Haunted Hearts

20

After Rufus had Elphi in only her chemise and bloomers, he glanced around the room searching for Percy, Fitz, and Bradford before she dropped the corset to the floor and turned to him.

The three ghosts hadn't been around much since their outing to Kernwith Hold, though whether it was from witnessing his kiss with Elphi or the conversation in the carriage that they'd taken a significant interest in, he wasn't sure.

But what he did know was that he'd enjoyed having Elphi more to himself and dreaded the thought that they might materialize at an inopportune moment should this be heading where it seemed to be.

Rufus swallowed, and his hands rose and cradled Elphi's face of their own volition. Threat of ghostly interruptions or not, how could he be expected to stand near the woman he was falling more in love with every minute and not touch or hold her?

But he wasn't falling in love with her; he silently corrected himself. He'd already been three-quarters of the way there before ever laying eyes on her the day of Lady Sanham's séance.

His heart pounded, beating a now-familiar chaotic rhythm against his ribs when Elphi's hands lifted with agonizing slowness to rest lightly on his chest.

"I'm feeling very underdressed compared to you, husband," she whispered, smiling as she tugged at the lapels of his jacket.

"I shall rectify that immediately, wife," He chuckled and all but tore the damned thing off, then tossed it aside without caring where it landed. His necktie, socks, and boots were next, followed by his trousers.

Standing before Elphi in his shirt and drawers, which he'd kept on to show he was fair-minded since she also wore two garments, Rufus held her gaze, and the air changed, igniting into something that was tangibly thick with desire. "Better?"

She swallowed convulsively and nodded.

Closing the short distance he'd inadvertently put between them while undressing, Rufus cradled the back of her head with one hand and allowed his other to drift to the base of her throat. Her pulse fluttered beneath his touch, and his heart thumped in answer.

Elphi's hands drifted to his waist and slipped beneath his shirt in search of the bare flesh of his torso. The muscles clenched involuntarily beneath her palms. Holding her gaze, Rufus lowered his head, watching with bated breath until their lips met in an unhurried exploration that thrilled and tortured his senses.

A soft mewling sound escaped Elphi, and she clutched at his waist, making his heart kick against his ribs. Emotions flooded his entire being when her mouth melded perfectly with his, and passion flared to life between them.

Rufus pulled her closer with one arm around her waist, and his left moved to cup her jaw, angling her mouth to fit more perfectly against his and allow him to drink deeply of her lips.

He then hauled Elphi into his arms and carried her to their bed, only breaking their heated kiss to douse the lamp and close the curtains around the bed to deter any ghosts from interrupting.

Elphi floated through the following three days, feeling like her world was bursting with sunshine and happiness. Colors seemed brighter, flowers were more fragrant, and all her other senses were more alive than they'd been in years. Possibly her entire life.

It was thrilling. And terrifying.

And it was only made bearable because Rufus seemed to be suffering a similar affliction—which she wouldn't have known had Roderick not pointed it out after arriving unannounced and joining them for lunch.

Memories of the passionate nights and mornings she'd shared with her husband filled her mind, and the fork fell from her hand, snapping her back to the present when it clattered against her plate.