Wildstar

He wouldn't take her hand, though. Instead he slipped one arm around her waist, the other behind her knees, and scooped her into his arms, making Jess gasp.

"Tradition," Devlin teased, and carried her over the threshold of the hotel's front door.

The proprietor came to greet them at once, his mouth creased in a welcoming smile. He didn't appear to be at all surprised or alarmed to see a young lady being carried into his hotel.

"All ready, Louis?"

"Indeed, Monsieur Devlin. Everything is as you or­dered. Shall I aid you and madame?"

"Thank you, no, we can manage. Would you see that no one disturbs us?"

"But of course, m'sieur. And may I wish you and mad­ame every happiness?"

Devlin responded with a satisfied smile. "You certainly may."

Without further ceremony, he carried his bride past the registration desk, through a wide door, down a hall, and up a flight of stairs. Jess, with her arms around his neck, peered up at Devlin. "What did he mean, everything is ready?"

"I rented the floor for a week so we wouldn't have to contend with any other guests."

"The entire floor?" Jess echoed, aghast.

"You object to my being alone with you?"

"No. . . . Only, it's so decadent."

"Not decadent. Smart. I intend to have you all to myself for a while."

He paused before a door marked "12," and asked Jess to open it. She did, and as he carried her inside, she glanced around curiously. The spacious room was as elegantly dec­orated as the floor below, with a large walnut-framed bed and matching rockers of the same gleaming dark wood. The Wilton-weave carpet boasted a rose pattern, while white lace curtains adorned the windows. On the bureau sat a silver tray loaded with covered dishes, and a bottle of wine had been left to cool in a silver bucket.

To Jess's surprise, a large copper tub stood in the far corner. It didn't appear to be part of the usual decor, and there was steam rising from the water. Obviously, their ar­rival had been expected and every effort made to ensure their comfort.

"How did you possibly have time to arrange all this?" Jess asked in awe.

"I planned it long before this. I only had to send Louis a message this morning, and he took care of the rest. We can honeymoon in a real Paris hotel later, if you like, but this will have to do for now."

"Do? Garrett, this is more than enough." Shaking her head, Jess gave him a concerned glance. "You didn't have to go to so much trouble for me."

"But I wanted to, angel. You deserve to be pampered a little."

"A little? This is a lot to me. This is heaven."

Devlin gazed down at her with a wicked grin. "Not yet, but I promise it will be."

He set Jess on her feet, facing him, but kept his arms wrapped around her waist. "The way I see it, Mrs. Devlin, you have four choices of what to do first . . . eat, sleep, bathe, or make love. Which do you favor?"

The warm light in his eyes left no doubt as to which choice he would prefer. Jess felt a knot of pure excitement curl in the pit of her stomach.

"Well . . . I know what I'd like to do first, but I suppose it would be wiser to take a bath. My clothes and hair still reek of smoke."

"True," Devlin said agreeably. He rubbed his whiskered jaw. "And I should shave if you don't want to be scraped raw by tomorrow morning. Fortunately, bathing and mak­ing love aren't mutually exclusive."

"You mean at the same time?" The shock in her tone made him chuckle, a low, rich sound of pleasure.

"Exactly, angel. I intend to give you a bath you won't forget."

The vivid color that rose to his young bride's cheeks charmed him. Determined not to let it fade, Devlin reached for the ribbon ties of her mantle. "Why don't we start by getting undressed? I have yet to see you entirely without clothes."

Her breathing suddenly growing shallow, Jess could only gaze mutely at him. He drew her wrap off her shoul­ders and tossed it haphazardly on the floor near the door. Then he began removing her numerous hairpins one by one. When her mane of honey-gold hair at last came tum­bling down about her shoulders, Devlin threaded his fin­gers reverently through the thick mass and gave Jess a tantalizing, all-too-brief kiss.