Princes of Charming (16 page)

"Caught you," he said.

"It
is
twelve," she pointed out. She knew she wouldn't get away with it, but to give in was not in her nature.

He looked down at the watch and smiled. "So it is. Midnight. The witching hour."

But when she moved to shut the case, he took it from her chilled hand.

"Why did you keep it all these years?"

She wanted to lie, make up some story. Instead her tongue betrayed her. "It was a part of you. The only thing a girl like me could have."

Reaching out, he swept a flake of snow from the tip of her nose. "A girl like you."Catching her breath, she managed a tight, "Are you going to have me arrested?"

His lips twitched. "Haven't decided."

"You're going to blackmail me again."

"Hmmm. There's a thought."

Slowly he leaned down until his lips were almost upon hers.

"Unless you agree to
my
terms, Dru."

She felt dizzy with the snow whirling around them, the midnight toll still ringing in her ears.

"Kiss me," he added. "And come live with me."

She tasted his lips as they gently brushed over hers.

"And, if you can bring yourself to fall in love with me, I'd like you to be my wife."

Drusilla Kent didn't think she was that capable of being surprised anymore. But she was, evidently. "Your
wife
?"

"You didn't give me the chance before to explain. You seemed to assume I wanted a mistress." He kissed her very lightly, his hands on her arms, holding her close under the street lamp.

"Naturally." The word rushed out on a hurried exhale. Excitement and fear battled over her practical common sense. "A man like you—I didn't suppose you were the marrying kind."

"Neither did I," he agreed with a rueful grin that tugged on her heartstrings. "Until you sat down to tea, ripped off your gloves and set me straight about a few things." Again he kissed her, harder this time, slower, drinking up the melting flakes of snow that had landed on her lips. "So you'd better marry me, Dru. A girl like you and a man like me. What else can we do?"

She couldn't prevent a giddy laugh bubbling out of her. "You are quite mad."

"I know, but I'll be safe with you. You'll keep me in line. Mrs. Wilder. Princess of Charming."

It was true, she thought, lifting on tip toe to return his kiss. He needed her. They needed each other.

Really, at her age, she ought to be beyond waiting for a happily ever after. But perhaps it was never too late after all.

Epilogue

As they came out of church, under a shower of rice and well-wishes, the groom turned to find her and groaned. "Bloody Hell. I just realized—I'm going to have a step-mother."

Drusilla laughed merrily at his expression. Following behind the newlyweds, she was holding Polly's ivory, fur-trimmed bridal train out of the melting snow.

"Yes, you will, so you watch your tongue," Brandon exclaimed as he came behind, walking with Elinor Charming. Passing close to Dru he whispered in her ear, "A very wicked step-mother."

From guttersnipe to Princess. It was quite a rags to riches fairytale, wasn't it?

The End

Other Books by Georgia Fox:

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