“Well…because for one thing, I am engaged.”
“I find that challenging,” he retorted, brushing his hand over hers on his forearm.
Gwendolyn rolled her eyes and proceeded down the hill. Another man who loved challenges…oh, she would have to keep her eyes open with this one. “I am curious, what do you find intriguing about me?”
Devin let go a daring grin, “You are not a young innocent, and yet I find you virtuous. You contain a certain gracefulness, and I find that to be fascinating.”
Gwendolyn blushed, and then thought about Amy. “What kind of woman attracts Lord Devin Hale?”
“And you are also forthright,” he teased, shaking his finger at her. “I find that welcoming.”
“You are avoiding an inquisition Lord Hale.”
He gazed out in front of him and replied, “Besides the attributes I just described, she has to be brunette. There is nothing like a female with dark, mysterious allure…She has to be about your height, around your built, with your charming qualities.”
Gwendolyn cleared her throat…his straightforward charisma was out of the ordinary, she even felt her blood beginning to boil. She had to change the subject, and fast. “The ball is lovely, does Thomas have them often?”
“Frequently, a few years back. He always tried to keep his mind busy. Long days at port, continuously away on business…did I embarrass you?”
Gwendolyn smiled, “Huh—I think I will keep you guessing. How long have you known him?”
“Thomas? Exactly seven years. When he arrived in London, I aided him with his company.”
Gwendolyn tightly held onto Devin’s elbow as she continued to walk through the grassy field towards the manor. “And your sister? I assume you approve of their impending nuptials?”
Devin halted and grabbed Gwendolyn by the shoulders. He circled his eyes around her face before saying, “My sister loves Thomas with all her heart. Any other woman who would have to wait until her intended divorced his first wife would have scampered away. But not my Katrina, she is smart, she is determined, and she is also grateful for what she has.”
His statement only added to Gwendolyn’s persistent confusion. “I genuinely hope so.”
Devin’s hands still remained on her shoulders and his thumbs carefully grazed her soft skin that was exposed. He was going to kiss her, she thought frantically, feeling herself drowning in pools of aquamarine. Must… scurry…away! Gwendolyn broke free from his confine only to be grabbed back by her waist and brought straight into his chest, feeling the length of him, his heat, his ardor rapidly seizing all her principles.
Devin had never felt desire so strong before and yet, kissing her seemed terribly wrong, but his physical mind set was hard to ignore and he leaned forward to tempt her with his lips but Gwendolyn refused to greet his desire but rather stood there immobile waiting for him to do something or at least act contrite. “You know I want to kiss you.”
Gwendolyn noted how quickly her body reacted to his magnetism. “Yes.”
He circled his eyes about her face again and said, “You know I have never been envious of him.”
“Him?” She asked knowing exactly who he meant.
“I’ve admired him,” he admitted, “But never envied…until now.”
Gwendolyn swallowed hard, and watched with spherical eyes as he attempted to lean in to kiss her again but held back.
Instead of releasing her however, he expressed softly, “God, you are beautiful.”
Gwendolyn accepted the flattering remark and smiled, “I like you Devin,” she expressed delicately, placing her palm in the center of his chest. “I like you enough to keep you in the highest regard after this moment.”
Devin stiffened up from her touch. “Yes,” he agreed, stepping back away from her. “Yes, indeed,” he said taking in a deep breath before letting go a huge sigh.
“We can,” Gwendolyn said, stepping towards him and placing her hand back on his forearm. “Be acquainted as friends.”
Devin perked up, “As special friends?”
Gwendolyn rolled her eyes; he just would not give up! “As silly friends,” she added, trying to detour the sexual tension.
“As humorous friends?”
“Yes!” She exclaimed, glad that he finally got the point.
“Yes,” Devin agreed, patting her hand then guiding them forward. “Joking friends,” he continued to play.
“Ridiculous friends,” Gwendolyn said next, practically skipping through the grass.
He allowed her to skip away before saying, “By the by,” he coughed again feeling foolish to a degree, “Thomas was bombarded with questions about you a few moments ago and mentioned to all the guests that you were his cousin, so you may come out of hiding my dear and dance with me.”
“A persistent and determined friend,” she tsked at him.
“That was my intention, I do assure you,” Devin quipped, back to his same brazen self.
Gwendolyn giggled and did a double-take when they arrived at a familiar setting; a sizeable conservatory full of vegetation from all over the world. Orange, lemon and apple trees, king palms, bamboo, tropical ferns, orchids, tulips and roses all in full bloom.
“Have you seen the greenhouse?” Devin asked, watching Gwendolyn light up like a firefly.
