I don’t think the devil himself could’ve stopped me tonight. For that, I am sorry. I can only promise that if we have a child, I will protect it with all that I am, just as I will with you.”
His vow should have made her feel safe, but it didn’t erase the knowledge that they were still in danger, that any child she might carry may also face that danger. Letty burrowed closer to Adam. Her fear for the future would rob her of any decent sleep she might have before dawn.
12
Adam awoke as dawn crested the horizon. He tended to wake up exactly when he needed to, no matter how tired he was. It took him a moment to orient himself and remember why he was still holding a mostly naked woman—correction, hiswife—in his arms. Her chemise was scrunched up around her waist, her lovely breasts on full display.
Adam pushed the covers off as he sat up and dragged his hands through his hair. Letty’s virgin blood was on his shaft and thighs. He winced. He should have been tender and slow with her, not like a rutting stag. He had lost himself in her last night in a way he never had before. Deep down he had known it would be like this, that first moment he met her. It was as though part of him had recognized its other half, the part that would make him whole once more. Ever since he’d lost John, he hadn’t been himself. Being with Letty was allowing him to recapture that joyous part of himself, the part that thrilled at being alive, and being in love.
She didn’t know yet that what they had shared last night was extraordinary. It was truly a gift. Thoughts of their incredible joining soon led to thoughts of its possible consequences, such as a child. He had to find whoever was after Letty and put an end to the threat by any means necessary. He would not have any child of theirs put in danger.
With great reluctance, he dressed and woke his wife. She rubbed her eyes, stretched, and blinked against the pale morning light.
“Adam? Where . . . ? Oh.” She realized then that she was naked and pulled the covers up over her breasts, her cheeks deepening to a rosy hue.
“Good morning.” He sat down on the edge of the bed and cupped her cheek, unable to stop grinning. “How do you feel? Are you sore?”
“Sore?” She tensed and then nodded. “A little. Oh heavens, I’m so embarrassed.” She tried to pull the covers over her head like a child. Adam laughed as he pulled them back down to see her face.
“You were magnificent last night. The best I’ve ever had,” he promised her.
Her eyes grew round. “Truly? The best?”
“Most certainly.” Adam wanted to tell her that the previous night had been more than he had ever dreamed, that it had been magical, but he was afraid such words would make him sound like a foppish schoolboy. “You’ll have time to rest in the coach today. We have a long journey ahead of us.”
Thankfully, a coach wasn’t the best place to make love. He had done it in the past, but it was far from comfortable. The jarring of the road and the sudden unexpected dips in the holes were quite disruptive to moments of passion. Besides, she needed time to heal before he made love to her again.
“I’ll see to the horses and check on our driver while you dress.”
Adam left her to give her time to adjust. He imagined it might be a little jarring for her to wake no longer a virgin, with the remnants of her blood upon her thighs. He should’ve cleaned her last night, but they had been too tired to do much else but collapse. Now she would have some time to herself to adjust and prepare for the day.
The horses and the driver were made ready, and he returned to find Letty finishing the buttons on a day gown that she needed no assistance to put on. It seemed Mina had packed her bags wisely, with gowns that left Letty able to care for herself. He had hated leaving Helms and Mina behind, but it was safer for the two of them to travel alone.
He leaned against the doorway, watching her finish the last button on her gown, lost for a moment simply relishing that this woman was his. Even though they had been brought together