Harlequin Historical February 2014 - Bundle 1 of 2: The Major's Wife\To Tempt a Viking\Mistress Masquerade (22 page)
Authors: Lauri Robinson
“Yes, it is,” she whispered. “But never knowing love is worse.”
The sincerity in her eyes was so profound his breath burned his lungs.
“I never knew love until I met you,” she said. “Never imagined how splendid life could be.”
Her gentle smile was contagious. “We are quite splendid together, aren't we?”
She let out a tiny giggle. “I think so.”
He'd never experienced such a reprieve. Such joy. “Me, too.”
Her gaze, still holding his, grew serious. “How did you know I wasn't Rosemary?”
Seth knew now exactly what it was. Had discovered it back in Richmond. Framing her face with both hands, he caressed the delicate skin. “Your eyes. No one has eyes like yours. They melted my heart the first time I saw them. They're gorgeous, and so...” He found himself choking up. “So full of kindness and generosity, and love.” He tilted her head back, wanting so badly to kiss her. “I love you, Millie.”
Millie wondered if her heart was going to beat its way right out of her chest, and her throat was so full of emotions words couldn't filter through. Which didn't matter because Seth leaned down just then and kissed her so tenderly she swooned.
His hands went to her waist, held her close, as his gentle kiss filled her entire being with pure and precious love. He'd kissed her before, but somehow, this kiss did more. It made her whole, the one thing she'd never been before.
When his lips slipped away, she wobbled slightly, and had to look down to find him when her eyes opened.
Seth was on one knee, looking up at her. “Millie St. Clair, will you marry me?”
Covering her gasp with one hand, she sucked in another gulp of air, afraid she might faint as she had back in Washington. She hadn't expected this. Well, not yet. She hadn't told him everything. Hadn't apologized a hundred times over, and told him about little Louie, or that Rosemary had moved to England, and that as Millie, she'd never, ever lie to him again.
“Darling, if you don't answer me pretty soon, I'm going to keel over from the desire to hold you. Love you.”
She cupped his handsome, wonderful face with both hands, and giggled. “Don't keel over,” she said. “I've done that, it's not fun.”
“Millie,” he growled teasingly.
“Of course I'll marry you.”
He stood and the love in his eyes was more intense. “Say it again.”
“Yes, I'll marry you,” she repeated.
“Again.”
“Yes, I'll marry you.”
“Louder.”
She threw her head back, laughing as a great storm of joy erupted inside her. “Yes!” she shouted, and then said softly, “I'll marry you, silly.”
He was laughing, too, and paused only long enough to kiss her quickly, briefly. “I love you, Millie. I love you.”
“I love you, too.” She stretched up on her toes, wanting a kiss that would last so long she'd become lost in him, as she had while wrapped in his arms those wonderful nights they'd shared before.
“Oh, no,” he said, catching her wrists with his hands.
Startled, she searched his face, looked for a teasing glint, but didn't find one. Love was in his eyes, and happiness, but seriousness, as well. A stinging sensation curled around her spine. “What's wrong?”
Walking backward, he led her to the window. “See that building over there?”
Focusing wasn't easy with her body throbbing so, but she scanned the area, a side street of town, full of houses and... “You mean the church?”
“Yes, we are going there,” he said. “Getting married, and then we'll return here...” he kissed the side of her neck “...and spend some time in that bed.”
A moan rumbled in her throat and desire flared inside her. His tone said that what would happen in that bed would be more intimate, more long lasting than it had ever been. “All right,” she said. “When?”
“Right now.” He scooped her into his arms. “I can't wait any longer.”
It wasn't until he'd unlocked the door and pulled it open, a difficult task with her still in his arms, that Millie grabbed the doorjamb. “Stop.”
He groaned, and she giggled.
“What?” he asked.
“I don't have any shoes on.”
“I'll carry you the entire way.”
He didn't, at her insistence, for she wasn't getting married barefootâor stocking footed. However, she didn't make him put her down until they entered the shop across the street, where the woman carried on about how lovely the traveling suit fit, and told Millie about the morning Seth had purchased it. The pinkish glow on his cheeks made her love grow deeper, if that was possible, and wearing yet another pair of boots Seth bought for her, she ran with him across the street and the field leading to the church, hand in hand, laughing all the way.
