The Case of the Season

Chapter Eighteen

"And you couldn't come up with anything at all?"

"I came up with one reason."

Her brow furrowed. "What was it?"

"I worried that one day you might truly fall in love, and that being married to me would deprive you of the man you really wanted."

"Sherlock." She tenderly ran her fingers through his hair as she beamed at him. "You are a far sweeter man than anyone gives you credit for." She kissed his forehead. "I love only you," she assured him.

"I know that now," he agreed softly. "I love only you as well." He paused, then shrugged. "My brother, however, is going to despise you. He hates when women think for themselves."

"I'm surprised he gave you permission to marry me at all."

"He remembered that you are a countess, which I hadn't even known. And that you have an estate. Your connection to the Bridgertons helped as well, of course. But there's a reason I didn't introduce you before the wedding."

She laughed. "I promise to behave until we're wed and he can do nothing about it."

He shook his head at her. "It's not that. I didn't introduce you because I didn't want you to call the whole thing off because you couldn't stand him."

She giggled and kissed him again. "You're never getting rid of me, Sherlock Holmes."

"I hope not, Robin."

She stared up at him uncertainly. "My family is no great prize, either," she reminded him.

"Nonsense," he argued. "Your aunt and her children are actually rather delightful. I look forward to meeting your surrogate parents. I will deal with your father when I have to, but otherwise, I will put him from my mind."

She hugged him fiercely, burying her face in his chest. He understood her more than anyone ever had.

His heart was pounding. "You have taught me so much, Robin, and awakened so much in me. I never thought I would want a life companion, much less fall in love with one. I cannot thank you enough, so I will do everything in my power to keep you happy and take care of you."

"I am happy, Sherlock. I swear it."

She peeked back up at him and he tilted his head. "But?" he prodded her.

"You asked me about physical affection not long ago."

"Ah. And you want to know where we stand?" She nodded, and he nodded back. "I'd like to know that too."

After a moment of silence, he continued. "I imagined being with you the night after I asked. Like a husband would be with his wife. I found it... extremely pleasurable to think of you in that manner."

"I imagined the same thing."

He took a deep breath and shifted underneath her. "Did you... touch yourself?"

The way she gasped and bit her lip, the way she tensed in his lap, and the deep blush that spread over her cheeks told him the answer before she did.

But she deflected. "Why did you think about pleasure at all?" she whispered. "I thought you didn't want it, like we discussed."

"I find you to be the one exception to that rule," he informed her. "Perhaps it is merely because you are the only woman I've ever desired. I can't say for sure, of course."

She grinned at him. "Perhaps more investigation is in order?" she suggested slyly.

"Now that's not fair," he chastised her. "Using investigation against me."