by Ava Stone
He frowned, feeling a bit uncomfortable under her stare. “I mean, she’s a delightful girl. I want the best for her.”
“And what about you?” Cordie asked. “Don’t you deserve the best, as well?”
Certainly, she wasn’t trying to play matchmaker. “I’m doing this as a favor for you.”
Cordie agreed with a nod of her head. “It started out that way, but it could always be more, couldn’t it?”
“Cordie…”
“Your eyes light up when you’re with her, Greg. You’re almost—” she heaved a sigh “—well, you’re almost like your old self.”
And in a lot of ways he almost felt like his old self. Bella was…
Well, at the moment she was standing right in the corridor. Blast it all. Had she heard any of that?
Greg pushed to his feet and nodded in her direction. “There you are.”
That familiar blush of hers pinkened her cheeks, and Greg was afraid she might very well have heard more than he would have liked. “Sorry I’m late.”
“No need to apologize,” he said.
Cordie started toward the doorway, jostling her son in her arms. “Someone is in desperate need of a nap.” She pressed a kiss to Bella’s cheek. “I hope you won’t leave today without us having a chance to chat.”
To chat about what? Greg frowned at his interfering sister’s backside.
“Of course not,” Bella said just before Cordie and her tiny baron disappeared down the corridor. Then his lovely, raven-haired, temporary fiancée stepped into the sitting room and immediately took his breath away as she was wont to do. But at the moment, something wasn’t quite right. Greg could tell by her slightly furrowed brow and the lack of luster in her silvery eyes.
“What’s wrong?” Greg’s gut tightened as he started toward her, almost as though he was drawn to her by an invisible force.
“Greg.” Bella blinked up at him. “Have you been following my brother around Town?”
Gillingham’s accusation from the previous night echoed in Greg’s ears. “I followed him once to…” Well, he’d really rather not say where, not to her.
“A bawdy house?” she guessed, her cheeks more than red.
So much for not wanting to admit as much to her. “He told you?” He doubted she would have ever come up with that on her own. She was too sweet, too innocent. Why the devil would her imbecilic brother tell her such a foolish thing?
She swallowed a bit uncomfortably. “So you didn’t stumble upon him? You…followed him? Truly?”
Well, it certainly wasn’t the sort of establishment Greg frequented. The last thing he needed was to contract the pox, for God’s sake. “The night he made that scene at Kelfield’s. I wanted to…talk to him.” Actually, he’d wanted to crash his fist in the man’s face, but he hadn’t and there was no point in admitting as much.
Bella shook her head as though that didn’t make any sense at all. And perhaps it didn’t, but Greg hadn’t been able to help himself. There was something about her that had called to him, and had ever since he’d first glimpsed her at the Astwicks’. If there was some way, any way, he could assist her, he would do it. Even if it involved dealing with her wastrel of a brother.
“Why, Greg? What did you want to say to him…there?”
Was it the location she objected to? Or the fact that Greg had overreached his bounds in seeking Gillingham out? “I tried to press upon him how his actions were hurting you, but—”
“You went there for me?”
“I simply followed him there.”
“For me?”
“Well, of course, I—”
She threw her arms around his neck before he could say anything else and held onto him tightly. “You are the most wonderful man,” she said against his cheek, and for a moment, he felt like he might be the luckiest man, having her arms around him.
Dear God, her breasts pressed against his chest and all of his careful, rational thoughts quickly fled his mind. If he could only hold her, keep her lithe form pressed against him as though she belonged there, he’d never want for anything else. Damn it all, her nearness brought every part of Greg to life, and a part of him he’d long forgotten seemed to wake anew as he held her close.
