He closed the door and slowly approached her. Shoving his hands in his trouser pockets, he tried to slow his pounding heartbeat. “You know I used to hide out here during the summers. That house, Mads . . .” Grimacing, he gestured behind them to the cottage. “It holds no pleasant memories. None at all. I was miserable there. But here, I was free. I used to lie in the closed carriage or up in the loft, anywhere I couldn’t be seen. Do you know what I used to think about when I was here?”
A crease formed between her brows. “No.”
“You. I went over every word you uttered, every smile you bestowed. I imagined what our future might look like, if we were together. I wondered if you could ever want me as much as I wanted you. And do you want to know what else?”
Her eyes were wide and steady. “What?”
Stepping forward, he took her hand and threaded their fingers together. “I thought about kissing you.”
“Really?”
“All the time. So it seemed fitting to bring you here tonight in the hopes of sharing our first kiss as man and wife.”
“You kissed me after the wedding ceremony.”
He shook his head. “That was not a kiss. I mean a proper kiss, one that will steal your breath and soak your drawers.”
She gave a startled laugh. “I see.” Then her head cocked to the side as she studied him. “You wanted me, even then?”
“I did.” He lifted his free hand and placed it on her cheek. “I still do.”
“You are making it very hard to stay mad at you.”
“Then you had best brace yourself for what I am about to say next.” His thumb stroked the soft skin of her face. “I came to Newport for you. I never had any interest in those other women. The house party was a ruse just to be close to you.”
Her jaw fell open. “You are joking.”
“Not even a little. From the moment I heard you hadn’t married, I decided I would beg, borrow and steal to win you. Fate had handed me one more chance and I was not going to waste it this time.”
“What do you mean, this time?”
“That I wasn’t going to give up so easily.”
“You are the most confusing and infuriating man, Harrison Archer.”
“At least I’ll never bore you.”
She put a hand on his shoulder, putting space between them. “Wait, you asked me to host a house party for you, to invite my unmatched friends, merely as a way to spend time with me?” She asked the question flatly, without a hint of emotion, and he wondered if he’d erred by telling her.
You had to tell her. Lies merely breed more lies.
“Yes.”
Understanding dawned on her face. “Nellie insisted you had no interest in any of the other women. And this explains why Katherine never returned to the gazebo.”
“Your friends told you?”
“Not all of them.” She fingered one of his collar studs absently, but he was very aware of her touch, each tiny movement sending waves of heat through his veins. He held perfectly still, desperate for the innocent fondling to continue. She shook her head. “I cannot decide whether to be angry or flattered.”
“I am hoping the latter, obviously, but I probably deserve the anger, too. You went to a lot of trouble on my account.”
“Yes, I did, and all of my friends attended in good faith.” She paused. “What if it hadn’t succeeded with me? Would you have pursued one of those other women?”
The answer came swiftly. “Absolutely not.”
“So you would have let your mother cut you off?”
“I don’t wish to discuss my mother—now or ever.” He pushed a lock of silken hair behind her ear. “Just know that this right here was all that mattered—you and me, together.”
She softened, warmth darkening the emerald of her eyes to more of a moss green, and she slid her arms around his shoulders. He held his breath, not wanting to push her, letting her take the lead. For now.
She toyed with the hair at his nape. “I have so many questions. My head is spinning.”
“I’ll address all of them in due time, I promise.” He slid his hands onto her hips. “And I’d like to think more than questions are making your head spin.”
She licked her lips, her chest rising and falling more rapidly, their hips almost touching. “You owe my friends an apology.”
He stared at her mouth. Those full, wet lips were begging to be kissed, to cushion his mouth as he told her without words all that she meant to him. “I’ll send them each dozens of flowers if it means you’ll forgive me.”
“That will be a start. And you owe Lockwood an apology, as well. He did not deserve to be humiliated like this. I will find my own way to make amends to him, and you must do the same.”
“I will, I promise.” He arched a brow at her. “Does that mean we may proceed with more interesting pursuits?”
“Like kissing?”
“That will be a start,” he echoed. Bending closer, he lowered his voice. “Kiss me, please, Maddie. Make that young boy’s dreams come true.”
“I’d rather make the man’s fantasies come true.”
Lust streaked along his spine and settled in his groin. “Are you certain? Because the man has quite a number of fantasies and some are shockingly creative.”
“You should know by now that I am always up for a challenge.”
Goddamn, he loved this woman.
He pulled her close, leaving just a sliver of space between their bodies. “Then we best get started.”
Maddie held on, her mind reeling from Harrison’s proximity and words. She knew she should be furious that the house party had been a ruse—and she was definitely angry on behalf of her friends, who’d attended in good faith—but part of her was flattered.
I decided I would beg, borrow and steal to win you.
She wasn’t used to this ruthless, ambitious version of Harrison Archer. But at least that explained why he’d pushed her, why he hadn’t liked Lockwood.
Unfortunately, the lust crawling over her skin was scrambling her reason, dulling the questions she knew she should be asking. Numbing the anger and masking the bewilderment. Everything faded as Harrison continued to stare down at her.
It was a face she knew well, from the tiny lines around his eyes to the way his hair curled near his collar. But this was new between them, new and thrilling. She never dreamed he’d stare at her with such fierce longing and intense devotion, as if she was absolutely everything.
Just know that this right here was all that mattered—you and me, together.
Answers and apologies could wait.
“I don’t want to rush you.” He searched her eyes, his fingers tightening on her hips ever so slightly, as if he struggled to hold on to his self-control. “Would you like champagne first?”
She thought back to the changing room, to the gazebo, where the connection between them had proven untamed and irrefutable. Every part of her craved that wildness, the passionate frenzy she’d experienced only with him. “Champagne can wait.”
She rose up on her toes and closed the distance between them, her mouth meeting his in a less-than-perfect effort. He didn’t seem to notice, though, and instantly moved to meld his lips with hers. His mouth was coaxing and gentle but he gave no respite, stealing her breath and her wits. Soon she was dizzy and desperate, her fingertips digging into his scalp to hold on.