Free A Christmas Seduction by Rachel Van Dyken, Kristin Vayden, Nadine Millard

of Lucas’ laughter filled the library. “I’m simply stating that Meredith has agreed to bless me with the honor of being my countess.”
    “Meredith!” Louisa moved Lucas away so that she could hug her sister. “I am both shocked and yet… not.”
    “Sara is going to be in a fit,” Meredith said flatly.
    “Perhaps… but it will be entertaining to watch at least.” Louisa giggled then released her sister.
    “Well, I must say I’m impressed with how quickly you work, old man.” Hugh shook his older brother’s hand, a wide grin on his face.
    “You’ll be even more impressed when you discover that she agreed to marry me at the Frost Ball.”
    “Don’t tell me you’ve already secured a special license as well!” Hugh asked.
    “Not yet, but I’ll make quick work of that.” Lucas simply shrugged.
    “Then we will leave you to your… celebrating.” Hugh grasped Louisa’s hand and tugged her away.
    “No, no, why doesn’t Louisa come with me? It’s time we retired.” Meredith reached out and grasped Louisa’s other hand. It as a moment of tug of war, then Hugh slowly released her hand.
    Lucas chuckled.
    Hugh glared at his brother.
    “That means you don’t get to celebrate either,” Hugh grumbled with disappointment.
    “I have a life time of… celebrating,” Lucas shot back.
    “And with that, we bid you goodnight.” Meredith tugged on her sister’s hand till she finally had no other option but fall or follow, and thankfully, she choose to follow. But before they exited the library, Meredith turned and winked at Lucas, grinning when he winked back.
    A lifetime of celebrating indeed.
     

CHAPTER TEN
     
    E ACH DAY WENT BY with exaggerated longevity. Lucas had no issue convincing his or Meredith’s parents concerning a Frost Ball wedding, but that was not the problem.
    The issue was waiting.
    The Frost Ball was two days away.
    The first day, he secured permission.
    The second, he secured a special license.
    That left two more miserable days.
    Which would have been much less miserable if Meredith hadn’t been sequestered by his mother and hers, going over a million trivial and minute wedding details.
    As if they weren’t already having a bloody ball, wasn’t that celebration enough?
    Champagne enough?
    Not that he wished to deny his bride of any luxury, he just rather wished those luxuries could be decided on by someone other than his bride.
    Which would mean that she would have more time for him.
    And the things he wished to… celebrate.
    It was torture, watching her from the breakfast table, only able to hold her hand, or sneak a quick kiss between fittings and meetings and debates over what to wear.
    He rather liked the idea of her wearing nothing.
    Of course, wearing nothing in his bedroom.
    Damn it all, how was he ever to survive the wait?
    To think, he had once dreaded her company, planned ways to wreak havoc on her person, only to now be so captivated by her presence that he lost sense of all else around him.
    Love was a blasted, damnable, and wonderful thing.
    And bloody impatient.
    Which was why he was watching the clock.
    The evening had ended, its lovely diversions wasted on him because while all the men congratulated him, all the women buzzed like bees around Meredith, and all he could do was watch her, never once having an opening to steal her away.
    It would be scandalous.
    And his mother had made him promise not to cause a scandal.
    He simply promised not to make a spectacle.
    She glared.
    He stood firm.
    And now he was going to execute his well-laid plans.
    At the chime of midnight, he slipped from his room and stole silently down the hall. Candlelight flickered in the dark corridor as he found his way to Meredith’s door.
    He lightly tapped on the heavy door, glancing up and down the hall lest he be discovered. He listened, at the sound of footsteps from within the door, he held his breath.
    Meredith cracked the door. ”Yes?”
    Without an invitation, he pushed the door