Part 12 (2/2)
Venetia moaned. ”Where he will discover that I am not Miss West and that Ravenscroft is not my brother.”
Gregor's expression was grim.
Her heart sank. ”There will be no explaining it away.” ”No,” Gregor said shortly. ”Now you see why I attempted to turn them away. I thought if they only saw you a moment, we could dismiss any future recognition.”
He was right. She fiddled with a b.u.t.ton on the front of her pelisse, knowing she should say something apologetic but unable to find the words.
”I was not being coldhearted.”
She kept her head down. ”I didn't say that.”
”You thought it. I saw it in your eyes.”
She peeked up at him. She had thought it. And loudly, from the dour expression on Gregor's face. Blast it, what had happened to their comfortable friends.h.i.+p? They had been at loggerheads since his arrival and she wasn't certain why.
Of course, he was mainly at fault; he'd been quite rude in his treatment of Ravenscroft, which had sparked her protective nature. She rather glumly wished she hadn't reacted quite so strongly and championed Ravenscroft; she was sure that had galled Gregor. But really, what else could she do when he'd practically called her a fool and worse?
She sighed. ”Gregor, I don't know what's happened to us since we arrived here, but we seem out of step in some way.”
His expression softened. ”Perhaps we are just experiencing each other under different circ.u.mstances.”
”What do you mean?”
”In the past, we've used each other's company to alleviate our boredom with life. Now, we must accomplish something together-namely, saving your reputation. That is very different from enjoying a simple canter in the park.”
”That doesn't explain why you suddenly believe I've lost my common sense.”
He gave her a lopsided smile. ”I don't think you've lost all of your common sense, just a portion of it.”
She couldn't smile back. Something else had changed, too. It had changed with the kiss neither of them was willing to mention aloud. They'd been friends since childhood; she'd seen him fall from his horse and knock loose a tooth when he was nine, and he'd seen her covered in mud at age seven after she'd climbed out of a window in a disastrous attempt to avoid a dreaded dancing lesson. These events and hundreds of others had given them a protection from any sort of romantic involvement.
Venetia grimaced to think of her parents' noisy, emotional relations.h.i.+p. She would never make a fool of herself over something as silly as ”grand pa.s.sion,” if it even existed-especially not with Gregor.
She'd seen how he reacted to the heartsick women in London who'd succ.u.mbed to his devastating smile and brilliant green eyes, and she was not about to see him wince whenever she was present. She'd protected her heart by keeping a litany of his faults foremost in her mind and by chastising herself if her imagination should wander. But now, with one kiss, her layer of protection seemed to be tearing as easily as a gauze curtain.
She straightened her shoulders, pus.h.i.+ng away her unease. This was nothing. When they returned to London, things would return to normal and they could go back to their lovely, easy relations.h.i.+p. All she had to do was keep this tension between them at bay until they were in better circ.u.mstances. She glanced at him through her lashes.
Unfortunately, she was still excruciatingly aware of him, and couldn't help but notice the way his cravat was simply knotted to fill the opening at his neck, his strong throat rising from there. Despite her best intentions, she found herself imagining what it would be like to trace the line of his throat with her fingertips or, even better, her lips.
The thought sent a cascade of s.h.i.+vers through her.
”Venetia?” His voice was warm, concerned. He leaned closer, his gaze dark as he captured one of her hands in his. ”Are you cold? Perhaps we should go inside-”
”No, no! I am fine. I was just thinking about this mess.” Venetia looked down at his gloved hand, which was large and well shaped. She had placed numerous cups of tea in his hands and had grasped them getting in and out of carriages without ever noticing them.
Yet suddenly they seemed so...virile. So seductive. The heat of his skin through the gloves tugged at her, and her blood leapt at the feel of that hand clasped between her own. Would their kiss feel as powerful now, when she wasn't so tired, so drained? Surely, her powerful reaction last night was merely due to- ”Venetia?”
His voice seemed richer, deeper than she'd ever heard it; the soft timbre made her skin p.r.i.c.kle in the most annoying way. She looked into his eyes. She had to think of something to say to break the spell, to stop herself from leaning toward him, from seeking yet another kiss like the one she'd had before, wondering if it would taste as good, if her body would leap in response the same way.
Her hands were shaking, her knees weak, all from wondering about that embrace. Goodness, she couldn't keep thinking like this! Yet it was a lost cause. She wanted him to kiss her again, she wanted to taste him, to have him touch her, mold her to him, take her- His gaze darkened. ”d.a.m.n it, don't look at me like that.”
She tried to swallow. ”What do you mean?” But she knew exactly what he meant; she could hide neither her excitement nor her curiosity.
His brows snapped down, and an almost savage look crossed his face. ”Don't, Venetia. I am not used to resisting temptation, much less from you.”
Heart pounding, Venetia ripped her gaze from his and stared down at the tips of her boots. It was madness to tempt him, to tempt this feeling, whatever it was. She'd stand there until her heart ceased pounding against her throat and her body stopped feeling as if she stood before a blazing fire.
A small voice whispered, But what if she did look up at him? What if she threw her arms around him and kissed him the way they'd kissed last night? What if it not only felt as good but even better?
Venetia fisted her hands, fighting the urge to look up and step forward...right into his arms. But that would be reckless and imprudent. Her relations.h.i.+p with Gregor was worth more than a mere kiss. She was in charge of herself and her feelings, and she would be utterly foolish to put their friends.h.i.+p at risk.
But somehow, in thinking about why she shouldn't look at Gregor, Venetia did just that.
The second their eyes met, Gregor made a sound that was a cross between a laugh and a groan and swept her into his arms, pulling her hard against his chest. Instantly, warmth enveloped her. ”I warned you,” he murmured against her ear, his breath hot and s.h.i.+very. ”Now, my love, you'll pay the price.”
Chapter 9.
Ah, me wee la.s.sies, there's only a very few who will tell ye how things really are. Cherish those as tell ye the truth, whether or not ye wish t' hear it.
OLD WOMAN NORA FROM LOCH LOMOND TO HER THREE WEE GRANDDAUGHTERS ONE COLD EVENING.
H er pulse thundering, Venetia stopped thinking and gave herself up to the kiss.
Pa.s.sion roared through her, exhilarating her like the wild dawn rides through the park she and Gregor loved. The feel of his hot mouth over hers and the pressure of his strong hands as they molded her to him spurred her to want more. Her desire flamed higher, grew wilder.
She moaned against his mouth, her body on fire. She pressed against him, restless and hot, her tongue teasing his.
She savored the way he was holding her, his hands cupping her intimately, lifting her from her feet as he held her against him. Her hands slid down his back, over his hips, grasping him and- Gregor set her on her feet, grasped her wrists, and pushed her away.
They stood panting heavily, their breaths puffing in the cold air as they regarded each other with a mixture of amazement and uncertainty.
Gregor shook his head. ”We are mad, the two of us.”
Venetia's cheeks flushed; her heart thundered in her ears. Mad didn't begin to describe it. What had she been thinking? This was Gregor, for heaven's sake. She knew the cost of such wanton behavior with him, knew the ultimate outcome.
Embarra.s.sed, she tried to free her wrists, but Gregor held her tight.
”Be still,” he admonished, his gaze burning into hers.
She wished with all her heart that she could run away or take back the last few moments and make them disappear.
But that was impossibile. What had happened between them would be there forever.
”Gregor,” she whispered, ”what are we going to do?” The question hung between them.
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