He drew away. Soon. Too soon. But then he looked down at her with heat so clear in his eyes she wondered how he managed to break the kiss.
“There. That is my judgement, Lily.” His fingers pressing into her back, his voice dropped to roughness. “I was very wrong to have doubted staying here, to helping your sister. And I have found myself at the maddening point where I have been denying myself this very act—kissing you—for days. Do I need to apologize?”
Her eyes dove downward, staring at the lapel of his great coat as her fingers moved to her own lips, gently touching the warmth of where his skin had been. “No. No apology. Not in the slightest.”
Her look crept up to meet his. “I was curious how that would feel, how you would feel. I imagined this—late at night, watching you in Bree’s room. I was curious, but I never imagined it would be so…breathtaking.” Her fingers slipped off her lips. “And I had never dared to think you would want the same of me.”
He smiled, one of his hands releasing her body and coming up to brush a loose lock of hair from her temple. “Do you always say exactly what you are thinking, Lily?”
“You have not yet learned that about me?”
“I have, but with this—I am surprised by such candor—the lack of coyness.”
“Well, I can attempt to be more coy, if you would like. It would make Bree happy—she hates my inability to filter my words.”
“I do not mind. Especially in this instance.”
Her fingers went to the lapel of his great coat, fingering the edge. Head tilting down, she looked up at him through her lashes. “You have been waiting how long to do that?”
“Quite coy.” Garek chuckled, squeezing her to him as his free hand slipped along her jaw. “But if you must know, I have been staring at you for days over Brianna’s bed, Lily. Watching every movement you made. Looking forward to the smirk you get on your face when you want to ignore death and tease me to lighten my mood. Make me smile.”
Without warning, his hands dropped away from both her jaw and her waist to cross behind his back. He moved a step backward, leaving her suddenly very cold in the chilly air.
“But you do not owe me a thing, Lily. I did what I did for Brianna because I could help, not because I wanted something from you. If you tell me that this, that what I see in your eyes, how you look at me, is not there—is not true—then I will never touch you again. I swear it.”
Her heart pounding at his words, at the mere thought of him never touching her again, she took a step forward, leaving no space between them. She looked up to his eyes. “You already have your answer, Garek. You see the truth far too clearly in me.”
“And you are far too honest, Lily.” His arms withdrew from behind him, and his hand went to her temple, his fingers following the line of her hair into the simple braid she had weaved. “Then you should know I have wanted to do this for weeks—hell, since the moment I saw you swinging that hammer in the moonlight. And then these last two weeks—every second has only magnified my want of you.”
Lily inhaled, her breath caught. “Truly?”
He nodded. “Are you scared?”
“You would never hurt me, Garek.”
Without another breath, he descended, catching her lips on his. His right hand curled around her neck under her braid, his fingers gently tilting her head, angling her so he could deepen the kiss.
Every nerve exploding, Lily could not help but lean into him. Lean into this man—this rock—that had held her hand and wiped her tears late at night when she had broken, time and again, in desperation.
This man that had shown nothing but tenderness when he touched Brianna. This man that had listened to every word she had prattled on—recalling minute details that she had spoken. This man that was handsome beyond belief, strong and capable, smart.
Garek had become such a constant to her that his lips on hers were instinctive. Not to be questioned. Not to be denied.
His mouth parted, nudging her lips apart, and Lily’s legs almost buckled.
Chaste kisses she had had before from suitors, but not this. Nothing like this.
This was raw desire, not yielding, not pulling back. Raw desire demanding she react. Raw power that Garek always kept bridled—but power that vibrated underneath every step he took, every flick of his finger, every look. Raw power she had always recognized was there, waiting for the smallest crack when it could be unleashed.
Unable to move under her own will, Lily could only accept him into her mouth, tasting his power, reveling in his exploration. His hand at the small of her back pressed her body into his, her flesh hitting the hard muscles of his chest, his belly.
Sinking, her breath gone, Lily clutched his shoulders, desperate for the kiss to not end.
Garek’s lips left her.
It took long seconds for her eyes to open, and she found him looking down at her, mirth twinkling in the blue flecks in his eyes.
“I am going to let you go now, so we do not reach unseemly spectacle status,” Garek said, the usual smoothness of his voice turned to gravel. “Even with the lack of servants around here, I imagine there are eyes that should not see this, and the horse blocks very little. Are you ready? You will not fall?”
“Fall? Of course I will not—”
Garek’s hand left her back and Lily promptly stumbled forward, hands slipping from his shoulders and flailing until she awkwardly fell into his chest for balance.
“Fall?” he said, smirk curling up the left side of his face.
“Unfair.” Her cheeks flushing, she untangled herself from his body, laughing through her frown. “What did you say about not becoming a spectacle?”
“I think you can still recover.” He swept his hand in front of them. “Let us go in. I want to check on your sister directly. And then I want you to grab a cloak so you can be warm when I take you to the gardens.”
