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.Please let me do this for you.”None of Mary’s other arguments could have swayed Alice, but her final plea did the trick.She nodded her agreement and smiled back at Mary, happy that her friend had talked her out of changing their plans.That wonderful day finally approached.The harsh winds of March died, giving way to gentle rains in April that melted the last of the winter’s soiled snow, and daffodils lifted their faces to the warm sunshine that heralded the coming of May.Alice breathed a sigh of relief as she sat next to her fiancé at the final banquet the night before their wedding.She glanced up at Chris and shook her head.He had told her that he would not breathe easy until they were man and wife, and apparently, he meant to hold to that, although she still didn’t know why.His face wore a tired, drawn expression, yet his eyes were alive, darting suspicious glances about the room.Alice covered his hand with hers.“Darling, relax,” she whispered.“We’ve only a few hours left to wait.”He tried to smile at her, but his expression was not at all reassuring.“Bridegrooms are allowed to be nervous.”“Nervous is one thing,” she said.“Chris, my love, you’re about to jump out of your skin.”“I just want it done,” he told her.“I want us to be together.”Several guests overheard the remark and smiled, exchanging knowing glances.Christopher Gunn was not a patient man when it came to love and women—they all knew that.Gunn had not pressed Alice for intimate favors since the night of their bundling.Kisses, embraces, an occasional stroke of her breasts were the only mild intimacies he had allowed himself.He had kept a tight rein on his passions, vowing to wait until they were married to take his bride.In the wilds of Maine any woman had seemed fair game.But this was civilized Boston and Alice was not just any woman.He could and would wait until she was his bride, he kept telling himself.He’d done well.He could be proud of himself.Now only hours remained until they would…“Well, Chris, aren’t you going to kiss your intended good night?”The dinner guests had all left.Mary and Will were in bed.Gunn and Alice stood outside her bedroom door, about to go to their separate rooms for the last time in their lives, Alice thought.“I don’t want to say good night, Alice.” Gunn’s voice sounded desperate.All his solemn promises dissolved in that instant.When he looked into Alice’s love-filled eyes, he wanted to hold her, to kiss her, to love her… now.“It’s late,” she whispered, kissing his cheek.“We both need our sleep for tomorrow, for tomorrow night, darling.”“Why tomorrow night?” he implored.“Why should we wait, Alice?”She stepped away from him, smiling, thinking he was joking.“Because,” she answered.“Tonight,” he pleaded.“Let me come to you now.”He slipped one arm around her, drawing her close.The gown she wore was rich wine-colored satin.The bodice was cut low with a froth of cream lace barely hiding her breasts from his hungry sight.His hand came up to touch the stiff edges of the lace, brushing it aside to stroke her warm flesh.Alice felt his touch a thousand times over.How she longed to melt into his arms, to beg him to carry her to her bed and do as he would with her aching body.But…“No, Chris, Mary and Will might hear us,” she whispered.“Please.”He bent down to kiss her breast.His tongue smoothed over her trembling flesh.Another tug at the lace exposed one shell-pink nipple, which he quickly covered with his mouth.Alice lay back against his arm, her eyes closed, her senses whirling.She forgot to worry about their hosts down the hall.Chris was so right.Why should they wait? They’d put off their needs for so long.In only hours they would be one.But still they would not be together until after the ceremony, after the feasting, after the dancing.A long day lay before them.How much better it would be to enjoy this night that was theirs alone to share.Her mind numbed as her senses took over.She could no longer deny her own desires.She wanted Chris every bit as much as he wanted her.Slipping her arms around his neck, she smiled up into his intense, green eyes.“Yes, my darling.Oh, yes!”Alice felt his lips cover hers as he drew her close, holding her tight to his chest with one strong arm, his fingers caressing her breast even as his tongue stroked hers.She lay weak and helpless against him, aware only of his nearness and her own need.She heard the click of the latch as Chris opened her door with his free hand.He leaned down, ready to scoop her up in his arms and carry her to the waiting bed.“My word, are you two still tarrying over your goodnights?” Will Phips’s voice in the dark hallway tarnished the magic.Alice’s eyes shot open to see Sir William, clad in his nightshirt and dressing gown, coming toward them.Guiltily she took a step away from Chris, but still she could feel the tension in his whole body.“I was just going into my room,” she said, avoiding Phips’s curious gaze.“We both were,” Gunn boomed, daring Phips with his tone to object.Sir William looked startled, then laughed.“Ah, Chris my boy, I don’t think so.Were it up to me, you’d have my blessing.But Mary would skin us both alive.Good night, Alice.I’ll see your overanxious groom safely to his own bed.”What could Alice say or do? Nothing.Casting one final, longing glance up at Chris, she whispered, “Tomorrow, darling.” Then she slipped into her bedroom and closed the door softly behind her.Gunn stamped past Phips without a word, his face black with rage.When he reached his own room down the hall, he went in and slammed the door loud enough to wake the dead.Neither Alice nor Chris slept more than a wink that night.The Phipses, too, lay awake, listening for the telltale sound of footsteps in the hallway.But neither bride nor groom ventured forth until the sun rose on their wedding day.Alice was secretly glad the next morning that Will Phips had caught them the night before because she truly awoke with all the excitement and blushing anticipation of a new bride.Mary herself brought Alice’s breakfast to her room.“The men are downstairs,” Mary told her young friend.“It wouldn’t do for your intended to see you until the moment of the ceremony.So you’ll stay here until it’s time for my Will to escort you down to the front parlor.”Alice hugged her pillow, then buried her face in its softness and screamed—a wonderful, happy, delirious shriek of excitement.“Oh, Mary, how can I wait till noon? I feel as if I’m about to fly apart.I’m so happy I can’t contain it.What’s going to become of me? It can’t be healthy for a woman to be this much in love.”Mary sat down on the bed beside Alice and took her into her arms.“My dear sweet child, it would be unhealthy if you didn’t feel this way.You are a lucky woman to be marrying a man whom you actually love.You know most girls are forced to wed men their parents have chosen.My first husband was hand-picked by my father.In fact, they were partners in the shipbuilding business.Although I came to respect him greatly, he was years older than I, and there was never really any love in my life
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