For God’s sake, she made him feel like himself, like his old self, like he had before he’d made a giant mess out of his life. And she made him want things he’d never thought he’d want again.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before she seemed to realize what she’d done, and she released her hold on him. Greg, however, did not release his hold on her. After all, letting her go was the last thing in the world he wanted to do. Instead, he stared down at her, in his arms, his gaze drifting to her lips. If he could just kiss her again…
Before he could think the better of it, he slid one hand from her waist to gently cup the side of her face. And then Greg pressed his lips to hers. She melted against him; and Greg deepened their kiss, tangling his tongue with hers and reveling in the feel of her, the sweet taste of her lips and the soft little mewls that escaped her.
“Oh, Greg,” she whispered as her fingers grazed the back of his neck, sending frissons of need washing through him.
Good God, if she drove him this mad, fully clothed in his sister’s sitting room, he could only imagine what it would be like to have Bella naked and in his bed. He would never leave it and he’d make certain she never wanted to.
After a moment, he lifted his head and stared down at her once more. God in heaven, there was no one like her in the world. Her breaths came out in little puffs and her silvery eyes had a dewy look about them, and he wanted to kiss her again and again and never stop.
“Did we need to convince someone?” she whispered as though they had an audience behind them.
“No.” Greg couldn’t help himself, he laughed. She, clearly, had no idea how she affected him. He tucked one of her arrant dark curls behind her ear and said, “I’ve wanted to do that for a very long time, Bella. Nearly every moment I’m with you, in fact.” He just generally had better control of himself. But when she’d thrown herself into his arms, it was as though a floodgate had opened within him. And the last thing he wanted to do was go back to who he’d been before she’d done so.
Bella could only stare up at him after that admission. Did she dare hope he’d let himself fall even the tiniest bit in love with her? Was that why he’d made certain Grandmama’s earbobs were returned to her? Was that why he’d tried to reason with Elliott on her behalf, because he actually cared for her? Everything he’d done went well beyond him pretending to be her betrothed. At least she thought it did. And she hoped it meant so much more than that.
“Say something,” he said after a moment.
But what was she to say? That she’d fallen in love with him almost that first day? She wasn’t brazen enough to say something like that. He hadn’t, after all, said anything of the like to her. Just that he wanted to kiss her and she did want that too. So she very softly said, “Kiss me again, Greg.”
And without a moment’s hesitation, he dipped his head lower and brushed his lips against hers. Bella’s eyes fluttered closed and she reveled in the feel of his arms around her, of his sandalwood scent invading her senses, and of the pulsing that began to pound deep within her core.
Greg groaned slightly against her as his hands trailed down her back to cup her bottom. Goodness! No one had ever touched her like that, and the pulsing within her grew stronger, more insistent. And then he kissed a trail to her jaw and then down to her neck and…
Oh! Nothing had ever felt so amazing in her life. “Greg,” she breathed out as his lips trailed from her neck to the top of her décolletage. But then…
But then something foreign seemed to crash into the back of Bella’s legs. She gasped and pushed out of Greg’s embrace.
“Bella?” he began, not at all sounding like himself.
But something had definitely touched her. She spun around to find his tiny nephew standing right behind h
er, clutching her skirts in his hands. And Greg’s sister stood just inside the doorway, wearing the most peculiar expression. Goodness, what must Cordie think of her?
Bella’s cheeks burned from embarrassment. She couldn’t even meet Greg’s gaze. How could she ever do so again after her actions?
The countess gestured to the settee a few feet away. “Julian left his soldier. Sorry to interrupt.”
Greg took a step away from Bella and plucked a little wooden solider from the settee. Then he handed it to his young nephew. “There you go.” He patted the top of the little boy’s blond head and then he turned his attention to his sister. “We’ll have a conversation later, you and me.”
Cordie nodded in agreement. “Oh, I’m looking forward to it.” Then she scooped her son and his toy solider up into her arms and made a hasty retreat.
Bella dropped onto the settee in complete mortification. “She thinks I’m a wanton.”
A soft chuckle escaped Greg as he slid into the spot beside her. “I promise you she doesn’t.”