“The gardens, why? Only the evergreens give color right now. There is nothing in bloom.”
“Nothing?”
Her eyes crinkled at him. “Aah. Sly.”
He nodded once, slowly, his eyes focused on her lips.
“Should I be concerned that you look like you could eat me right now?”
Garek chuckled, his palms flying up in defense. “An innocent walk, that is all I ask. It will be a novelty to talk with you in the fresh air instead of in Brianna’s room. But I may still look at you like this.”
“Am I wanton if I do not mind your look? No—do not answer. I do not care if I am.” Her eyes went to the heavens as she shook her head at her own lack of modesty. “Tie your horse to the post, and I will round up a stable boy while you look in upon Bree.”
~~~
Muffled voices floating to her, Lily walked down the corridor that intersected with the hallway leading to Brianna’s room. She turned the corner to find Garek talking to Mr. Sneedly outside of Brianna’s room.
A heated conversation—at least on Garek’s part. Even before she could make out words, she could hear the usual pompous whine in Mr. Sneedly’s voice. Lily’s eyes flickered to her sister’s door. Thank goodness it was closed.
Three more steps, and the men finally realized she was in the hall and walking toward them.
Mr. Sneedly turned, stepping in front of Garek to intercept her first. “Lily, I understand your sister is now fully conscious. Wonderful news. Truly a delight. I was stopping by to check on her before Dr. Harrison shoved me out of the room.”
Garek glared at the back of Mr. Sneedly’s greased hair. “If I had bothered to shove you, Sneedly, you would not be standing on two feet right now.”
Lily’s eyes snapped to Garek—even though his voice was even, those were the harshest words she had ever heard him speak.
Mr. Sneedly waved his fingers over his shoulder, his nose scrunched as he dismissed Garek’s words behind him like the smell of bad fish. “As your sister has now recovered, Lily, I was just informing Dr. Harrison that his services in this house will no longer be needed.”
Lily pulled her eyes off of Garek, forcing herself to look at Mr. Sneedly. “What?”
“Dr. Harrison is not needed. His time with us is done.”
“You are wrong, Mr. Sneedly. Very wrong.” She took a step towards Sneedly, instant anger flushing her cheeks—the man had absolutely no right. “Garek is here at my request. Not yours. I am his employer and will decide when we no longer need him. Brianna is far from well, and we are still dependent upon his services.”
Mr. Sneedly’s mouth stretched into a tight line. “Be that as it may, he is staying here at Weadly Hall by the generosity of the viscount. You may still use his services, Lily, but the viscount’s generosity of room and meals will not extend another night for Dr. Harrison.”
Lily’s eyes went wide. “You are kicking Garek out of Weadly Hall?”
“I am.”
“The viscount—he himself requested that directly of you, Mr. Sneedly?”
“It does not matter.” Mr. Sneedly’s chin tilted upward. He was short, the same height as Lily, so she had to stare up his thin nose. “I make the decisions regarding the management of Weadly Hall. Do I need to remind you of that?”
“No. No you do not, Mr. Sneedly.” Lily couldn’t keep disgust from curling her lip. “But Garek—”
“Step lightly, Lily.” Sneedly’s voice slipped from a whiny wheeze into sharpness. “Lest you and your sister find yourselves also at the end of the viscount’s generosity. Do you think your sister would fare well out in the frozen land?”
Lily bowed her head, taking a step backward as she hid her fists in her skirts. She recognized very well his tone of voice. The tone and what came after it.
She swallowed a seething breath. She knew how to do it now—or at least how to try and clamp down on her rage in front of Mr. Sneedly so the back of his hand wouldn’t fly at her face.
Sometimes she was successful. Sometimes not. Damn her stubborn tongue.
But submitting to Mr. Sneedly’s temper was the price she needed to pay to keep Brianna here. Here and safe until her sister was well enough to travel—well enough to tell Lily what to do, where to go.
But this—kicking Garek out of Weadly Hall. Threatening Brianna. This went too far.
The rage in her chest swelled upward.
Mr. Sneedly was ruthlessly overstepping his bounds—going farther than he had ever dared.
Her mouth opened. She wasn’t about to let Mr. Sneedly do this to her sister, to Garek. It was time Mr. Sneedly was put properly back into the rat’s nest he had crawled from, come what may. She ventured her eyes, but not her head upward, sneaking a glance over Mr. Sneedly’s shoulder to Garek.
The second her eyes met Garek’s, he shook his head at her. A clear warning. Even though his wide shoulders swallowed the hallway behind Mr. Sneedly. Even though Garek could easily crush the man. Garek was warning her not to fight this battle.
Lily didn’t want to acknowledge it. Didn’t want to silence herself. For once, she didn’t want to have to back down from Mr. Sneedly.
Garek’s jaw flexed into hardness, his look turning from warning, to commanding. He gave her one last simple shake of his head. Simple, but she could feel the force of it cut across her tongue, stilling her voice.
