"Why?"
Uncomfortable under her shining gaze, he turned away, bracing his hand on the mantel and peering down into the flames. "You were right when you accused me of refilling my coffers at the expense of others. For some it is just gaming. Good fun. But for others-like your father-they are suffering an illness. And, as you pointed out, I was taking advantage of that. Once I admitted that to myself, I found I could no longer pretend I wasn't harming anyone."
"So you paid off my father's debts?"
He shrugged as if it were of no real consequence; then a smile tugged at his lips as he admitted, "I managed to save his reputation, I think. I gave a rather clever explanation as to why I was paying all your father's debts." Before she could question him on that, he added, "I also told them that he was not to be allowed inside the gaming halls anymore."
"And they agreed to this?"
His expression turned wry at her obvious surprise. "I do have some influence around town. Most everyone owes me money." He scuffed at the corner of the rug before the fire with his boot, then added, "And then I sold Ballard's."
Prudence leaned forward in her seat. "You what?"
"Well, it shan't be Ballard's much longer. The new owner is renaming it." Sticking his hands in the pockets of his coat, he shrugged again. "I am looking into other ventures. I already have several I may invest in." He turned back to the fire. "Would I be right in supposing that your father is now grumpy as hell, but at home and sober?"
"Aye." When she fell silent, he glanced over his shoulder to see her biting her lip uncertainly, her gaze sliding around the warm and cozy room they were in. Then she heaved a little sigh, straightened her shoulders in a habit he was coming to recognize, and faced him to ask. "Did you do this because you felt guilty?"
Stephen considered her question solemnly as he turned his back to the fireplace. "That may have influenced me; however, I have considered getting out of the business for a while. As for paying your father's debts, that I did for you. I could hardly let the woman I love end up in debtor's prison for Christmas."
"Love?" She looked as if she were holding her breath.
"Aye."
"Oh, Stephen!" Launching herself out of her chair, she threw herself at him. He staggered back against the fireplace as she pressed tiny little kisses all over his face.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she cried between kisses to his nose, his cheeks, his eyes, his chin, and finally his lips. There he brought the spate of little butterfly kisses to an end. Catching the back of her head, he held her still when she would have continued on with her exuberant rampage, and he moved his mouth on hers. Prudence didn't seem to mind. She gave no resistance. In fact, Stephen felt her smile against his mouth before she opened to him, inviting a deeper kiss. He immediately took advantage of the invitation, devouring her with a passion that had him hardening to shameful proportions. His body was reacting like an untried lad's, and he was heeding it's plaintive urgings. Within moments he had Prudence on her back on the fur rug in front of the fire, his hands busy everywhere. One was pushing the skirt of her gown up, the other tugging the top of it down. His lips were leaping from hers to the curve of one breast, then back, eager to taste everything as she writhed, arched, moaned, and sighed beneath him.
"This is not good," he muttered, kissing his way over the curve of her breast. Prudence sighed dreamily and arched against him as he took one erect nipple into his mouth.
"It feels very good to me," she purred.
Stephen smiled against her flesh. She felt it, apparently, and slid her hand into his dark hair. "You are smiling," she said.
"I have been doing that a lot since I met you," he admitted, his smile widening.
"It is the same for me," Prudence confessed on a half giggle, half sigh. He laved her nipple. "I must thank you."
Stephen raised his head to peer at her questioningly. "For making you smile?"
"Aye. For that, and for-"
"This?" he asked, catching the tip of her breast between his teeth and licking in. Releasing it, he added, "Or this?" The hand that had been resting on her thigh rose up to cup the center of her.
"Oh." Prudence pressed into his touch and shook her head a touch frantically on the fur. "If this is being ruined, I think I like it."
Stephen stilled at those words, concern for her gripping him, but she opened her eyes and smiled at him gently.
"Pray, do not stop. I do not wish you to stop." She hesitated, then added, "But I do want to thank you for giving my mother everything she wanted for Christmas."
"Ah." Aroused and pleased by the good he'd done, Stephen rubbed a thumb over the damp nipple he had been suckling, enjoying the way she arched and purred in response. "And what do you want for Christmas?"
"Me?" She seemed surprised.
"Aye. You," he said. Then he stilled as he realized that it was Christmas Eve. He could not buy her a gift until the shops reopened. Vexed that he hadn't thought of a gift before this, he warned, "I shan't be able to procure it until after the shops reopen, but-"
"What I want cannot be purchased."
Stephen drew back at that soft assurance. "What?"
"I would like more of this," she said huskily. Laughing, she drew his head toward her own.
Stephen allowed her to pull him forward until his mouth was a bare inch away, then paused and murmured, "I am not sure."
"What?"
He couldn't tell if she was more affronted or shocked by his refusal to take what she offered, and he nearly smiled at her reaction, but managed to keep a solemn demeanor. "Well," he amended. "Perhaps I could be persuaded… if you were to agree to give me what I want for Christmas in return."
Prudence suddenly looked wary. "What do you want for Christmas?"
"All I want in the world for Christmas is for you to make an honest man of me. Marry me, Prudence."
Pru caught her breath at Stephen's proposal, nearly squeezing him silly. She wanted to shriek, "Yes," but she hesitated and pushed at his chest until he eased the embrace. Solemnly she said, "You do not have to marry me. We can stop this right now. No one would ever know. I have escaped notice for far worse. You do not have to feel honor-bound to marry me."
"On the other hand," he said slowly, "I could enjoy you now, tonight, on this Christmas Eve, and every other night so long as we both shall live. I could share your life, have children with you who will look as sweet and be just as cussedly stubborn as you. And I can have you and your harebrained schemes to make the rest of my life an adventure." He smiled crookedly. "It is not a hard choice."
"Truly?"
"Truly," he assured her. "Besides, that clever reason I gave for why I was paying your father's debts…"
Confusion covered her expression at the seeming change of subject. "Yes?"
"I said it was because we were marrying and he had to save up for a huge wedding."
"Stephen!" she cried, slapping at his chest.
He grinned unrepentantly and pulled her closer in his arms. "I do love you, Pru, and I want to share my life with you. What of you?"
"Me?" She smiled crookedly at the uncertainty on his face as he asked the question, then made a serious face and tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Hmmm, let me see. Marry my own personal hero? The man who saved my family?"
"No," Stephen said at once, "I do not wish you to marry me for what I did. I do not wish you to marry me out of simple gratitude."
"Ah." Prudence nodded her head with understanding. "Then how about because you make me burn? Raise my passions? Test my mind? Make me smile. Or because my heart sings when you are near? Because when you are away I think of you and wonder what you are doing, and when you are near I wonder what you are thinking and wish you would touch me? Would that be reason enough? Or perhaps because I love you?"
She gasped when he hugged her tightly, then rolled on the floor with her until she lay atop him. Pulling her head down, he kissed her until they were both aching with want; then he leaned his forehead against hers and held her close. Doing so, he whispered, "I do love you. You make me very happy, Pru."