you.”
“But you could be ruined if anyone—”
“No one saw me,” she assured him quickly. “And I will stay only a moment.”
His expression easing somewhat, Stephen nodded and led the way toward the two chairs in front of the fire, gesturing for her to take one. He waited politely while she seated herself, then moved to lean against the fireplace.
“
You
did it, didn’t you?” she asked the moment he was settled.
Stephen shrugged, not bothering to ask what she spoke of. He knew she meant her father and his gambling debts.
“Why?”
Uncomfortable under her shining gaze, he turned away, bracing his hand on the mantel and peering down into the flames. “You were right when you accused me of refilling my coffers at the expense of others. For some it is just gaming. Good fun. But for others—like your father—they are suffering an illness. And, as you pointed out, I was taking advantage of that. Once I admitted that to myself, I found I could no longer pretend I wasn’t harming anyone.”
“So you paid off my father’s debts?”
He shrugged as if it were of no real consequence; then a smile tugged at his lips as he admitted, “I managed to save his reputation, I think. I gave a rather clever explanation as to why I was paying all your father’s debts.” Before she could question him on that, he added, “I also told them that he was not to be allowed inside the gaming halls anymore.”
“And they agreed to this?”
His expression turned wry at her obvious surprise. “I do have some influence around town. Most everyone owes me money.” He scuffed at the corner of the rug before the fire with his boot, then added, “And then I sold Ballard’s.”
Prudence leaned forward in her seat. “You what?”
“Well, it shan’t be Ballard’s much longer. The new owner is renaming it.” Sticking his hands in the pockets of his coat, he shrugged again. “I am looking into other ventures. Ialready have several I may invest in.” He turned back to the fire. “Would I be right in supposing that your father is now grumpy as hell, but at home and sober?”
“Aye.” When she fell silent, he glanced over his shoulder to see her biting her lip uncertainly, her gaze sliding around the warm and cozy room they were in. Then she heaved a little sigh, straightened her shoulders in a habit he was coming to recognize, and faced him to ask. “Did you do this because you felt guilty?”
Stephen considered her question solemnly as he turned his back to the fireplace. “That may have influenced me; however, I have considered getting out of the business for a while. As for paying your father’s debts, that I did for you. I could hardly let the woman I love end up in debtor’s prison for Christmas.”
“Love?” She looked as if she were holding her breath.
“Aye.”
“Oh, Stephen!” Launching herself out of her chair, she threw herself at him. He staggered back against the fireplace as she pressed tiny little kisses all over his face.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she cried between kisses to his nose, his cheeks, his eyes, his chin, and finally his lips. There he brought the spate of little butterfly kisses to an end. Catching the back of her head, he held her still when she would have continued on with her exuberant rampage, and he moved his mouth on hers. Prudence didn’t seem to mind. She gave no resistance. In fact, Stephen felt her smile against his mouth before she opened to him, inviting a deeper kiss. He immediately took advantage of the invitation, devouring her with a passion that had him hardening to shameful proportions. His body was reacting like an untried lad’s, and he was heeding its plaintive urgings. Within moments he had Prudence on her back on the fur rug infront of the fire, his hands busy everywhere. One was pushing the skirt of her gown up, the other tugging the top of it down. His lips were leaping from hers to the curve of one breast, then back, eager to taste
“But you could be ruined if anyone—”
“No one saw me,” she assured him quickly. “And I will stay only a moment.”
His expression easing somewhat, Stephen nodded and led the way toward the two chairs in front of the fire, gesturing for her to take one. He waited politely while she seated herself, then moved to lean against the fireplace.
“
You
did it, didn’t you?” she asked the moment he was settled.
Stephen shrugged, not bothering to ask what she spoke of. He knew she meant her father and his gambling debts.
“Why?”
Uncomfortable under her shining gaze, he turned away, bracing his hand on the mantel and peering down into the flames. “You were right when you accused me of refilling my coffers at the expense of others. For some it is just gaming. Good fun. But for others—like your father—they are suffering an illness. And, as you pointed out, I was taking advantage of that. Once I admitted that to myself, I found I could no longer pretend I wasn’t harming anyone.”
“So you paid off my father’s debts?”
He shrugged as if it were of no real consequence; then a smile tugged at his lips as he admitted, “I managed to save his reputation, I think. I gave a rather clever explanation as to why I was paying all your father’s debts.” Before she could question him on that, he added, “I also told them that he was not to be allowed inside the gaming halls anymore.”
“And they agreed to this?”
His expression turned wry at her obvious surprise. “I do have some influence around town. Most everyone owes me money.” He scuffed at the corner of the rug before the fire with his boot, then added, “And then I sold Ballard’s.”
Prudence leaned forward in her seat. “You what?”
“Well, it shan’t be Ballard’s much longer. The new owner is renaming it.” Sticking his hands in the pockets of his coat, he shrugged again. “I am looking into other ventures. Ialready have several I may invest in.” He turned back to the fire. “Would I be right in supposing that your father is now grumpy as hell, but at home and sober?”
“Aye.” When she fell silent, he glanced over his shoulder to see her biting her lip uncertainly, her gaze sliding around the warm and cozy room they were in. Then she heaved a little sigh, straightened her shoulders in a habit he was coming to recognize, and faced him to ask. “Did you do this because you felt guilty?”
Stephen considered her question solemnly as he turned his back to the fireplace. “That may have influenced me; however, I have considered getting out of the business for a while. As for paying your father’s debts, that I did for you. I could hardly let the woman I love end up in debtor’s prison for Christmas.”
“Love?” She looked as if she were holding her breath.
“Aye.”
“Oh, Stephen!” Launching herself out of her chair, she threw herself at him. He staggered back against the fireplace as she pressed tiny little kisses all over his face.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she cried between kisses to his nose, his cheeks, his eyes, his chin, and finally his lips. There he brought the spate of little butterfly kisses to an end. Catching the back of her head, he held her still when she would have continued on with her exuberant rampage, and he moved his mouth on hers. Prudence didn’t seem to mind. She gave no resistance. In fact, Stephen felt her smile against his mouth before she opened to him, inviting a deeper kiss. He immediately took advantage of the invitation, devouring her with a passion that had him hardening to shameful proportions. His body was reacting like an untried lad’s, and he was heeding its plaintive urgings. Within moments he had Prudence on her back on the fur rug infront of the fire, his hands busy everywhere. One was pushing the skirt of her gown up, the other tugging the top of it down. His lips were leaping from hers to the curve of one breast, then back, eager to taste
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