Passions of a Gentleman (Gentlemen of Honor #3) - Rose Gordon Page 0,57

I didn’t fully recognize my feelings for what they were.”

At that, Rae did the most unexpected thing: she dropped her head into her hands and started shaking uncontrollably then said something Simon didn’t understand about Juliet.

Without thought or hesitation, Simon closed the gap between them and wrapped her in his arms. “Shhhh,” he crooned.

Rae dropped her hands and lifted her chin, tears coursed down her red face.

Simon ached to dry them.

“I’m laughing!” She swiped at the tears on her cheeks then dissolved into another fit of laughter.

Still holding onto her, Simon asked, “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing you’d understand,” she said dismissively. “It’s something my sister said.”

“It’s probably best you don’t share that with me, then.”

“I wasn’t going to.” Her pert response made him want to pull her closer, which of course pressed her pert breasts up against his chest, effectively depleting him of every ounce of humor whatsoever.

“Rae, please forgive me. I shouldn’t have left like that. I struggled with it then and so many times I wanted to turn back, but I didn’t want to hurt you, so I pressed forward.”

“Leaving hurt me,” she whispered, her hands still at her sides.

“I know and I’m so very sorry.” He brushed a kiss above her eyebrow. “Please forgive me and give me a chance to make it right.”

“Make it right?’

Simon nodded.

“And how do you plan to do that?”

“By proving to you just how much I love you each day for the rest of my life.”

“Y-you love me?” she stammered, her eyes searching his.

“Yes, and I think everyone but you already knew that.” He snorted. “Even your father.”

“My father?”

Simon nodded. “I spoke to him an hour ago.”

“You did?” Her shock made the uncomfortable conversation with Mr. Hughes worth every second. “That’s why Seth called me Henny.”

Cringing, Simon nodded. “My apologies. I’ll set him right when we get back into the carriage.”

“Thank you for asking him,” she said softly.

“You don’t need to thank me. I did it because I wanted to get his blessing to ask to marry you.” A smile pulled on his lips. “Which I still haven’t done,” he mused. “Seth declared my intentions with his grand announcement then when I went to ask, you said no before I finished.”

Rae lowered her lashes and brought her arms up around him. “I’m sorry about that,” she whispered. “I wasn’t ready then. But—” she met his eyes again— “I think if you ask again, you’ll hear a different answer.

22

Rae stared at Simon, the man never ceased to stun her.

“You have to leave today?” she asked the next morning in disbelief.

Simon nodded once. “Seth’s mama doesn’t know he’s come on this adventure, and I need to have him back by tomorrow when she and Giles are expecting his return.”

Rae was torn between laughing and crying. Instead, she grinned and was touched. Knowing Simon had been desperate enough to come see her with such a small window of opportunity, made his visit that much more romantic.

“Before you go, we need to discuss a few wedding details,” Juliet said. She walked over to the little oak secretary in the corner of the room and withdrew a quill, a little stack of paper, and a calendar. “First thing we need to settle on is a date.”

Rae ground her teeth. “How about Scotland on Wednesday?” she suggested airily.

“Perfect,” Simon said at the same time Juliet said, “Absolutely not.”

Juliet narrowed her eyes on the pair of them sitting on the settee. “You two will not be making a trip to Gretna Green.”

“And are you planning to tie us to our beds to ensure we don’t?” Rae asked her sister.

Juliet smiled smugly. “Never underestimate the will of an older sister.”

Despite herself, Rae laughed. Juliet would never admit such, but planning Rae’s wedding was just as much for Juliet as it was for Rae. Juliet hadn’t had a word of input about anything from the date she married…or who she married.

“All right, we will get married here,” Rae allowed.

Juliet’s face brightened. “Thank you,” she said. “I wasn’t sure if you’d want to marry here, but I am honored.”

Rae didn’t know why Juliet would think she wouldn’t want to have her wedding at Juliet’s home, but she couldn’t think of anywhere else she’d rather have it.

“Now for a date,” Juliet chirped.

“It takes two weeks to cry the Banns,” Drake reminded them.

Juliet started. “Two weeks isn’t enough time to plan the wedding of the Season. How about next April.”

“Next April,” both Rae and Simon said in unison. It was bad enough that Simon would