The preacher was there, as was his wife, and in a private ceremony that Millie knew she'd hold as one of her most treasured memories until she was too old to remember, Seth and she became husband and wife. She cried when Seth vowed his love, and when he slipped the bride's necklace over her head. But when he slid a ring on her finger, a sweet sob locked itself in her throat and remained there.
Afterward, while returning to the hotel, she held her hand up, stared at how the sun glistened in the jewels. “It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.”
“You are the most beautiful thing
I've
ever seen,” he said, kissing her temple as they walked.
She leaned against him, cherished how his arm tightened around her waist. “I'll treasure it forever.”
“I'll treasure you forever.”
“You're silly,” she whispered.
“No, I'm in love. And happier than I've ever been.”
She stepped in front of him, making him stop, and reached up to lay a hand against his cheek. “Me, too.”
He kissed her then, in that all-consuming way she'd been hoping he would. To the point she barely recognized that halfway through his kiss he'd scooped her up and started walking again.
She rested her head on his shoulder as he carried her through the hotel lobby and up the stairs, and laughed aloud when he plopped her onto the bed.
“Finally,” he growled.
She giggled and then held her arms open when he returned from locking the door.
As he took her hands, crawled onto the bed beside her, she whispered, “Welcome home, Major.”
Their union was a turbulent combination of love, passion and infatuation, as well as a blending of lives, old and new, past and present. It left Millie breathless, spent and eager, knowing there were now years ahead of them. Years upon years.
With her head on his shoulder, twirling a fingertip in the fine hair on his chest, she whispered, “Seth?”
“Yes, darling?”
“What am I going to do once we get to the fort?”
“What do you mean?”
“They all think my name is Rosemary. How am I going to tell them it's Millie?”
He tugged her onto his chest with both arms, settled her there, lying fully atop him. “We'll tell them the truth. That you traveled to the fort for me to sign the divorce papers, and we fell in love.”
She loved him all the more for making things sound so simple, yet had to say, “That's not exactlyâ”
“That's how I remember it.”
He kissed the end of her nose and then sighed, understanding she needed more of an answer.
“How many people called you Rosemary?”
Searching her mind, she finally said, “Well, no one really. They either called me ma'am, Mrs. Parker or the major's wife.”
“Mrs. Parker,” he whispered, kissing her again.
A lovely sigh left her chest, for it was a wonderful name. “What if they hear you call me Millie? What ifâ”
“You worry too much,” he said, kissing her chin this time. “No one knows what happened. We can leave it that way if you want. Even the few that do know will never say anything.”
She bit her bottom lip.
“What is it?”
It was a silly thing to worry about when everything else was so perfect, but she had to admit, “I want to be me. Millie.”
“Oh, darling,” he said, kissing her lips lightly. “You've always been Millie. Your sister would never have traveled out here, not by train or wagon. She'd never have befriended Briggs's maidens, or Per-Cum-Ske's wives, or even Ilene Ketchum.” He kissed her again. “But most of all, she'd never have become the perfect army wife.”
Millie's heart swelled, and all she could do was whisper, “I love you.”
“I know, and I love that about you, too,” he said, running both his hands down her back.
“We could tell everyone Per-Cum-Ske traded your name for a new one.”
That made her laugh. “I heard about the white wig.”
“You did? From whom?”
His hands were working their magic again, sparking miniature fires wherever they touched, and it was a moment or more before she could answer. “Mr. Williams, the porter.”
“I can't believe we were on the same train, all those days.” He held her hips firmly against his. “All those nights.”
The feel of him pressing against her belly had her desire sparking again. “You're making me fuddle-headed,” she admitted, nuzzling his chest with her chin. It would be like this forever. One look and she'd be racing up the stairs to the bedroom at the fort as fast as Per-Cum-Ske's wives did to their tepees.
“Oh, no,” she said, propping herself up on her elbows.
“What?”
“Mrs. Ketchum. I forgot her list. All the thingsâ”
“I remembered them,” he said. “They'll be on the wagons in the morning.” He lifted her then, pulled her forward until her breasts were within easy access of his lips.
“Seth,” she groaned, the sensations making her arch into him. “We were talking about my name, what I'm going to tell people.”
“No,” he mumbled, since his mouth was full. “
You
were talking.”
She had to agree, but could barely nod, and then, within no time, forgot all about her name. What mattered was who she wasâthe major's wife.
* * * * *
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ISBN-13: 9781460325193
THE MAJOR'S WIFE
Copyright © 2014 by Lauri Robinson
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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