But Bella had no doubts. “Did you see the look on her face?” she asked as she cringed. “I never should have—”
“That expression was one of triumph, my dear.”
“Triumph?” Bella echoed, finally meeting his green gaze once more. What was there to be triumphant about?
“I get the feeling,” he said, taking her hand in his and brushing his thumb over her knuckles, “that my sister had more than a pretend betrothal in mind when she set this whole thing up.”
“But she couldn’t have.” Lissy had dragged Bella to Clayworth House that first day, hoping for assistance. Cordie hadn’t even known Bella existed before then, not in any real way.
“One should never underestimate my sister.” Greg breathed out a sigh. “After what she just witnessed, she’ll expect nothing less than a grand wedding at St. George’s. I can assure you of that”
He had to be kidding. “Certainly not.” Bella frowned at him. “Technically, we’re already betrothed. At least until I cry off.”
Greg agreed with a nod. “Yes, but once all of this is over, I don’t think my sister will make that easy on you, not now at least.”
Bella shook her head. Being Greg’s betrothed in reality would be nothing short of…well, wonderful, especially if he touched and kissed her like that the rest of her days. In fact, she was fairly certain she would never want for anything more the rest of her life. But that wasn’t the agreement they made all those many days ago. “That would hardly be fair to you, not when you’ve only agreed to do me this favor.”
“I was the one taking liberties just now.” Greg squeezed her hand. “And I actually think we would suit each other rather well, Bella. What do you think?”
Was he serious? Her heart leapt at the suggestion. Still, this wasn’t their first conversation about marriage. “Aren’t you the same man who told me you never planned to marry?”
He nodded once more. “I have recently been reminded that once upon a time I experienced life as it came. And…well, you have enchanted me, Bella, from that first night at the Astwicks’ until today.”
She enchanted him? Did she really? Bella swallowed a bit nervously. “Are you saying you want to marry me? In reality?”
“In any way you’ll take me,” he said, looking more than sincere. Then he shook his head as though he couldn’t believe he’d said as much. And she couldn’t quite believe it either. “But you should know I’m not the selfless hero you’ve made me out to be. I’m flawed. I can be stubborn and difficult. I don’t want to fool you into thinking I’m something, someone that I’m not.”
He was the most heroic man she’d ever encountered. Every single thing he’d done since she met him had left Bella in awe. But he still hadn’t said he loved her. Of course, love had never been one of her requirements. If I end up married to a courteous man, that’s all I require. That was what she’d said to Cordie all those many days ago, wasn’t it? And Greg was courteous, more so than she could have ever hoped for. How often had she thought no other man would ever compare to him after their little ruse ended? Still, she had to know. So she swallowed a bit uncertainly and then asked, “Do you love me, Greg?”
“I adore everything about you, and I do care for you, Bella.” He frowned slightly. “But I’m not certain if I’m capable of love anymore. I fear I’m too scarred for that.”
Her heart ached at hearing those words. Could she marry a man she loved if he didn’t necessarily feel the same for her? If I end up married to a courteous man, that’s all I require. Was it all she required? What if she walked away from Greg and never found love again? What if she ruined the one shot she had at happiness because he might not be capable of loving her back? What if Grandfather insisted she marry Johann or arranged for her to marry someone equally unappealing if she cried off from this betrothal? She’d be a giant fool if she walked away from Greg, especially since she did love him. “But you want to marry me anyway?”
She shouldn’t ask that. She should just accept his offer and be relieved that she never had to worry about her future.
Greg lifted her hand to his lips, his green eyes boring into hers as he kissed her knuckles. “If you’ll have me. And if you think you could give Rufford Hall a chance. I think we could be very happy together.”
Of course he wanted to leave Town, he’d never even really wanted to be here in the first place. Bella did love being with him, and she thought she would be happy as his baroness, even if he never completely loved her. But he adored her. He said he did. She could live with adoration, couldn’t she? “I think I’d like that.”
