“Edmond…the neighbors,” she protested with a glance toward the open door.
Accepting that the moment was not yet ripe, Edmond stepped back. “Then let us inspect the house, ma souris, before we shock the good citizens of London.”
Together, they moved toward the polished staircase to wander through the fully furnished rooms, a smile touching Edmond’s lips at Brianna’s unfettered wonderment. She looked for all the world like a child on Christmas morning as she inspected her domain, her fingers running loving hands over plain but solid English furnishings as if they were priceless treasures.
They had reached the master bedchamber when Edmond at last pulled her to a halt and turned her to meet his searching gaze.
“Well?”
“It’s perfect.” She heaved a deep sigh, her cheeks flushed with pleasure. “Did you truly purchase it?”
“I have made an offer with the owners, but I could not sign the final papers until I was assured you approved.” He gave a tug on her hand, pulling her closer to his hard, desperate body. “Do you?”
With a smile as old as Eve, Brianna lifted her hand to trail her fingers along the line of his jaw.
“Do I have to wed you to get it?”
He sucked in a sharp breath, fiercely aware of the wide bed only a few steps away. Mon dieu, he would give the woman a dozen homes if it would allow him to place her on that mattress and end his torment.
“Will it make you agree to my proposal?” he demanded, his voice raw with desire.
“No.”
Feeling as if he had just been punched in the gut, Edmond pulled back to regard her with a hopeless sense of despair.
“Brianna…”
She pressed her fingers to his lips to stop his pained words. Then, stepping back, she reached beneath her cloak to pull a small box from her pocket.
Still smiling, she opened the box to reveal the ring he had sent to her only that morning. His heart halted as she tossed aside the box and slowly slid the ring onto her finger.
“There is only one thing that will make me agree to your proposal, Lord Edmond Summerville,” she said, tugging on his hand as she backed toward the bed. “And you cannot purchase it with your considerable wealth.”
With a low growl Edmond had his arms wrapped about the teasing minx and tumbled them both onto the bed.
Later, he would teach her a lesson in nearly sending him to an early grave, but for now…ah, for now he intended to savor the woman who had given him something he never dreamed possible.
A future.