sparkled. “Shall I test your denial to prove my point?”
“No. No.” Tess snatched up a plate and a few tiny cakes. “Suddenly I’m hungry.” She turned to Carson Humphries. “These look rather delicious, don’t you think?” And she grabbed the first thing in front of her and stuffed the tiny cake into her mouth.
“I would say it is your husband you should ask, for it seems if I offer any opinion I risk losing my head.”
Tess shot Aiden a glare, only to receive a smile in return, and the tiny butterflies that had taken up residence in her chest fluttered.
“Did you know that food is a very sensual thing, Tess?”
The vanilla cake caught in her throat.
“In some cultures they use food during the art of making love. Chocolate, they say, is an aphrodisiac.”
Tess swallowed, and turned away from the mug of hot chocolate she’d been about to reach for.
“Do you like oysters, Tess?”
She spied the bowl of oysters in their shell. Her uncle had already eaten at least half a dozen, the shells tossed to the floor at his feet.
“They, too, are said to increase potency.”
Tess choked, unable to catch her breath as a cake crumb lodged in her throat. Aiden pulled her to him and patted her on the back, though all she could feel was the hard length of his body against hers.
Tears stung her eyes, but slowly her breath came back. Aiden, however, did not release her and she simply stood in his embrace, resting her head against his shoulder.
Seconds passed, his fingers caressing the nape of her neck, twining in her hair.
She swallowed back the desire to remain exactly where she was. “I…I am all right now, you can let me go.”
“I might not want to.” But suddenly he thrust her from him. “You are a temptation, Tess, but temptation isn’t allowed.” And with that cryptic remark, her husband of barely an hour spun on his heels and strode to the other end of the room, reaching for a brandy and downing it in one long gulp.
He took up a heated conversation with Lord Beswick, and kept well away from her, which suited Tess perfectly. The man was far too overbearing for his own good.
And don’t forget handsome.
Unable to stomach the thought of drinking the hot chocolate, or heaven forbid Aiden watching her do it, she chose the cherry wine. It was rather palatable and she drank several more over the next while.
“It’s time.”
Tess glanced up, her body swaying and her world tilting precariously. Heat seemed to radiate from inside out and she fanned herself with her hand. A tiny hiccup escaped her lips. “For what?”
Amusement etched into Aiden’s expression. “Have you imbibed too much, Tess?”
She squinted, peering at him as if he were far away. “Only a little bit,” she said, swaying. Another hiccup burst from her lips. “Oops, I think I might have had a tad more than a little.”
Aiden pressed his lips together, but still smiled. “So it would seem. The show has to continue, Tess. We need to leave.”
“For Charnley Hall.”
“No, not tonight. It’s too late and travel on the roads in the dark is dangerous. There are highwaymen about.”
She shot him a look, and again captured the teasing glint in his eyes. This time, however, it was all blurry. She narrowed her gaze, leaning forward and peering at him. “Do you realize, husband, that your eyes change color?”
The corners of his eyes crinkled. “That is something I’ve not been told before.”
“Oh, but they do.” She raised a hand and trailed her forefinger along the corner of his left eye and then down his cheek. “When you’re angry they’re dark and foreboding, almost the color of the night, but now, when you’re…” Tess hiccupped and drew back.
“When I’m what?”
“No,” she said, shaking her head, which was a mistake as it hurt most sorely. “’Tis merely foolish musings on my part.”
“Or perhaps too much cherry wine.”
“You were saying?”
“Everyone will expect us to honeymoon at my home
“No. No.” Tess snatched up a plate and a few tiny cakes. “Suddenly I’m hungry.” She turned to Carson Humphries. “These look rather delicious, don’t you think?” And she grabbed the first thing in front of her and stuffed the tiny cake into her mouth.
“I would say it is your husband you should ask, for it seems if I offer any opinion I risk losing my head.”
Tess shot Aiden a glare, only to receive a smile in return, and the tiny butterflies that had taken up residence in her chest fluttered.
“Did you know that food is a very sensual thing, Tess?”
The vanilla cake caught in her throat.
“In some cultures they use food during the art of making love. Chocolate, they say, is an aphrodisiac.”
Tess swallowed, and turned away from the mug of hot chocolate she’d been about to reach for.
“Do you like oysters, Tess?”
She spied the bowl of oysters in their shell. Her uncle had already eaten at least half a dozen, the shells tossed to the floor at his feet.
“They, too, are said to increase potency.”
Tess choked, unable to catch her breath as a cake crumb lodged in her throat. Aiden pulled her to him and patted her on the back, though all she could feel was the hard length of his body against hers.
Tears stung her eyes, but slowly her breath came back. Aiden, however, did not release her and she simply stood in his embrace, resting her head against his shoulder.
Seconds passed, his fingers caressing the nape of her neck, twining in her hair.
She swallowed back the desire to remain exactly where she was. “I…I am all right now, you can let me go.”
“I might not want to.” But suddenly he thrust her from him. “You are a temptation, Tess, but temptation isn’t allowed.” And with that cryptic remark, her husband of barely an hour spun on his heels and strode to the other end of the room, reaching for a brandy and downing it in one long gulp.
He took up a heated conversation with Lord Beswick, and kept well away from her, which suited Tess perfectly. The man was far too overbearing for his own good.
And don’t forget handsome.
Unable to stomach the thought of drinking the hot chocolate, or heaven forbid Aiden watching her do it, she chose the cherry wine. It was rather palatable and she drank several more over the next while.
“It’s time.”
Tess glanced up, her body swaying and her world tilting precariously. Heat seemed to radiate from inside out and she fanned herself with her hand. A tiny hiccup escaped her lips. “For what?”
Amusement etched into Aiden’s expression. “Have you imbibed too much, Tess?”
She squinted, peering at him as if he were far away. “Only a little bit,” she said, swaying. Another hiccup burst from her lips. “Oops, I think I might have had a tad more than a little.”
Aiden pressed his lips together, but still smiled. “So it would seem. The show has to continue, Tess. We need to leave.”
“For Charnley Hall.”
“No, not tonight. It’s too late and travel on the roads in the dark is dangerous. There are highwaymen about.”
She shot him a look, and again captured the teasing glint in his eyes. This time, however, it was all blurry. She narrowed her gaze, leaning forward and peering at him. “Do you realize, husband, that your eyes change color?”
The corners of his eyes crinkled. “That is something I’ve not been told before.”
“Oh, but they do.” She raised a hand and trailed her forefinger along the corner of his left eye and then down his cheek. “When you’re angry they’re dark and foreboding, almost the color of the night, but now, when you’re…” Tess hiccupped and drew back.
“When I’m what?”
“No,” she said, shaking her head, which was a mistake as it hurt most sorely. “’Tis merely foolish musings on my part.”
“Or perhaps too much cherry wine.”
“You were saying?”
“Everyone will expect us to honeymoon at my home
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