Hunting the Hero (The Wild Randalls 4)

“This is my sister’s house and your large and very easily irritated brothers are close by. I’d rather not fight them all if we are caught together in an intimate moment.”

She dropped her gown and set her hands to her hips. “What we do when alone is none of their business.”

> “Rosemary,” he said as he crossed the room and picked up her robe. “I can understand why it is they are protective. I have sisters. I would not be happy if they had carried on under my roof before marriage as we have under mine.”

“This is different. You know what I am.”

He drew her against him. “I know that you are too important to me to ever risk your reputation again. Can’t you see? Our affair must end.”

“What? Don’t be ridiculous. You asked me to ask you to marry you. Do you take it back?”

“I do think we should marry and I’ve given you every encouragement to ask. If I were to ask you now, I still believe you would refuse. I can only conclude that you don’t love me as deeply as I love you. I would do anything you wanted just to make you smile.”

She scowled. “I do love you.”

“Really? Well, that’s a relief. I hope I’m not old and decrepit before you take pity on me. It’s marriage or we go back to how things were before Christmas. Celibacy for both.”

She snatched the robe from his hands and stormed to the door. “You’ll regret this.”

The door slammed behind her and Constantine shook his head. He already missed her like the devil, but it was well past time to do the honorable thing. If she didn’t marry him, he didn’t know what he could do about the babe she carried. The scandal didn’t bear thinking about when society found out his governess was big with his child.

Yet he wouldn’t punish his daughters by forcing their beloved governess from his home. That would be cruel. The only thing he could do once he escorted them back to Stanton Harold Hall was beg her to marry him each and every day. He shuffled back to the bed, falling onto the mattress and drawing the pillow over his head.

The door banged open again. Constantine didn’t bother looking to see which brother had come to beat him up because Rosemary had just been in his bedchamber.

“All right,” Rosemary said, a decided reluctance in her voice. “I refuse to be celibate ever again. My lord, would you do me the honor of taking my hand in marriage? I promise to love, honor, and obey your every command for all the days of my life.”

“I’d be honored.” Constantine tossed the pillow aside and raised his head. “Every command?”

She threw her nightgown on the floor and crossed the room naked. When she crawled over his body and sat over his hips, her smile turned cunning. “As long as you obey every one of mine.”

The thing he liked best about Rosemary was that she wasn’t anything like his late wife. Bold, bossy and determined to win any challenge. He’d never had a dull moment in her company and couldn’t imagine one in their future. “I’d be delighted to. What is it that you want?”

She caught his hands in hers and threaded their fingers together. “I dislike the rooms the children sleep in.”

“Oh,” he said, frowning that her first demand did not involve him. “What do you propose as a solution?”

“There are a set of rooms not far from your own. I should like them to sleep nearby so they will always be close to us.”

Constantine wasn’t against the idea, but he waited a moment before nodding. “What else?”

“Miss Cunningham may have the makings of a fine maid, but she’s not the best around the children. She should have other duties elsewhere.”

Constantine sat up slowly and wiped a hand over his face. “As my wife, decisions about household staff and duties will be for you to decide and see implemented. I will not hold to past habits if you have other ideas on how best to run our home.”

Rosemary’s face grew thoughtful and she eased off his lap, coming to rest on her hands and knees. “You’re tired. Into bed with you.”

Constantine didn’t want to argue with her. Now she’d asked to make their relationship official, they were as good as married in his mind. She wouldn’t change her mind. When she drew back the covers, he flung himself between them, but before sleep claimed him, he patted the space beside him. “Come to me, my love. Let us spend tonight in each other’s arms.”

The bed dipped and a chilled, slender body cuddled up against him. In the flickering firelight, Constantine thought he might actually have everything he needed. The woman curled up against his chest sighed contentedly, hands clutching him possessively. “Do you really not mind what I’ve done?”

“Rosemary, there is nothing you can say that will drive me away from you.”

“There might be one.”

Constantine hugged her close. “What more is there that I do not know?”

“I detest condoms. I refuse to have relations with you again if you insist on wearing one.”