Erica Ridley

She would've made an excellent pirate.

A footman approached bearing a tray of sparkling wine. Lord Sheffield motioned the footman away before he could offer them a glass of champagne. __orgive me,_ he murmured in Amelia__ ear. __ cannot wait another moment to have you in my arms.

Every morning," he said softly, his breath caressing her cheek. "You were my only thought." He tilted closer. "Every night, you were my only thought." His lips brushed her cheekbone. "Every moment of every day, you were my only thought.

She lifted her chin and glared at him. __f you had but asked, I would__e informed you that I do not attend masquerades._ __hat is precisely why I didn__ ask.

I do consider it my responsibility to know everything there is to know about anything that could be considered my domain. I believe I am quite adept at the management of people and events._ His green eyes twinkled. __ou__e certainly managed me since the day I was born._ __ was but three years old when you were born,_ she protested. __ didn__ start managing you for at least another year.

Have you considered__etween now and any future leg-shackling, that is__he possibility of spending some time not running things?_ __h, I do,_ she said earnestly. __wice daily! I try very hard not to run things in my sleep, nor whilst cleaning my teeth. Far too difficult to bark orders with tooth powder in one__ mouth.

As a lady of clocklike precision yourself, you may appreciate my schedule. I have kept strictly to it every day for the past decade. From eight in the morning to eight in the evening, I devote myself to my duties. Then from eight in the evening to eight in the morning, I . . . do . . . not.

He leaned back. __hat, may I ask, is the nature of our business?_ She inclined her head. __ust so. It came to my attention earlier today that you had canceled the seventy-fifth annual Christmas Eve ball. I would have called upon you immediately, but I__ afraid a prior engagement tied my hands until this very moment._ He tried to make sense of her words. She was apologizing for not descending upon him more promptly for a meeting he__ never in his wildest dreams anticipated?

My butler informs me you had a book on your person when you came to call._ She did not look up. __is vision is excellent, my lord._ __as it your journal?_ he pressed. He wondered if she kept a diary as well . . . and what she might write about him. He hoped something scandalous. He__ love to make it come true.

Lord Sheffield tucked a stray tendril behind her ear and cupped her cheek in one hand. __o you see a kissing ball anywhere?_ __-no._ She darted a quick glance about the room. It was decorated as a Venetian masquerade, not as a Christmastide celebration. There was no holly to be found. __hy do you ask?_ __ecause I don__ want you to think I have any reason for doing this other than because I wish to.

I've come to seduce you." His pupils dilated as his gaze heated. She smiled. He hadn't been surprised at her presence, but he'd been very surprised at the reason. He held up a palm. "By all means.

I may be dead inside, but I'm more than alive enough for you." He gripped her chin and covered her mouth with his.

The point is, people have been having babies for thousands of years. There will be frightening moments and exhausting moments, but more than anything---" "--- there will just be love.

He tasted like Edmund, smelled like Edmund, felt like second chances. He kissed her as if she were as indispensable as air. As though his every heartbeat belonged as much to her as it did to him.

She turned to him with wide, shocked eyes. "Why did he..." His lips twitched. No coarse language in front of the infants limited the ability to discuss the fountain of baby piss that had just arced halfway across the room. "Twasn't you, darling. It's one of their favorite bath-time games. "Something about the cool air on their naked...berries," he substituted at the last second.... "Do I have piddle in my hair?" she whispered, her eyes sparkling with laughter above her flushed cheeks. "Not much," he assured her with a straight face. "You look almost becoming."... "Decades from now, when our children ask how I fell in love with their mother, I'll say 'twas her sweet, gentle compliments during bath-time, and her fleetness of foot whilst dodging a flow of ---

Be thankful all she did was raise her voice," Mr. Blackpool told Sarah conspiratorially. "During the ride to London, I had to talk her out of scaling up the townhouse walls, should the door go unanswered." She had to hide her smile at the image of flamboyant Mrs. Blackpool climbing row houses like a circus monkey. "We are fortunate indeed that such measures did not prove necessary.

Can't sleep?" he murmured, the corners of his eyes crinkling. She blushed, but held his gaze. "Don't wish to sleep." "Mmm. I can help with that."... "Do you have anything particular in mind?" "Everything.

Masquerades are frivolous, scandalous__ __candalous?_ __eople in costume lose their minds completely. The __adies,_ if there are any, have been known to be free with their favors and dampen their gowns to make them more transparent__ __ did bring a bowl of water, in case you wished to blend with the masses.