His Contrary Bride (A Gentleman's Guide to One Upon a Time - Book 2)

by Charles, Jane

  By the tightening of her jaw he assumed she gritted her teeth. This was not going very well. He lifted her gloved hand and kissed the back of her hand.

  An eyebrow rose in question.

  “I would like you to reconsider my proposal, Sabrina.”

  Chapter 17

  She closed her eyes briefly, willing herself to be strong and not succumb to her emotions. “There is nothing to reconsider. I am appreciative of the offer, but the reasons are wrong.”

  Marius leaned closer. “Then perhaps I should give you another reason,” he said before taking her lips.

  Sabrina sat, stunned for a moment, shocked at his actions. In no time she was melting, as she always did. It never crossed her mind how she should behave. He hadn’t given her a chance. Sighing, she leaned into him and Marius took the opportunity to deepen the kiss. Molding her face in his hands, he tilted his head, brushing his tongue over her lips. Sabrina opened for him and soon he was kissing her deeply. The pleasurable shock sent lightning bolts through Sabrina and her own reaction was to imitate his actions. Marius groaned and crushed her to him.

  It took Sabrina a moment to it to register he had pulled away. She lifted a hand to her swollen lips. How could she have let that happen? She knew to be on guard around him, yet she didn’t bother with a slight objection as his lips met hers. She knew she should have asked to ride home with Lord and Lady Meadows and this is what she deserved for wanting a few moments with Marius. She would never fall out of love with him in this manner so why did she continue to set herself up for the pain?

  “That is the other reason we should wed, Sabrina.”

  She looked up at him. “Because we kissed?”

  “You can’t deny our kisses are special.”

  “I enjoy kissing you, Marius.”

  “Then you will finally agree to marry me.” He grinned, as if satisfied with himself for some reason. Well, perhaps he should be proud that his kisses did have a way of befuddling her, but not enough to agree to marry him.

  “Because I like to kiss you?”

  “It is more than that. Don’t you feel the passion?”

  Her face heated and she looked away. “I don’t have much experience in this.”

  “Then trust me. What we share is rare.”

  “It is still not a reason to marry.” It wasn’t. She would love to kiss him for the rest of her life, but she wasn’t willing to take the risk.

  “It is more than a lot of people have when they marry.”

  “How do I know only your kisses make me feel this way? You have experience. I do not.”

  His face fell and eyes widened. He almost looked afraid. “I am positive,” he insisted. “I can feel the difference.” Placing his hands on her face, he brought her around to face him. “Don’t be foolish Sabrina. Marry me.”

  “Foolish?” She screeched and pulled back. “I’ll tell you what foolish is, Mr. Parker. Foolish is marrying because of passion or protection. I am not foolish enough to marry for those empty reasons.”

  “Be reasonable, Sabrina. You are misinterpreting my intention.”

  She glared at him. “I am being reasonable and just to prove my point, I am going to kiss other gentlemen to prove to both of us that your kisses aren’t any different.” Opening the door, she stepped outside.

  Marius started to follow her. “You can’t be serious.”

  “Yes, I am.” Slamming the door on his face she turned her back on the carriage and marched up to the house.

  Once she was alone in her room, Sabrina berated herself for letting her anger get the best of her. She hadn’t been so impetuous and short sighted in years. Now what was she to do? If she didn’t go through with her threat, Marius wouldn’t believe she was serious. Oh why had she even suggested such a thing? The answer came to her immediately of course. His arrogance.

  Snuggling into her bed, Sabrina weighed her options. In the end she had no choice but to kiss her gentlemen callers. There was one possible outcome. She could find someone who made her feel the same way Marius did, though she seriously doubted that would happen.

  * * *

  “Thank you for escorting me outside.” Sabrina smiled up at her last dance partner. It had been three days since she had made her threat and this was the first opportunity she had to proceed.

