Page 89

Richard pressed a soft kiss to the base of her throat as his nose nuzzled at the juncture between her neck and her jaw. He couldn’t quite make himself turn away. He could not make himself move away from her. But he did stop.

She eased away from him and stared into his eyes, her own still filled with passion.

“Your kisses,” he whispered, staring into the depth of her soul. “I might be willing to die for them.”

She smiled slowly and shook her head. “I’d rather you lived.”

She scrambled from his lap, and Richard helped her back to her seat opposite him. He readjusted his breeches, hissing at the ache in his loins. If her kisses didn’t kill him, wanting her surely would.

She tugged on her clothing, getting it back to a semblance of order, then looked up at him, her eyes vulnerable. “Richard… Where does this leave us?”

Richard frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Our relationship,” she clarified slowly. “You promised you won’t interfere with my acting. And I insisted that I am not going to be your mistress. So where does that leave us exactly?”

“I thought it was obvious,” he said, the frown not leaving his face. “We are going to marry.”

“What?” Her voice was small.

Richard let out a soft laugh. “What did you think was going to happen, Jo? You told me to accept you the way you are. I have. You said to be unattached. I am.”

“Yes, and I said after we would talk.”

“Then talk. But I am not letting you go this time. I shan’t ask you to give up acting if that’s what you’re worried about. I shall proudly cheer you on from the audience. I already spoke to my family and they all accept you without question. And yes, you said you don’t want to be any man’s property. But we can write down all your stipulations in our marriage contract.”

Jo looked away, a frown between her brows. “Just like that, you’re suddenly fine marrying an actress? Bringing a scandal to your family?”

Richard pursed his lips. “Scandal is inevitable. But you helped me realize something very important. Something that I didn’t realize on my own in six and thirty years of my existence. Love is not perfect. It is messy and difficult. Sometimes it is painful. But it is also the most beautiful feeling in the world. And the people who love me, the people who want me to be happy, will not care about the scandal. And I don’t care about it as long as I get to keep you by my side. Do not get me wrong. It’s not going to be easy. For either of us. But I am willing to”—he swallowed—“I am willing to go through hell if necessary just to have you beside me. Always. Forever.”

Jo’s eyes shone with tears as she gave a soft laugh. “It is going to be hell.”

He shook his head. “So be it.”

Jo blinked her tears back and licked her lips. “So?” she asked, looking at him expectantly.

Richard wasn’t certain exactly what she was asking him, so he took a random shot. “So… I suppose I can get us a special license this week. It’s not that I am in haste,” he clarified, looking at her confused face. “Though, of course, I am. It’s just that with our social rank difference, I don’t think you’d want to go through the spectacle of posting banns. We can do that, if you want, of course. I am not ashamed of marrying you.”

Jo grimaced and shook her head. “No, no banns. I am not keen on announcing my real Christian name to all the world.”

Richard smiled and relaxed in his seat. “Good. Then I shall get us a special license if you’re amenable.”

Jo raised a brow. “If you’re amenable? That’s it?”

It was Richard’s turn to be confused. “Pardon me. I thought you agreed that we won’t be posting banns.”

“No!” She let out a frustrated breath. “I mean, yes. Of course, I don’t want banns to be read. But is that how you’re going to propose? If you’re amenable?” She parodied his voice quite hilariously.

Well, he was marrying an actress. Richard decided to play along.

He rather sharply and dramatically slid from his seat and fell to his knees. “Oh, my dear Josephine!” he cried as he took her hand. “The heart of my heart. The love of my life. Juliet to my Romeo. Would you put me out of my misery and journey to paradise with me by giving me a favorable answer to my proposal?”

Jo giggled, then suddenly slid to her knees before him. Their limbs brushed as she landed in front of him, her eyes full of laughter.

“Lord Byron, you’re not,” she said with her beautiful smile. “But luckily, I do not require a poet. You’ll do.”

He raised a brow. “You’ll do? That’s your acceptance of my pro—”

“Oh, cease it!” She laughed, then wrapped her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his lips.