Christmas at Ravencrest: A Dark Hero Christmas Short (Reluctant Heroes) Read Online Free PDF Page A

words. I’m afraid I vexed him a little.” She stopped, brushed at her eyes with her fingers and sniffled. “More than a little. I actually swore in his presence. I’m sorry, Donovan but the man is exasperating.”
    “Lizzie, please. Stop fretting. It’s not worth the tears.” Donovan whispered. He kissed her forehead. “It’s good for Lord Greystowe to be crossed now and again. He’s accustomed to everyone cowering at his every word.” As he spoke, he took a handkerchief from his pocket and gently brushed her cheeks with it. “And as for swearing at him . . . I’ve nearly chewed my tongue off trying not to do the same. Oh, Lizzie, sweet Lizzie, take heart. Someone else will annoy him by the end of the day. You may depend upon it and then he’ll forget about being upset with you.”
    “Y ou did say his heart condition was serious. You told me not to upset him.”
    “ It is, my love. But I did not intend for us to give in to his every whim when I said not to upset the earl.” Donovan’s large hand reached up to capture a tendril of her hair. He wound it around his finger and then lifted the lock to his lips. “It’s one thing to drop the news on him of a lost family member being restored after years of believing the boy dead and another to disagree with your grandfather on how to run your own household.”
    Elizabeth related the con versation she had regarding the Christmas party tomorrow night to her husband, adding her convictions about why they needed to celebrate the season while leaving out the part about expecting his child. Her reasons sounded petty as she explained her feelings to her husband but the more she talked, the more she realized how important this celebration was to her , not to everyone else as she kept trying to pretend.
    “M y sweet girl.” Donovan’s tone and manner were at one purpose, to soothe her agitation. “Whose house is this?”
    “Yours.”
    “ No. ” He chided. “What did I tell you when we first arrived here?”
    “You said the house was mi ne to do with as I wished. You meant the redecorating.”
    “No, I did not. The house is yours , Elizabeth. Lord Wentworth is our guest. He will not dictate our behavior. We are not mourning the passing of that son of the devil. We are celebrating the defeat of our most treacherous enemy. We will dance tomorrow night and we will kiss.” He paused in his litany to do just that, kissing her quickly on the lips. “And we will toast our good fortune. No one died, despite Captain Fletcher’s plans to the contrary.”
    Elizabeth closed her eyes at the thought of her beloved husband, her brothers, and what might have been if Captain Fletcher’s scheme succeeded. “So, you agree with me?”
    “Yes, my love. We will rejoice in our good fortune. Do not take his words to heart--”
    Donovan’s valet entered the room as summoned. Donovan glanced at his servant as he continued to hold Elizabeth in his arms. “My lady and I will be unavailable for the next hour or so. See that we are not disturbed.”
    “Yes, sir.”  The man backed out of the room without question. Elizabeth heard the distinctive click of the lock as the valet locked the door to the hallway, locking them inside.
    “An hour or more?” She chastened, gazing up i nto his tanned face. Try as she might, Elizabeth found it hard to maintain a severe expression with her beloved. Donovan was grinning at her, and the look in his eyes told her that his plans for an afternoon tryst would not be rushed.
    “ You’ll thank me for this, later.” He boasted, sliding a light finger over her spine. “In fact, you’ll be in raptures over it soon, I guarantee it.”
    “We shall see about that.” Elizabeth teased, running her hand up his chest, over his scars as his shirt lacings gaped open. “You’re terribly confident. One might th ink you had this planned.”
    Donovan always had a plan. At times, Elizabeth found it vexing that he felt the need to plan everything out so