Courting Constance (Fountain of Love) (9 page)

After a moment, when she hadn’t answered, he asked again. “Will your father skewer me alive for daring to ask for his precious daughter’s hand?”

She laughed. “I think he’ll be happy to be rid of me. As long as I’m not marrying the stable lad, of course.” He’d actually probably be relieved that he was able to get her married off so easily.

He looked grim in the moonlight shining through the branches of the trees overhead. “I’m not the stable lad, but I am a third son. I don’t have a title to offer you.”

She shrugged, truly not caring what he had or who he was. As far as she was concerned, he was Kit and that was good enough for her. They could live in a tree house for all she cared. She’d probably even like it, she thought with a grin. “I don’t care one whit about a title. I just want a man who will love me for who I am.”

“That, I will do!”

He kissed her one last time, and then picked up the lantern. “We need to get you back up to the manor. We don’t want anyone to notice you’re missing.”

She sighed. “I would rather spend the entire night out here with you.” She could picture them sleeping on a blanket under the stars. His arms would stay wrapped around her all night long.

He would have liked that as well, but for reasons other than what she was thinking. “Soon, we’ll be able to do that. I’ll talk to your father soon.” He smiled down at her, trying hard to believe she was interested in marriage to him.

She stopped in her tracks. “Please kiss me one more time, so I won’t think I’m dreaming.”

He laughed, set the lantern down carefully, and pulled her into his arms. “I would never want you to think you were dreaming, love.” His lips descended again. This time she needed no coaxing. She opened her mouth to allow his tongue entrance, and met it with her own. Her hands rubbed his shoulders through the back of his shirt.

When he finally lifted his head, they were both breathing hard. “I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to wait until the wedding night,” he whispered against her lips.

She smiled. She wasn’t sure exactly what happened on a wedding night, but she’d seen enough animals mating to have a pretty good idea. It didn’t look pleasant, but if it made him happy, she would participate.

They walked again through the woods, and he stopped under the tree where they’d met so many years before. “Will you meet me here again? Tomorrow night?”

“Of course I will!” Her aunt had always told her that a lady didn’t show too much enthusiasm when being pursued by a gentleman. Lily didn’t care. This wasn’t just any man, this was Kit. She wasn’t going to put on airs and pretend to be someone she was not.

They kissed again, just a brief brush of his lips against hers in farewell, and she dashed across the lawn to the backstairs. Once she was again tucked into her bed, she slept deeply, dreaming of little boys with jet black hair and chocolate brown eyes.

For More Fountain of Love books try:

The Earl's Design of Love
by Morganna Mayfair

Wishful Thinking
by Ava Catori

Wishful Kisses
by Krista Lakes

The
Trillionaire's Kiss
by Ella Mansfield

For More books by Kirsten Osbourne:

Brides of Beckham Series