laughed. “I don’t know.”
“Well.” He rested his forehead to hers. “You trust me, don’t you?”
She slid her hands up his biceps, and around his shoulders. “Indeed.”
“Then know that when I tell you that you’re beautiful, it’s truth.”
“If I must.” She lifted up and kissed him. As she kissed him, her hands traveled down his back, tip-toeing over his spine. The urge to be fully inside her overwhelmed his good sense. But not now…no. He needed to wait just a few more moments.
“I love you,” he whispered against her mouth. “Like I’ve never loved a woman. Like I never knew it was possible to love another.”
She met his gaze and the surge of emotion in her eyes made him breathless. Desire. Happiness. Trust. The same feelings he had with her, as if they were one person. Feelings he hadn’t known in years.
“And I love you,” she said.
The sweetly whispered words almost did him in. He released a deep, trembling breath, steeling his resolve. “Before we take this any further, there’s something I want to show you.”
With all the strength he possessed, he rolled away from her and off the bed. “Come.”
He held out his hand.
“We’re not dressed!”
He grabbed the blanket from the bed and wrapped it around her shoulders as she sat up. She was as beautiful as a painting with her hair falling in waves down her back, her glowing skin glimmering in the candlelight. How could she not believe herself beautiful?
Nate pulled on his trousers, finding at least some modesty. “It’s a surprise.”
Dressed, he held out his hand. With a smile, she wrapped her fingers around his, trusting him fully, completely. He felt her touch all the way to his soul. She brought out the human in him when no other could. More importantly, she made him feel as if being different was normal. She accepted him completely, utterly. No fear. Only love.
Together they moved through the French doors and onto the patio. Although his body burned, he knew the stone underfoot would be cold to her delicate feet. He wrapped his arm around her waist and scooped her up. He could hold her this close all day. Cradling her against his chest, Nate settled in an iron chair.
“We’re not dressed,” she whispered.
“It’s dark.” He grinned, pressing his lips to hers. “No one will see us.”
He could hear the children’s voices drifting through the open window upstairs. They should have been sleeping, but were too excited to rest. The sound of their conversation and laughter comforted him in a way he never thought it would. Until Beth had arrived they’d been numb, yet searching for something more, hoping for something more. They loved her as they should, as he’d wanted. Hell, they were a bloody family. Finally, and all because of a nosy, relentless governess.
Beth nuzzled her head underneath his chin. He breathed deeply her scent and closed his eyes, reveling in the moment. “I’m going to buy a cottage near Meg and Grayson. I thought we might be able to stay there when the winters are too cold here.”
She tilted her head back, her gaze wide with surprise. “Truly? But this is your home.”
“No. My home is anywhere you and the boys are happy.”
She rested her hands on the sides of his face. “Nate, you don’t have to move for me.”
“I would do anything for you.” He slid his hand into her hair, cupping the back of her head and bringing her down for a kiss. “But it’s not just for you. I have no good memories here. I have no emotional attachment. Neither do the boys. But we’ll come back here at times.”
“Are you sure?”
He nodded.
“It’s too much,” she said. “You do too much for me.”
“It makes me happy, my darling love.”
She took in a deep breath. “Well then, I might know a place where we could live,” she said hesitantly. “My home.”
He frowned. The very house where he’d fought Brockwell? “Beth, I have plenty of money to buy a new estate.”
“No, it’s not that.” She smiled hesitantly. “But it’s where I held my daughter. Where she’s buried. Where I dreamt a long, long time ago of having a family, and where I’d like to make new memories. It’s also incredibly close to Meg. We can tear it down, rebuild, if you want.”
He cleared his throat, suddenly finding it hard to speak. Her words made him as emotional as a child. Her baby was there. Of course she’d want to be close to the child’s grave. If only he’d known her then and could have protected her and the little girl. “Very well.”
She tilted her head back to kiss him when the first firework went off. Startled, she gasped. Nate grinned. She was like a child on Christmas, and he realized he wanted to see her like this always…excited about life, innocent in her happiness. Sparkles of red and blue danced across the black sky, before fading into the darkness.
“You did this for us?”
“For you,” he said softly.
Another burst of color lit the sky. The light danced across her face, highlighting her delicate features. He barely glanced at the show, more interested in watching her.
