"Pardon?" He coughed.
"Tomorrow," she said slower and reached out to touch his arm. "I'm already ruined. We both know I don't need any sort of fanfare. After all, the ton has seen my knees, have they not?
Benedict chuckled.
"I know we wanted to wait until after the Kringle Ball, but I truly cannot wait to start our lives. Don't you agree?"
He suddenly felt very, very hot, and deuced uncomfortable, and the innocent look in her eyes haunted him.
"Er, yes." He rubbed the back of his neck.
"To think! In just a few hours, I'll be able to move into your house, and we'll be able to…" She blushed profusely and looked at her hands.
"Be able to?" He leaned forward and lifted one eyebrow in question.
"You know…"
"No, I truly don't."
Her look was incredulous. "Benedict!"
"Katherine."
She scowled. "We'll be able to really be together."
"Like we are now?" He played innocent. Gads how he loved the way she became so easily flustered. Her cheeks took on the most beautiful shade of pink, tempting his tongue to caress the spot right below her jaw where the pink met ivory skin.
"No, not like we are now." Her little bum shifted in the chair.
He leaned even closer, placing both hands on either side of the chair until his face was so near, he could hear her shallow breaths. "You mean like this?" His hands reached out to touch her neck and then moved down her shoulders, her arms, and finally to her legs. With little effort, he lifted her into his arms showing her how to wrap herself around him, and just held her there as he placed long lingering kisses on her neck and face.
"Y-yes… Oh, heavens yes, like this." Her head fell back exposing her throat.
Careful, his inner voice warned him. Take it slow.
But he was never one to listen to his good conscience.
So he laid her across the dusty bed and hovered over her, watching her squirm and sigh beneath his touch.
"Benedict." Her voice was hoarse.
"Yes, love?"
"Will your servants like me?"
What an odd question. And dreadful timing considering his hand was already placed halfway up her creamy thigh.
He kept his arousal in check and tried to answer the question, mentally going through every person in his employ.
And then his body went cold.
Maria.
Suddenly, he was disgusted with himself. Withdrawing his hand from the pleasure of her leg, he leaned back on the bed and shuddered.
"What is it?" Katherine asked.
"It's just that…" Benedict couldn't even look her in the eyes his shame was so great. "I had forgotten about some business at the house, business I need to attend to before I welcome you with open arms."
"Oh." She looked down.
"But…" he interjected. "It won't take long. Before you know it, you'll be the mistress of the house." He gulped against the bile that rose in his throat at the use of the word mistress. Could he have not come up with a better description? She was so much better than that.
And he, the Devil, did not deserve her.
If she knew…
Well, if she knew, she wouldn't continue to give him a chance. He was afraid, devil take it; he was terrified that if she truly knew about some of the things that had taken place under the roof of that house, she would be more than scandalized.
"Let me buy you a house." The words fell out of his mouth in a rush.
"A house? You want to buy me a house?" Katherine shook her head. "Whatever's wrong with your house?"
"It's old."
"Alright…" Katherine's eyes searched his. "And you want to buy a newer house, is that it?"
"Yes. I want you to have the best." At least that part was true. "I'll buy you a house, move you into it…" Why in the blazes was he going on in this fashion? As if she was some type of mistress. "Naturally, I'll live there too," he added.
"I should hope so." Katherine laughed. "We are to be married." She lifted her hand to cup his face. "After all, you won't get a traditional ton marriage from me."
"I won't?" He feigned depression, though he couldn't have been more pleased.
"No." The minx leaned closer to him, her arm hooking his neck like a shepherd's crook, pulling him down closer and closer until he once again hovered over her. "I'll want you by my side every day."
"That can be arranged."
"And in my bed every night."
What was that? Angels singing?
"I believe I can manage to agree to your terms."
"Promise." Her eyes sparkled in the moonlight.
He took a shuddering breath before lowering his lips to hers and mumbling against them, "Promise."
Now all he needed to do was make sure she never found out his secret, never know the depths of his depravity, lest she lose that sparkle he so adored.
Something was bothering Benedict, though Katherine hadn't a clue what it could be. By all standards, he was acting the perfect gentleman.
That should have been her first hint.
Originally she had thought he was going to seduce her, not that she minded one whit.