LITMIR.BIZ

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depths of his eyes—a deep feeling of peace washed over her.

      The ceremony itself was over quickly, and when the priest introduced them as husband and wife, the guests cheered.

      Photographs seemed to take forever, and by the time they were escorted to the ballroom, the reception was already in full swing. Dinner was served shortly after, then they covered all of the formalities like the cutting of the cake and the first dance.

      Her mother was her usual clingy self, and beginning to get on Hannah’s nerves, until Sophie swooped in and whisked her away to meet some foreign dignitary.

      As lovely as the party was, as much as she enjoyed seeing her friends and family, not to mention hobnobbing with the worlds elite, she couldn’t seem to stop thinking about after the party. When she and Phillip would finally be alone, and free to do whatever they wanted.

      She realized that Phillip was thinking the exact same thing when he stepped up beside her and asked, “How soon before we can leave?”

      “At eleven o’clock we’re to bid everyone farewell, so we can prepare to leave for our honeymoon.” Even though there wasn’t all that much preparing to do. Her maids had already packed her bags, and she was sure Phillip’s had done the same.

      She couldn’t help but think that the instant they left, every single guest was going to know exactly what they were planning to do.

      He pulled a pocket watch from his jacket and flipped it open. “It’s ten-fifteen.”

      “So we should make the rounds one last time, say our goodbyes and thank-yous.”

      He took her arm. “That sounds like an excellent idea.”

      They went from group to group, thanking everyone for sharing their special day, hearing more congratulations and good wishes than she could count. There were even a few inquiries of how she felt now that she was officially queen.

      “Honored,” was her stock answer. Also terrified and unsure, but she didn’t tell anyone that.

      It was five minutes to eleven o’clock and they were saying good-night to the prime minister and his wife, when Hannah had a familiar and unsettling sensation she was being watched. She scanned the room briefly and when she reached the dessert table, her eyes caught on the source.

      The dark-haired mystery woman.

      She was staring intently at Hannah, this time with open hostility.

      What could Hannah have done to a woman she had never even met, to earn such a look?

      She wanted to point her out to Phillip, but he was in the middle of a conversation and she didn’t want to appear rude by interrupting him. When she turned to look at the woman again, she was gone.

      Hannah looked around frantically, trying to locate her, but it was as if she’d vanished. Like the last time, she even entertained the notion that she’d imagined her.

      “Is something wrong?” Phillip asked.

      She looked up to see that he was watching her with concern. She considered telling him about the woman, but what good would it do, now that she was gone? She smiled instead and said, “I’m fine. Just looking for my mother so I can say goodbye.”

      “Let’s go find her so we can get out of here.”

      Hannah was sure the woman was no one, and she had nothing to be concerned about. So far her wedding day had been perfect, and she wasn’t going to let anything ruin it.

      Still, somewhere deep down, she couldn’t help feeling the slightest twinge of something unpleasant. A foreshadow of something to come.

      It was 11:15 p.m. by the time Phillip walked Hannah to her suite. He left to change out of his uniform while she went inside where her maids were waiting to help her out of her gown. To unfasten the row of miniscule buttons up the back.

      It seemed to take forever, but finally she was free. She dismissed them immediately, so she’d have time to see to all the preparations she had been planning.

      She took the box down from her closet, the one she had been saving for this day, and from inside of it pulled out the pure-white, silk-and-lace nightgown. She slipped it on and it dripped over her body like liquid, conforming to every curve.

      Since Phillip liked her hair down, she fished out the pins then brushed out all the gel and hairspray until it lay shiny and soft against her shoulders. She dabbed a touch of perfume behind her ears and along her collarbone.

      As Hannah asked, Elizabeth had decorated the bedroom with white candles. Dozens of them on every possible flat surface, all lit. When she turned out the lights, the effect was exactly what she had hoped for. Soft, flickering light.

      The maids had turned the bed down and left two perfect red rosebuds, one on each pillow. A bottle of champagne chilled in a stand by the dresser.

      It was exactly as she’d imagined.

      “You’ve been busy,” Phillip said.

      She jolted with surprise and spun around. He stood, leaning in the bedroom doorway, watching her. He wore slacks and a long-sleeved silk shirt that was untucked and lay open. His skin looked warm and golden in the candlelight.

      She felt absolutely naked in the scant gown, but she resisted the urge to cover herself. She didn’t want him to know how nervous she was. “I didn’t hear you knock.”

      “That’s because I didn’t. I thought you wouldn’t mind, now that we’re married.” He walked toward her, a hungry look in his eyes as they raked over her. “It would seem that I’m overdressed.”

      The shirt slipped off his shoulders, down his arms and landed on the floor. The candles were supposed to make her look good, but, oh my goodness, he was beautiful.

      He didn’t stop until he was standing right in front of her. She just hoped he didn’t notice the thud of her heart, the way her hands trembled. She didn’t want him to know how nervous she felt.

      He reached up and touched the lacey edge of the gown where it rested on the swell of her breast. “This is nice.”

      She swallowed hard, willing herself to relax.

      “Nervous?” he asked.

      “No,” she said, but it came out as more of a squeak than an actual word. She cleared her throat and amended her answer to, “Maybe a little. Are you?”

      He grinned and shook his head.

      Of course he wasn’t. Unlike her, he had done this before.

      He leaned down, kissed her bare shoulder, his lips soft, his breath warm on her skin. “You smell good,” he said.

      So did he. She loved the way he smelled, the way he felt, yet she couldn’t seem to make herself touch him.

      Why was she so afraid? It wasn’t as though she had never touched him before. But for some reason this time was different. Maybe because she knew what the end result would be.

      His hands settled on her hips, large and steady, and she couldn’t help it when she tensed.

      “Relax, Hannah.”

      She took a deep breath and blew it out.

      “I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do. This is my first time.”

      Rather than act disappointed, he smiled. Not condescending either. This was a smile of pure affection. “Just do what comes naturally. Act on your instincts.”

      That was the problem. Her instincts seemed to have lost their voice.

      “You could start by touching me.” He took her hand in his and pressed it flat against his chest. It felt so solid under her palm, his skin hot to the touch.

      He tugged her closer, nuzzling the hollow behind her ear. It felt amazing, better than amazing.

      He nipped

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