“Am I dreaming?” she whispered, watching the colors sparkle across the night. Above he could hear the excited cries of the boys who had noticed the fireworks outside their windows. “It doesn’t seem possible that I could be this happy.”
He drew his hand down her back. “My love, if this is a dream I never want to wake.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck, the blanket shifting so her smooth shoulders were on display. “You know, I’ve been waiting a long time.”
“For what?” he whispered against her ear.
“For you.” She rested her cheek to his as they watched another firework explode. Below, he could hear the servants’ excited exclamations. The entire countryside would have noticed the firework display by now. Word would get out that Lord Brimley had given the gift to his new wife, to proclaim his love. He wanted the world to know how much he admired her.
But really all that mattered was that Beth understood. He could give her gifts, he could tell her he adored her, but would she ever truly have any idea how much he cared?
“I’ve been waiting my entire life for you.” She turned her head and met his gaze. “I just didn’t realize it until now.”
“Well then, no more waiting. I’m here, always.” As the fireworks ended, he stood and carried her back into the room, laying her upon his bed. “And I’ll happily spend the rest of my life attempting to make you realize just how much I love you.” He lay beside her and pulled her close. “Starting tonight and forever after.”
The End
Don’t miss the last story in the Night Series, A Night of Forever. This short-story is available now! Check out the excerpt below.
A Night of Forever
Chapter 1
Cumberland, England 1859
Who was Aidan Callaghan?
The eternal question that constantly nagged at Mary Ellen. Two months ago, her brother-in-law Grayson had announced that a friend would be visiting the estate. Mary Ellen had expected an elderly, titled gent who’d needed to borrow money from Grayson. Perhaps a businessman wanting to invest in her brother-in-law’s shipping company. Or perhaps even an obnoxiously demanding friend from the war. She certainly hadn’t expected Aidan, a young man who had slipped into their home quiet as a hawk, brooding and mysterious as any hero from a gothic novel.
She sighed and rested her chin in the palm of her hand. For an hour now she’d been reclining on a blanket hidden behind a brittle patch of dying daisies, getting lost in her book. Then he had arrived, reminding her exactly of why she’d escaped the house. One moment the bench under the maple had been empty. Five minutes later she’d looked up while turning a page and ther
e he was, reading his own novel.
She hadn’t dared to call out a greeting, or even stand to leave. That would only draw attention and she’d rather watch him unnoticed. Not that she studied him because she cared. No. Of course not. Aidan was too… too boring. Too… too serious…. too quiet and much, much too much of a no one to pique her feminine interests. Determined to be in charge of her life as much as she could, she’d decided years ago she would only marry a man with a cheerful disposition and, of course, deep pockets.
But she could admit, at least to herself, that Aidan Callaghan intrigued her.
Where had he come from? Who was his family? Where had he lived most of his life?
Other than Grayson, no one seemed to know the man. And getting information from Grayson was like getting her niece Hanna to eat cabbage… impossibly frustrating.
Still, she had heard some supposed facts. One, Aidan was the second son of a Baron or some such lowly title. Two, Grayson and Aidan had met during the war, at a battle or something or another. Three, Aidan had apparently saved Grayson’s life. A dashing story indeed. She might have believed the rumor, if the man’s personality wasn’t so completely dull. He’d barely said a string of words to her since arriving those months ago. He mostly sat quietly in corners, merely watching their antics. And in a household of four females there were plenty of antics.
A brown skirt suddenly swooshed before her, blocking her view. “You’re always staring at him,” her younger sister Sally stated, drawing a furious blush to her cheeks.
Mary Ellen resisted the urge to tug the younger girl down, knowing it was too late, Aidan had already seen them. Her hiding place had been uncovered. “Whatever do you mean?” Mary Ellen pushed herself upright, feigning indifference. She hadn’t heard her sister approach, for she’d been too involved in thinking about Aidan. Really, the man was taking up much too much of her time lately.
Sally plopped down beside her, the dress she wore settling around her coltish legs like a deflated hot air balloon. At fifteen she wasn’t quite an adult, although she seemed to think she was. “That man…Aidan.”
A Night of Redemption (The Night Series Book 2) Page 29