And she might adore Rufford Hall, especially if her grandfather wouldn’t be allowed entrance.
Greg grinned and looked so handsome doing so. “In that case—” he tugged her onto his lap “—I think a kiss, or a number of them, is called for.”
“Greg!” she giggled in surprise. Goodness! Cordie had just stumbled upon them. Someone else could walk by and see her sprawled across his lap. “I am supposed to paint you today.”
“We’ll do that too, but first...” He pressed his lips to hers once more.
And any thought, any objection she had, evaporated right into nothingness.
God, Greg could get lost kissing her. She felt so perfect, so very right in his arms, and he never wanted to let her go. She kissed him back, her enthusiasm making up for any lack of experience. Yes, yes, they were going to get along rather well in the years to come. He had no doubt about that.
She shifted slightly on his lap and Greg’s cock ached for more. God in heaven, she was so sweet, so innocent, the most tempting of bundles. If he could just…
Greg cupped her breast.
Bella sucked in a breath at his touch, but she didn’t move away from him. Thank God for that as she felt more than perfect in his hand, soft and feminine. He squeezed her again, hating the muslin of her dress and wishing she was bared for him to gaze upon, to touch, to taste.
Greg groaned against her lips. How in the world was he going to wait until their wedding night?
Damn it all. If they didn’t stop now, he’d never be able to. So he broke their kiss, though his eyes landed on her lips and he wanted nothing more than to kiss her again. “I…um…” he began though his heavy breaths. “I think you’d better paint me now or we’ll be in trouble.
Chapter 18
Resting against the doorjamb of Clayworth’s green parlor, Greg watched his sister for a moment. With a book in her lap, she looked quite content, to be honest; and he was relieved to see her so. She deserved contentment, she deserved happiness every day of her life. Even so, he was more than certain that she’d meant to play matchmaker for him with Bella from the very onset of this little plan of hers. As it was, he couldn’t even be annoyed with her. The prospect of making Bella his was one he was quite eager for, especially after the way they’d spent the afternoon together. Until this foray into London, he’d had no plans to ever marry and would have most likely l
ived out his days in complete loneliness at Rufford Hall. Oh, he would have never admitted that he was lonely, not even to himself, but looking back on the last several years of his life, he had definitely been that; something he would have never realized if Bella hadn’t come into his life. And if his sister hadn’t interfered in something that was none of her concern… Well, he supposed he owed Cordie another debt, and he’d happily repay her in kind, if he only knew how.
Greg must have made some sort of sound because his sister glanced at him. She smiled slightly as she closed her book to spear Greg with one of her more perceptive stares. “Alone, are you?”
“Bella has returned home.” He crossed the floor and stopped behind a chintz chair across from his sister, grasping the back in his hands.
Cordie shook her head slightly. “Oh? I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to see her before she left.”
As Bella had been more than embarrassed at the prospect of visiting with Cordie after she’d stumbled upon them, Greg had promised to speak with his sister first. She was, after all, his sister; and therefore his to deal with. “I’m sure you’ll be happy to know that she and I have decided to marry.”
Cordie grinned at him. “You’re not toying with me?”
Greg shook his head. “Our betrothal is no longer a pretend one.”
His sister’s green eyes lit with joy. “Oh, Greg! I am so happy for you, for both of you.” She dropped her book onto the settee and leapt from her spot, navigated the chair before him to throw her arms around his neck. “She is a charming girl, isn’t she?”
She was more than charming. She was…perfect in nearly every way.
“As soon as I met her, I hoped you’d love her. She’s—”
Love. There was that word again. “—mortified that you stumbled upon us. She’s quite shy, Cordie.”
His sister pulled back slightly from him. “And that’s why she left without saying goodbye to me?”
He nodded.
“Oh, Gregory.” She shook her head, making her dark tresses bounce against her shoulders. “I don’t care about any of that. Just that the two of you found each other! I am beyond thrilled.”