Her mouth flew open wide, “Oh, I used to love to come here when I was a child!” She exclaimed, letting go of his arm and running towards the dwelling around like a toddler.
Inside, Devin laughed aloud at the sight of Gwendolyn roaming from foliage to flower. She looked like a little girl discovering plant life for the very first time. Picking leaves, smelling flowers, touching and caressing, he relayed, “I must say Gwendolyn; you do make a charming addition to all this glamour.”
Gwendolyn blushed and smiled appropriately at him. “Why Devin Hale, you are absolutely dreadful.”
“I do try.”
Gwendolyn shook her head, “You are a wicked man.”
“And an absent one I might add.”
Gwendolyn’s smiled dropped at the sight of Thomas filling the entrance. He was not amused and stared straight at his friend.
“Lose something Thomas?”
Thomas shook his head at his friend’s mockery as he made his way in. “There are several ladies in the ballroom dying to dance with you. It seems you have spread yourself around this evening dear friend and need to fulfill your many pledges, just holding you to your dance card your wickedness.”
Devin bowed in defeat, “Quite right dear friend, but before I leave, Gwendolyn has also pledged a waltz with me, will I see you later inside?”
Gwendolyn blushed and realized he was baiting her, “I wouldn’t miss it,” she played along watching him exit.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Thomas watched Devin amble away before setting eyes on Gwendolyn. Lowering his gaze, he surveyed her attire downside up.
Gwendolyn’s heart tripped over several times from Thomas’ close scrutiny of her appearance. Why does he keep affecting her body that way? Hands down, he was the most handsome man she had ever seen. Black was definitely his color, his cutaway perfectly designed for his magnificent mold, he made Devin and Henry look absolutely common.
“Forget something?”
Gwendolyn noted his frivolity, his hands across his chest and the questionable look in his eyes gave him away. “Yes, and it seems you are just the person to refresh my memory.”
“What about your fiancé? Or should I ask, is there a fiancé?
Gwendolyn twisted her lips. “How dare you question my sincerity, Thomas? Charles is not imaginary by any means!”
“Charles?”
“Yes, Charles…His family owns a rather large dairy farm in Kettlewell,” she stated proudly lifting her chin up in the air.
Thomas walked over to a nearby Philodendron growing out of control. He reached out and touched the plant. “I wish to meet this farmer of yours.”
“Why?”
“I want to
know what his intentions are,” he stated quickly, continuing to ravage the fern.
“I told you what his intendment was you silly nincompoop,” Gwendolyn reacted irrationally. “He wants to marry me!”
Thomas quickly met her unreason. As if Gwendolyn just poured a bucket of hot water over his head, deep-rooted history began to bubble. She was the only one who could uplift embedded passions and Thomas was swiftly disconcerted. “What makes you believe I didn’t want to marry you?”
Gwendolyn’s fury erupted as well. “You never wanted to marry me Thomas—”
“How do you know that for certain?”
Gwendolyn was dumb-founded. How did she know that for certain? Well, her memories back-peddled fast…their fathers disagreeable pact… err, Thomas arguing with his father…err, Thomas looking nervous as hell in front of the monsignor…their consummation…doesn’t he object as well? “You hated the idea of our joining, and, as I recall, you yelled at your father and told him how you despised him for forcing you into the arrangement.”
“Key word here is forcing, go on.” Thomas ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. He let loose strands that were neatly combed behind his ears.
Gwendolyn focused on the hair that seemed to dangle on the sides of his face. The swinging lock seemed to hypnotize her as she forced herself to glare away. “You…you, practically stomped your feet in protest Thomas, please do not try and deny that now.”
“Why you misguided wench,” he quipped, surrounding her. “What you saw, or should I say, think you observed was me ranting to my father balking in the way he enforced us to take your hand.”
Gwendolyn’s mouth flew open to attack. “Why you arrogant swain! You cannot stand there and tell me honestly that you had any desire to marry me!”
Thomas laughed sickly at her remark, “Desire? Yes…let’s do talk about desire my dear wife.”
Gwendolyn could not believe he finally acknowledged her rightful state. Oh, if Katrina were only there! Then she could have heard her fiancé admit that Gwendolyn was the true Duchess of Norwin and not she. Gwendolyn watched Thomas pace in front of her with his hands on his hips; he hastily kicked up dirt and yanked off that stem he was admiring before.
