Forsaking the Prize (The Wild Randalls 2)

He kissed the top of her head and held her tightly against him. “What changed your mind?”

“You.” Blythe looked up at Tobias and cupped his face between her hands. “You’re the reason my heart started beating again.”

Although more tears fell down her cheeks, Tobias kissed her passionately. When he drew back, there were tears in his eyes. “My life had come full circle; I never gave much thought to the future before I met you. I came to cause mischief, to steal away a prize beyond measure, but in doing so I found what mattered most. I found you.”

He spun Blythe around again and when they stopped he hugged her tightly to him as if he might never let her go.

The door rattled, a key turned in the lock, and heavy footsteps drew them apart. “What the devil do you think you’re doing, young man?”

Blythe bit her lip as Tobias glanced down at her, annoyance clear in his expression. Leopold! Oh, dear. Announcing their intentions to their family clearly hadn’t featured heavily in his preparations.

Never mind. She knew just what to do. Blythe winked at Tobias and then stepped out of his arms. “Sir, do you know how to knock? You cannot just come barging into any room at the abbey as if you own the place.”

Tobias placed a comforting hand at her waist. “The door was locked, old man. Do give us a moment’s privacy.”

“Oh, Dear God.” Leopold’s face grew ashen. “If he’s imposed upon you in any way, Lady Venables, he’ll be punished this time, I absolutely promise.”

Blythe set her hand over Tobias’ and grinned. “Why would you punish a man who has just proposed? Seems you should be congratulating him on having the good sense to ask me to marry him. I said yes if you were interested in my answer.”

“You want to marry him?” Leopold shook his head. “Mercy is not going to believe this.”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Mercy asked as she swept in. Her gaze swept them and she struggled to hide a smile. “Is there a problem?”

“There may be a death in the family,” Leopold muttered. “The shock may kill me.”

“Oh I doubt that.” Mercy came forward and hugged Blythe. When she drew back, her smile was blinding. She looked over her shoulder to Leopold. “After all the trouble I went through to throw them together—adjoining bedchambers, feigning illness just to leave them alone, not to mention my suggestions that Tobias needed a proper wife. ” Mercy embraced Blythe again. “I consider my first attempt at matchmaking an unqualified success.”

She grinned at Tobias and gave him a long hug, too. “Oh, don’t look at me like that. I merely made it possible for you to prove your character. What woman couldn’t love a man who would climb through a window, twenty feet from the ground, just for the pleasure of speaking with her? You brought my sister back to life. Thank you, Tobias.”

Mercy stepped away, wiping tears from her eyes and caught Leopold’s hand in hers. “We need to plan a double wedding now, my love. Come along. They don’t need our interference anymore.”

When the door closed again, Tobias dragged her against his side. “My angel. My true prize.” He lifted her free hand, turned it over and pressed a long kiss to her palm.

She settled against his chest, listening to the fast beat of his heart and then slowly began unbuttoning his waistcoat. “Together forever. Are you prepared for that?”

His lips skimmed her throat; his hands cupped her bottom and pulled her against him. The hard length of his erection pressed against her belly.

Blythe shoved his coat and waistcoat off his shoulders. It had been too long since last night.

He chuckled and drew his shirt over his head. “Oh, yes. I’m enough of a gentleman to do what’s right for us both. All day and all night. Whenever you have need of me.”

Blythe liked his willingness to please her very much. She tugged him toward the lounge and pushed him down. She straddled him, sliding her hands over his bare shoulders and back, feeling the scars of his past and loving him more for his vulnerability. She met his gaze. “I need you now.”

“As do I.” Tobias shifted them until she lay beneath him and hitched her legs around his waist. “But beloved, don’t you think we should relock that door before you have your wicked way with me? I have a reputation to think of, don’t you know.”

He twirled the key in his fingers, smiling his wicked, devious smile.

She took the key from him and then threw it across the room. “Never mind that now. Come here and make me love you a little more.”

His grin was like the rising sun. “You only had to ask nicely, B.”