Her throat constricted, and it was a moment before she could speak. “So your grandmother was playing matchmaker when she deterred me from Lord Gregory. She was trying to drive me to you.”

“If that’s true, she did an exceptionally poor job of it,” he said with a laugh. “Did she say anything to encourage you to reconsider my suit?”

“I suppose not, but she didn’t really need to. And she was wrong anyway—Lord Gregory is more than suitable, and he’ll make someone a fine husband. Just not me. He is not the man of my dreams, and someone I respect and admire once told me I shouldn’t settle for less than that.”

“You’ve decided what the man of your dreams should be?”

“He’s the man who’s made all my dreams come true. Dreams I didn’t even know I had. I thought I wanted freedom—and I did. I didn’t want to feel trapped and alone like my mother did. Cassandra once said to me that a marriage with love was the best freedom a woman could hope for. I think she might be right.”

He drew her into his arms, pulling her deeper into the shadows. “If you aren’t talking about me, say so now.” His lips hovered over hers.

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Of course, it’s you. It’s only ever been you.”

Their lips met, tongues and teeth clashing as they kissed with a new and desperate abandon. Nothing stood between them now, just clothing and a rather inconvenient location.

She pulled her mouth from his. “This is where I kissed you the first time.”

He glanced around briefly and grinned. “So it is. I may have a plaque placed on this very spot.”

Giggling as he kissed her jaw and neck, she asked, “What would it say?”

“Don’t get caught.”

He devoured her laugh with another kiss, turning her body until he pushed her up against the door in the wall. Yes, exactly the spot. She thrust her hands into his hair as he kissed down her neck and licked along the rise of her breast above her neckline.

“Should we go back inside?” she asked between rasping breaths.

“Where inside?” His voice was low, dusky, and made her want to beg him to kneel down between her legs and repeat what he’d done to her last night.

“To the ball.” She gasped as he cupped her breast, pushing it up as he suckled her flesh.

“I suppose we should, but there is a bedroom—a few, actually—on the second floor of the men’s side. Or we could wait until we get home…” He kissed up to the hollow of her throat, making her body quiver until she wanted to whimper.

“Except your grandmother is there,” she managed.

“Bollocks.”

She reached inside his coat and pulled him against her as she licked the edge of his ear and whispered, “Upstairs it is.”

His hand moved behind her, and the door gave way. He didn’t let her fall, holding her close against him as he propelled them into the other garden. Closing the door swiftly, he set the latch before taking her into his arms again and kissing her thoroughly.