Thomas took another good look at the girl who always managed to turn his world upside down. He wanted to divulge all that he was feeling, but held back. As a timid, indecisive, shy young lad, he desperately desired Gwendolyn. Following her around, watching her intently as she innocently arched her back in front of him. Naively undressing in front of him before their summer swims, imagining himself pressing his lips against hers, on the crux of her neck, setting his mouth on her breasts and taking her for hours. He would go home each night to soak himself in a cold bath—he desired her so much! Does he confess that little tidbit? Would it even matter…would it change anything? He had been dreaming of her relentlessly since her advent, imagining his tongue dancing with hers, across her much healthier bosom and damned-if-he knew-why, was haunted nightly by the illusion of her naked body across his empty bed! Does he allow her to know that? NO! He thought tentatively—he must move forward, carry on with his stupid plan. “Are you happy Gwendolyn?” He asked instead.
Gwendolyn was prepared for her retaliation but was blown away by his sudden change in direction. “Happy?”
“With him? Does your farmer make you happy?”
Gwendolyn’s stomach churned. She thought hard and said, “Yes… yes, he does. Does your debutante make you happy?”
Thomas stared at her for a long moment before saying, “Yes.”
It was no use. They had truly grown apart; no longer the children with the same interests, the similar views and bound future and Gwendolyn winced from the further cuts he managed to carve and began to walk away. She nearly tripped over a potted Bird of Paradise that—out of the blue—grew in her path as she continued to walk backwards. Thomas sprung forward and held her tightly confined. Only then did Gwendolyn realize that her back was against a statue, solid and cornered.
“What is it going to take to have you back in my arms?” Thomas murmured into her ear only to languidly pull away.
Gwendolyn was staggered looking up at him. She couldn’t breathe; she couldn’t even think—and felt instantly drunk from his sudden burst of particulars. Did he really say what she thought she just heard? “Don’t tease me Thomas.”
“I am not one to pretend, Gwendolyn, and as your husband I still hold liberties to procure advance of my wife.”
Yes…oh yes…she wanted that too! Advance on him. Assault him was more like it. Wanting to yank off his cravat and kiss his throat, chest, down to his…Oh God! His embrace was enfolding, her bosoms melted into his chest, her nipples hardened from his unguarded charge. “What exactly do you want?” She asked in breathless anticipation.
“To kiss you,” he stated with a hint of indecency, “Just once…one last time.”
Gwendolyn felt her face being cradled as Thomas leaned in to kiss her; lips so silky soft…gentle, temperate, parallel to a kiss felt long ago. Misleading that kiss, his talent turning famished, as his slow, careful taste of her grew ravenous in greed. Thomas besieged her backside with his arms, reached up to her neck to keep her position under his control. Opening up her mouth with his tongue, the compulsion fed and exploded every ardent sensation she subdued and she met his coercion with much of her own. Meeting his silky dance, thrust for plunge, taking, giving, receiving and flinging her wanton body towards his. Through her dress she could feel the heat seeping through his waistcoat and shirt. His body against hers was rewarding and yet, the length of him fully pressed into hers was not fulfilling enough.
Arms nearly crushing her, lips behind her ear, down alongside her neck, his hands roved to the front of her bodice, fondling her breast, kneading, wheedling her flesh to his eager mouth. Drawing her hips to his loins, he enclosed the space between them, expertly placing his leg amid hers, spreading her bearings until she practically rode him in rapture. It happened too quickly, much too fast, he was hot, hot, and hot; it was not enough, merely a tease. His body could not take it anymore; his appetite for her was unyielding. He was not prepared for so much passion to erupt—he knew from past experience that he couldn’t fake what her body made his feel. His hands roamed freely underneath the many layers of her dress, alongside the smooth texture of her thighs, in between her legs, sensually rubbing himself on a pressure point until he heard her moan in his mouth…
That’s when Gwendolyn flinched realizing their interaction went way too far. “Oh God, stop…please…just stop.”
Thomas was out of breath; he pulled away from her momentarily only to kiss her lightly on the lips. “Must I?”
Gwendolyn received his one last kiss then became totally embarrassed; realizing the possibility…the, indiscretion…what were they thinking? She tried to fix her gown to its original state. “Look at me, look at what you have done!”
Thomas blinked out of his trance. “Me?” He retorted; realizing she had withdrawn his shirt restricted to his trousers, his cravat, unraveled, spilled in front of his waistcoat and the front button of his shirt undone. “My clothes did not liberate themselves, you naughty girl.”
Gwendolyn noted his tousled attire, “Oh! Insufferable!” She was more ashamed of her actions, what the heck came over her? “What, pray tell, do you think was about to happen?”
“I sense the course was mutual.”
Gwendolyn concentrated on Thomas twirling his cravat in front of him in a tease. She fixated on his sinfully pleasing mouth and turned away, blushed, unruffled herself. Why did she feel so lustful when around him? Her actions were untamed; she had never felt anything like that. He was also too clever these days, “What course?”
Dare To Love Page 13