  “It is dreadfully chilly out here, Lady Sabrina. Are you sure you don’t wish to return inside?” Kelsey Thomas asked.

  “Actually, there is a reason I wanted to be alone with you.” Sabrina looked up at him shyly. This wasn’t as easy as she had hoped it would be.

  “What would that reason be?” He stepped closer.

  Sabrina decided to plunge right in. “A certain gentleman, who shall remain nameless, has kissed me.”

  Kelsey appeared outraged. “How dare he.”

  Sabrina looked at him with surprise. “That is not what concerns me.”

  His shoulders relaxed as if he were relieved for some reason. “Then what Lady Sabrina?”

  “He insists that we should marry because of that kiss. Of course I told him no. Besides, how do I know his kisses are any better than any other gentleman’s? Surely you understand my dilemma.”

  “I’m not sure I do.”

  Perhaps she should have chosen a less dense gentleman. “How am I to know if he is telling me the truth if I don’t find out for myself?”

  His eyebrows shot up. “You brought me out here to kiss you?”

  He finally understood. “Yes. If you don’t mind.”

  Kelsey needed no further invitation. He pulled her close and lowered his mouth to hers. The kiss was pleasant enough but Sabrina felt nothing, other than the actual, physical contact of their mouths. Nothing stirred in her being and she patiently waited for the kiss to end.

  Finally he raised his head and looked down at her.

  “That was nice, but I am sure you understand I need more than one comparison.”

  “Yes, actually I believe I do.”

  Sabrina was able to kiss two more of the gentlemen who regularly paid court to her that evening. None moved her, but she wasn’t about to call a halt to her experiment yet.

  By the end of the week she had managed to kiss each of the men in her court with disappointing results. Not one caused her pulse to race, heart pound, or breath to hitch. Still, Sabrina was determined and decided to look to others. She loathed having to ever admit to Marius that his kisses were special. Somehow she suspected he would hold that over her forever and use it as ammunition to insist they marry. But, until he understood her reasons for her refusal, her answer would remain no, regardless of how delicious his lips were against hers.

  * * *

  Marius couldn’t believe she had gone through with it. How many men had she kissed? Two pages alone were filled in White’s betting book involving Sabrina kissing other men. Not once was his name mentioned. Some wondered if she were trying to find a husband or just determine who kissed the best. None of the gentlemen minded and it didn’t really harm her reputation since it was simply a kiss and her own little experiment.

  “Interesting,” Chambers said while reading over Marius’s shoulder. “Who do you suppose was the first man to steal a kiss and why she feels the need to compare?”

  Marius shot him a look of irritation and Chambers refrained from making any further comment.

  They made their way to a table on the other side of the room. “What exactly did cause Cinderella to begin kissing every man in London?”

  Marius stared at him angrily. “A misunderstanding,” he said through gritted teeth.

  Chambers opened his mouth to speak but froze, looking at something over Marius’ shoulder. He turned to see what caught Chambers’ attention. They weren’t the only one interested in the book. Lord Chesterfield stood before it reading and then turning the pages. Any true guardian would be outraged and take his ward in hand. Chesterfield merely shrugged and strolled away with an odd smirk on his face. He was chuckling by the time he made his way to a corner tabl
e.

  “You would think a guardian would be outraged,” A gentleman seated not far away acknowledged with interest.

  “Not if it is in the guardian’s best interest that his ward not wed,” Marius muttered almost to himself and only loud enough for Chambers to hear.

  * * *

  Sabrina didn’t know the reason, but more and more gentlemen were approaching her for introductions and a dance. Her original court had moved on now that their kissing held nothing of interest. Those gentlemen had been replaced with gentlemen who could be considered as serious candidates for marriage since none of them needed an heiress, and everyone believed she barely had a dowry.

  The kisses that followed were not near as chaste as the ones from her previous court. Most left her feeling ill or uncomfortable. Not one even sparked an interest and Sabrina was beginning to fear Marius had been correct all along. Still, she was too stubborn to give up.

