A Most Sinful Proposal (The Husband Hunters Club 2)

“George will love that,” Marissa said, with a raised eyebrow.

“It’s time he earned his place in the Kent family tree,” Valentine replied unsympathetically.

“But you don’t believe the Baron will go there?”

“No, I don’t believe he will.” He smiled at her and reaching out entwined her fingers with his.

Marissa turned to the window, where rain was still softly falling.

His fingers tightened gently on hers, bringing her attention back to him. “I’m sorry I broke my promise. I’ll never do it again.”

“I hope not,” she said, but her heart had begun to beat a

little erratically. Was he saying there would be more promises?

“The quest for the rose is over,” he spoke quietly, without emotion.

Her gaze searched his. “And you haven’t found it. I’m sorry, Valentine.”

He bent his head to kiss the back of her hand, and smiled up at her. He looked weary, with shadows under his eyes, but there was also a gleam in his eyes that spoke of his refusal to let defeat bring him down.

“I haven’t quite decided what it means to me,” he admitted. “Disappointment, certainly. My quest has turned out to be a bit of a flop, I suppose. But I’m not as shattered as I might have expected to be. I did my utmost and if I failed then I did so honorably; if there is such a thing as an honorable failure.”

“Valentine…”

There was a twist to his mouth that made him seem vulnerable and endearing. “Somehow after what we now know about Von Hautt the rose doesn’t seem quite so important. More like a boyhood dream that I should have grown out of years ago.”

“You’re nothing like him, Valentine.”

But she could see he didn’t believe her, not entirely. There were so many parallels between the two men. She reached up to gently brush aside his hair, to better see the lump on his head.

“You’d never do this to anyone, Valentine, not even for the Crusader’s Rose. I’m sorry that you didn’t find it at Beauchamp Place.”

He met her eyes, his own blazing.

“No, don’t feel sorry for me. I’m far from needing any pity. I may not have found the rose, but I’ve found you. Actually, I should be celebrating. It took the ending of the quest, and Von Hautt, to make me realize how empty my life had become until you arrived at my door. I’ve been a coward, Marissa, hiding from life in case I get hurt again, but I’m not going to hide any longer. I’m going to face whatever comes my way.”

Marissa felt her heart swell in her breast, full of emotion and passion for this man. Tears stung her eyes. “I’m glad,” she said in a shaky voice.

There was a tap on the door and the call that supper had arrived. The meal was as good as before, and they ate heartily and then sat contentedly by the fire until it was time for bed. George went off, complaining, into the night, to spend his time keeping watch at Doctor Arnold’s house.

“I shouldn’t think he’ll come,” Valentine assured him.

“Oh, I wish he would!” George declared. “I’d like to show him what I think of him.”

Valentine considered his brother and Marissa thought he might begin a homily on overly hasty behavior but instead all he said was, “Take care.”

With George gone the room seemed very quiet, and when Valentine yawned, Marissa rose to her feet and wished him goodnight. He smiled at her sleepily. “See you in the morning, minx,” he said.

Marissa hesitated, and then reached out to touch his cheek. “I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you, Valentine,” she said, her dark eyes reflecting the firelight.

“Nothing will happen to me,” he replied, but he reached up to take her hand in his. His fingers were warm, alive, comforting. Marissa trembled.

It was as if their passion, always so close to the surface, broke free. He pulled her down onto his lap, holding her close, his breath warm against her hair. “Marissa,” he groaned.

Her mouth trembled as she lifted her face to his. “Earlier you spoke to me as if you had made a decision about our future,” she said. “Tell me what you’ve decided, Valentine. I need to know.”

The moment stretched out and then his arms tightened. “Let’s go to bed, Marissa,” he said in a deep, husky voice that took her breath away. “Let’s go to bed right now.”