Scandal (38 page)

"And the whole world knows you are helplessly in love with me, totally in my thrall, and completely at my mercy." He untied the knot in his white cravat as he started back across the room.

"It seems a fair enough arrangement to me."

"What the whole world will no doubt determine soon enough," Simon said as he eased the length of silk from around his throat, "is that I am just as much in love with you as you are with me."

"Does that possibility worry you, my lord?"

He came to a halt in front of her, the white silk cravat dangling from his fingers. "Not in the slightest."

"Simon? What are you going to do with that cravat?" Emily asked.

He draped it sensuously around her throat. "The same thing I did with it the last time we made love here in the library."

"Really?" Then her eyes widened. " Tis the middle of the day, my lord."

"Never too early to be cast adrift on love's transcendent, golden shore, my sweet." He scooped her up in his arms and carried her over to one of the huge satin pillows.

He settled her on the gold cushion and came down beside her. She smiled at him, her love blazing in her beautiful eyes.

And when she was wearing nothing at all except the strip of white silk, she went into his arms the way she always did—with a joyous, loving passion that was strong enough to last a lifetime.

Out of the corner of his eye, Simon saw one of the jeweled dragons grinning at him. The earl laughed and the laughter became dragon's music and it filled the house.