Page 72 of The Mister I Married

“It was my own fault. I knew he was chasing sticks, and still I picked up the biggest stick in the county. How could he possibly resist such a temptation?”

She reached out to scratch Prescott’s ear, letting him know all was well between them. He seemed to smile back at her around the branch still in his mouth, and then he turned and ran off, proudly showing off his new prize.

Laughing softly, Emmy turned to Alex again, intending to speak, but her words fell away as she met his overtly admiring gaze. Discomfited, she reached a hand up to pat her hair. “What is it? Have I missed something?”

He shook his head. “I was only thinking how adorable you are with your hair mussed. It isn’t the first time I’ve had that thought.” He pursed his lips. “Of course, you’re usually naked when I’m thinking it.”

The comment startled a laugh from her, and she cocked her head to one side, eyeing him with playful consideration. “Is it normal, I wonder, for a man to think about carnal relations as often as my husband seems to?”

“I honestly don’t know,” he said, clearly battling a smile of his own. “Though I cannot see how any man could help it. Not with a wife like mine.”

Emmy rolled her eyes, but she was still smiling. Beaming, actually.

On impulse, she rose up on tiptoe and kissed his smile. His arms instantly closed around her waist and pulled her against him, his lips meeting hers, warm and hungry.

Minutes passed as they kissed beneath the soft blanket of blue sky and sunshine.

“I have to get back,” Alex murmured some time later, his hands still gripping Emmy’s waist. “I have a meeting this afternoon, and I must prepare for it.”

“Of course,” she said with a nod, disappointed but mollified somewhat by the desire and regret glimmering in his eyes.

Leaning down, he pressed one last, lingering kiss to her lips then pulled away and whistled for Gracie and Prescott. The foursome began the short trek back to the house, the dogs sprinting ahead until they were nearly out of sight, only to circle back, as if attempting to talk Alex out of ending the walk.

Emmy watched her husband as he watched his dogs, admiring his handsome profile and the affectionate smile that curved his lips every time he watched Gracie and Prescott at play. She loved how much he loved them.

And she was glad she’d married him. She hadn’t wanted to be a wife yet, but she knew how lucky she was to have a husband like him—a man who was caring and patient and always concerned with ensuring his family were comfortable and happy.

Their union was no love match, but their meeting did sometimes feel…fated. Meant to be. As if destiny had arranged it, ensuring Alex was in London the very Season she needed a husband.

Then again, maybe it was only coincidence.

Either way, she was a fortunate woman to have found Mr. Alex Whitcomb, and she knew it.

Without saying a word, she reached out and slipped her hand in his. He turned to look at her, his eyes sparking with both pleasure and surprise, and then he smiled and twined his fingers with hers.

They stayed like that, hand in hand, all the way back to the house.

Several minutes later as they walked through the front door and into the entrance hall, they were met by the butler, Reeve, who quietly informed them there were visitors waiting for them in the rose salon.

“Visitors?” Emmy echoed in surprise. She glanced questioningly at Alex, but he only shrugged, as if to say he knew nothing about it.

“How peculiar,” she whispered, handing Reeve her shawl before she and Alex headed from the entrance hall. “I am not expecting anyone today and visiting hours have not yet begun.”

“I am sorry for the social faux pas,” a familiar female voice called out from inside the rose salon, “but I do hope you will forgive me.”

Emmy’s mouth fell open as Olivia stepped into the corridor, gorgeous as always in her deep pink gown, her blonde curls framing a broad, delighted grin.

“Olivia? What on earth—” She rushed forward and pulled her friend into a tight embrace. “What are you doing here?”

Emmy’s brother, Griffin, was there, too, standing in the open doorway, his tall frame clothed in a dark blue day coat and gray trousers a shade darker than his eyes. Their gazes met over Olivia’s shoulder.

“Good to see you, Em,” he said with a rueful smile on his handsome face, as if he was happy to see her but wary of an emotional scene.

Having none of it, Emmy rolled her eyes and forced a hug on him, asking again, “What on earth are you doing here?”

“We’re on our way to London for a short stay,” Griffin said. “And Olivia suggested this would be a fine opportunity to see you and meet your new husband. So, here we are.”

His gaze flicked to Alex expectantly, and Emmy, remembering her manners, made the introductions with as much calm as she could manage.