  Standing at the side of the ballroom with a few of her newer friends, Sabrina scanned the crowd. Marius was here of course and he was scowling at her. She told herself she didn’t care. It was his own fault anyway. Besides, he had all but dismissed her already. Except for the few dances and short conversations, he had otherwise ignored her and not called on her once since their argument. Just one more reason she was glad she hadn’t agreed to marry him. She also tried to convince herself it didn’t hurt.

  Pushing her thoughts away from the aggravating Marius, she looked beyond him. Why was he so different? Looking over the gentlemen she had previously kissed she made a mental comparison. They were nothing like Marius. Not nearly as confident, handsome, strong, or desirable. That was the problem. She had been comparing Marius to inferior men. Even though she would never get a perfect match, she could come closer. What she needed to do was kiss a man who was equal to Marius in almost every way. Her eyes and thoughts were returning to Marius when she spotted her next candidates. She felt no desire for either gentleman but they were as close to being equal to Marius as anyone. Thank goodness one of them would be claiming the next dance on her card or she would have to come up with an excuse to approach him.

  * * *

  Marius felt he could relax for at least a short time. Chambers would be dancing with Sabrina next, then Felding. At least he didn’t have to worry about Sabrina dragging those two outside. Even if she tried, they surely wouldn’t accommodate her. As he became too angry to continue watching her, he turned and drew Taylor into a discussion when Dillon went to retrieve Sabrina.

  He and Sandlin were discussing horses when Martin interrupted the conversation. “I hadn’t counted on that.”

  Both men turned to him. “What?” They asked simultaneously.

  “Cinderella was just escorted onto the balcony by Chambers.”

  Marius stiffened. It was one thing for her to be kissing all those dandies. It was quite another that his own friend had decided to aid her. He couldn’t decide who he wanted to throttle more and started for the terrace door, only to be stopped by Taylor.

  “Hold up. Chambers knows how you feel. Perhaps he only wishes to discuss something with her.”

  “He may just be doing this to irritate you without any intention of kissing her,” Martin suggested.

  “It wouldn’t be out of character for Chambers, after all,” Lavins agreed.

  Marius relaxed. It was just the type of action Chambers would take for the sole purpose of aggravating him. Of course Chambers would never kiss Sabrina because he knew Marius would kill him.

  Sabrina returned a short time later, alone. Of course, that was not unusual either. She always returned alone. Marius just didn’t understand the strange look on her face. Even if Chambers had kissed her, it certainly hadn’t left a favorable impression because she was practically frowning. Marius reminded himself to ask his friend what had transpired later as he watched Felding approach and claim his dance.

  This time Marius kept an eye on Sabrina and her dance partner. Chambers had yet to appear and Marius began to have doubts in how far he could trust that friendship. Again, Taylor clasped his arm to keep him from following Sabrina and Felding as they left. Certainly both men didn’t have something to say to her. They were kissing her, he decided with a scowl. Whatever happened to loyalty?

  This time Sabrina returned with Felding. The same look was on her face. Chambers followed and the three approached Marius and the group. Marius searched her face for any signs of recent kissing. Then looked at his supposed friends. Nobody could look him in the eye.

  Marius became rigid with anger. “That is entirely enough of this nonsense.” Taking Sabrina’s arm, “We are leaving, my dear. There is a discussion we must have that is long overdue.”

  Sabrina pulled back and didn’t lift her feet to follow. His blood boiled further and he whipped around. “Either you come willingly with me or I will throw you over my shoulder.”

  Sabrina blinked back at him, her mouth opened in shock.

  “Well?”

  She took a step forward. Marius enjoyed this one moment of satisfaction and marched her through the crowed, down the stairs, into the foyer and outside into the clear, star filled night.

