Authors: Erica Ridley

All I Want (4 page)

BOOK: All I Want

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She shook her head. “I shan’t put you to any trouble. I’ve a carriage out front, and—”

“Sit.” He pushed her onto one of two battered stools flanking a scarred wooden table. “I learned to simmer broth and boil potatoes at my mother’s knee, but I learned to
cook
in France.” He stoked the fire beneath the stove, then shot her a mischievous grin. “I also learned ribald drinking songs, but I’m guessing you would appreciate the food more.”

She stared in disbelief as he chopped and diced seemingly at random, tossing handfuls of ingredients into a sizzling skillet until the resulting aroma made her mouth water and her stomach clench in anticipation of a delicious meal.

It didn’t disappoint.

“Anyone would hire you as a chef,” she said once she’d eaten the last bite.

He wrinkled his nose. “Chefs don’t get invited to nearly as many dinner parties as soldiers do.”

She grinned despite herself. “A salient point.”

He cleared the table and submerged the dishes into a basin to soak. “Ready for the last room?”

She nodded and allowed him to help her down off the stool.

He curled her fingers back on his arm—odd how much they felt like they belonged there—and led her into the corridor toward the final doorway. Like the other chambers, the door was closed tight. But unlike the others, he made no move to open it.

He turned to face her, his expression serious and his eyes unreadable. She had to force herself not to babble to fill the heavy silence. He took her hands in his, then dropped them just as quickly. She held her breath and waited.

“Lady Matilda…” He shoved his hands in his pockets for the briefest of seconds before reaching forward to take her hands once more. “Before I left, I called upon your cousin.”

She nodded. “I know. You broke his nose.”

“Yes, well, I…” Owen gripped her fingers harder. “What you don’t know is
why
. I didn’t drop by that day to fight with Addington. I came to ask for your hand. In marriage.”

She nodded again. “I know. He told me.”

“But then Addington said—What?” Owen dropped her hands in disbelief. “He told you I wanted to marry you?”

She folded her arms across her chest. “We’re cousins. He keeps no secrets from me. That night, he sat me down and explained that any man who asked for my hand was actually asking for my money. He said a smart woman would exploit her wealth in exchange for the highest title her dowry could buy.”

Owen’s jaw dropped. “That’s exactly what that halfwit said to
me
. That’s why I punched him.”

“But he’s right.” Matilda’s voice was flat. “Every suitor I’ve ever had has been in want of more coin. They’ve made no attempt to hide it.”

Owen grabbed her upper arms. “That doesn’t mean it’s the sole reason they court you.”

Of course it was. But she lifted a shoulder and tried to hide how much the truth had always hurt. “What other reason is there?”

“Love, for one.” He cupped her cheek. “Passion, for another.”

He drew the pad of his thumb over her lower lip and she shivered. “P-passion for me?”

“Only for you.” He slid his fingers into her hair, his strong hands cradling her face. He lowered his lips until they touched just beside hers. “I’ve wanted you from before I even knew what that meant. I’ve spent years dreaming of you every night. Imagining your touch on my skin. Your lips beneath mine. Our bodies locked together.”

She gasped. Or possibly panted. Her insides had melted and she had to grip him tight just to stay upright. She leaned closer.

His lower lip was now low enough to graze the edge of her jaw as he spoke. “Lady Matilda, if you don’t strike me across the face right this second, I’m going to kiss you senseless.”

She gripped his waistcoat. “It’s about bloody time.”

Desire flashed hot in his eyes and then his mouth was finally on hers.

Molten heat streaked inside her as his lips parted hers. His soft kisses became harder and more insistent as her body cleaved to his.

His fingers sank deep into her hair as he held her to him. He suckled her lower lip and then swept his tongue inside her mouth to claim her as his own.

She tightened her grip on his hips and yanked him closer. She loved the feel of his hands in her hair, his mouth mating with hers, the hardness of his body flush against her belly. She loved
him
.

They stumbled backward until her shoulders hit solid wood. A door. The fourth room. One which ideally contained a bed, and if not, at least a floor. Without lifting her mouth from his, she reached behind her back for the handle and twisted it open.

The door flew inward. They would have toppled over, had Owen not caught her at the last second and swung her upright. His eyes were no longer clouded with passion. He looked… embarrassed?

Reluctantly, she pulled out of his embrace and glanced about. Her mouth fell open in surprise.

Two lonesome wingback chairs constituted the entirety of the room’s furniture. But the walls—the walls! Custom floor-to-ceiling pine bookshelves lined every inch of the room. They were empty, save for a handful of books lying in the far corner.

She walked the perimeter in awe, pausing when she reached the small pile of books. One was
The Old English Baron
, the last book she’d loaned him before his disappearance. The second was her favorite out of all Ann Radcliffe’s novels. The third was a well-worn book of French poetry. She clutched all three to her chest, then spun to face him.

“Did you do this?” she demanded, unable to tear her eyes from his. “Did you build a library?”

He nodded hesitantly. “I knew you wouldn’t accept anyone who wouldn’t open his arms to your books as well as you. They’re just as big a part of you as… as
you
are. That’s why I was in the gaming parlor, risking my last penny. How could I offer you an empty library? I thought, maybe if I stocked it full of the things you loved best… If I came to
you
with a dowry, something you couldn’t resist…”

The room seemed to disappear. All she saw was him.
He loved her
. Or at least, he had. Once. Her breath hitched and her legs wobbled. She tried to smile. “We never played our last hand.”

“I want no games between us.” Owen stepped forward, a determined set to his jaw. “We can throw the wagers in the fire, or we can open them together.”

“Together.” She linked her arm through his so that she stood by his side. Where she intended to be for the rest of her life. But whatever he’d written, he’d written before he’d known how she felt about him. How would she live with herself if he wanted nothing more than to have his cottage back? If he’d rather head off to war than face a future with her? She took a deep breath. Her legs remained unsteady. “Ready?”

He nodded.

They broke the seals together. The parchment unfolded. Her throat clogged when she read the same five words printed on both scraps of paper:

ALL I WANT IS YOU.

And so it was.

~ The End ~

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Acknowledgments

Enormous thanks go to Janice Goodfellow, without whom this book would never have come to life, and to Sylvia Day and Romance Writers of America for selecting this story for the
Premiere
anthology.

I also want to thank my incredible street team (the Light-Skirts Brigade rocks!!) and all the readers in the Dukes of War facebook group. Your enthusiasm makes the romance happen.

Thank you so much!

About the Author

Erica Ridley is a
USA Today
and
New York Times
best-selling author of historical romance novels. Her latest series,
The Dukes of War
, features roguish peers and dashing war heroes who return from battle only to be thrust into the splendor and madness of Regency England.

In her new series,
Rogues to Riches
, Cinderella stories aren’t just for princesses… Loveable rogues sweep five strong-willed ladies into a whirlwind rags-to-riches romance with rollicking adventure.

When not reading or writing romances, Erica can be found riding camels in Africa, zip-lining through rainforests in Central America, or getting hopelessly lost in the middle of Budapest.

For more information, please visit
ericaridley.com
.

Let’s be friends! Find Erica on:

www.EricaRidley.com
facebook.com/EricaRidley
twitter.com/EricaRidley
instagram.com/EricaRidley

Thank You For Reading

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In order, the Rogues to Riches books are:

Lord of Chance

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