  Outside they stood waiting for his carriage and Marius held her hand in a tight grasp in the crook of his arm. The silence continued after he handed her into the carriage and took his seat. He drummed his fingers on the seat, waiting for the carriage to leave the traffic behind. When he believed it was safe, he turned and pulled her against him and lowered his mouth to hers. He wanted to brand her, make her his and erase the memory of any other kiss she experienced.

  His arms tightened around her. He tilted his head and deepened the kiss. Sabrina relaxed against him and opened her mouth to his exploration while she explored herself. Her arms went around his neck and held tight, never breaking her lips from his.

  * * *

  Jolts of pleasure spiked through her body. Only Marius made her feel this way. Only Marius made her pulse quicken and her breaths shorten. The force of this kiss stirred her own deeper passions and she wound her arms around his neck meeting his desire, mating her tongue with his and the world disappeared.

  It was Marius who broke the kiss while pulling away from Sabrina and groaning. “What am I going to do with you?”

  Coming out of her daze, Sabrina pulled away as well. “There is nothing you need to do with me.” How dare he treat her like a possession?

  “I should have gone with my first instinct when I pulled you from the house.”

  Sabrina looked at him quizzically. “That would be?”

  “To turn you over my knee.”

  “How dare you. You are not responsible for me, nor are you my guardian.”

  “It is clear your guardian doesn’t care what you do.” His voice rose.

  “Uncle James only cares that I don’t marry,” Sabrina argued back.

  “Exactly. This is why he didn’t once intervene in your little experiment. He was hoping this little plan of yours will ruin you for good.”

  “I am well aware of that. Please quit yelling at me. No harm has been done.” Marius relaxed back onto the seat with a sigh, running his fingers through his hair. “So, did you learn anything from this experiment?”

  Sabrina turned away from him. “Yes, I believe I did.”

  She twisted her hands in her lap. This was something she had thought about, now to just tell him in a way that doesn’t reveal that only his kisses stirred her.

  “Did you favor any of them?”

  Sabrina sighed and shrugged her shoulders. She might as well tell him the truth. “Only a few could be described as mildly pleasant. The rest, well I don’t wish to repeat the experience.”

  “I told you what we had was rare.”

  “Of course, that wasn’t at all the case with Mr. Chambers and Lord Felding.

  Sabrina watched out of the corner of her eye to see Marius stiffen.

  “So they did kiss you.” Marius ground out.

  “Oh yes. They were happy to accom
modate me.”

  “How dare they? I will kill them both.”

  Sabrina was taken aback by his anger.

  “I don’t understand why you are so angry when none of the others seemed to bother you.”

  “Oh, they bothered me but I wasn’t about to interfere. What is unforgivable is that two of my closest friends would kiss you. They know I am determined to marry you and know how I would feel.”

  Sabrina was alarmed by his rising temper. “You are really making too much out of this.”

  “I don’t believe that is true. It isn’t every day a man learns he can’t trust his closest friends. So, did you finally get a worthy comparison?” He barked at her.

  Wide eyed, Sabrina scooted away from him. She had pushed too far and should have told him the truth immediately. She certainly didn’t want any friendship destroyed over something so inconsequential. “No. They are more loyal than you give them credit.”

  Marius’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean? They did kiss you didn’t they?”

  “Yes. Mr. Chambers kissed me here and Lord Felding kissed me here.” Indicating to her cheeks. “It was no different than the way Ramsey has ever kissed me – what I assume would be brotherly affection.”

  Marius stared at her for a few moments before his posture relaxed and he was chuckling.

  Sabrina was just as thankful this conversation was behind them and Marius wasn’t angry any longer. They had already stopped at Ramsey’s home and Sabrina rose to exit the carriage. Marius reached over and laid his hand on her arm. “Now that you know what we have is rare, do you agree that we should marry?”

  She stared at him. The man did not understand at all. “No, Marius. Passion dies eventually. It is still not a reason to marry.” She left before he had a chance to say another word, and ran up to the house.