Gritting her teeth, her eyes dropped and she exhaled, the rage balling in her chest.
“Mr. Sneedly, I will be gone by nightfall,” Garek said, his voice a calm echo in the hall. “But Lily, know that I will come daily to check on Brianna and make sure she is progressing as she should.”
Mr. Sneedly whipped around to Garek, his mouth sputtering against the plan. “No, that will not—”
“Surely you cannot think to deny Brianna medical care, Mr. Sneedly? I am quite certain that would be frowned upon by your cousin, the viscount, since he was the one that extended the invitation for Lily to keep Brianna here until she was well. Have I misunderstood—is that not true?”
Mr. Sneedly’s look skittered back and forth between Garek and Lily. “That may be, but—”
“I will be happy to draft a missive to the viscount to ensure the invitation to stay here with proper medical care is still valid, Mr. Sneedly,” Lily said.
“The viscount does not want to be bothered by matters at Weadly Hall, Lily,” Mr. Sneedly said.
Lily fought down the rage in her chest and smiled her sweetest smile, forcing her voice extra light. “I am sure he will be willing to take five minutes to read my letter and answer me. I do not want you to have to worry on what the viscount thinks is proper in this situation, Mr. Sneedly.” She started to turn from him. “I will go right now to draft it, so you may take it with you to town, Garek.”
“That is—that is not necessary, Lily,” Sneedly said, his boney fingers straining as they clasped in front of him. “Of course Dr. Harrison is welcome here at Weadly Hall to see his patient.”
Lily spun back to Sneedly and Garek. “Wonderful, Mr. Sneedly. That will save me time spent writing the letter. Time that is better spent with my sister.” Lily looked to Garek. “Will you accompany me to my father’s study, Garek? There is the matter of your payment, which you will need to rent a place nearby. I have a cottage already in mind as an option, if it is still vacant.”
“Do give my regards to the viscount for his hospitality during the past weeks, Mr. Sneedly,” Garek said as he pushed past Sneedly, his wide frame making Sneedly shuffle backward and bump into the wall.
Lily ducked her eyes, hiding a smirk as she turned, leading Garek down the hall.
They walked in silence to her father’s study, and once inside, Lily paused, facing the door with her fingers gripping the knob as she clicked it closed.
She leaned forward, her forehead resting on the door.
“What is it?” Garek asked.
She shook her head, not leaving the door. “I am just saying a quick prayer that the retribution for that fuss does not come back to haunt me.” She turned to Garek, a bright smile on her face. “But it was worth it just to see his trapped little sniveling face of rat’s arse attempting to scurry.”
Garek did not answer her, the frown deepening on his face as he stood by her father’s desk.
Her eyes immediately dropped to the brown and white Persian rug filling the room, fixating on the white area by the edge, stained purple long ago when her little fingers had dropped a half-eaten wild blackberry on it. Her father had not gotten even the slightest bit peeved. He had just cleaned it up and told her he would always think of her when he saw it.
She took a deep breath. Her father had not raised her to be petty. To put others to shame.
She looked up to Garek. “I apologize, that was not a generous thing to say. You must think me a shrew.”
“I never want you to curb what you need to say to me, Lily. And no, I do not think you a shrew. But I do think you are very angry.”
She shrugged, moving past him as she went behind her father’s desk to pull open the middle left drawer.
Garek followed her, setting himself at her side, his chest just a sliver away from touching her upper arm. “What has Mr. Sneedly done to you?”
“Nothing I have not been able to suffer, Garek.”
“And nothing you should ever have been put in the position to have to suffer?” He leaned slightly toward her, his breath reaching her temple. “Every time I see you look at him, Lily, your mouth curdles—your eyes, they go dark.”
“I have lasted long enough with him that Brianna is improving. That is what is important.” She bent, fishing her hand in the back of the drawer.
“I am only imagining the worst, Lily.”
Pulling out a wide box from the drawer, she set it on top of the walnut inlaid desk. Her hands clutching the top edges of the box, she shook her head, her eyes downward. “Just words, Garek. Words. Threats. Do not bother to imagine what is in the past. The worst has been an occasional misplaced hand, an occasional slap. That is all.”
She glanced up at him. Hard jaw. Fingers curling into fists. Murder in his e
yes.
“Stop, Garek, stop. This is exactly what I did not want to happen. I have survived intact, and he is not worth your anger.”
“Nor is he worth yours.”
She turned to him, grabbing his left wrist and gently wedging her fingers into his fist, loosening the ball. “True, but I do not hold my anger nearly as well as you. I let it fly out of me in sometimes nasty ways. And then it rebuilds so quickly within me. But you. I have not seen you act upon anger once since you arrived here.”
Her head tilted, contemplating. “Which makes me wonder what does happen when your anger is unleashed. I do not think I want to witness it. Witness you pummel another man, even if that man is Sneedly.”
“That he has ever dared to touch you, Lily…”
She clasped his flattened hand between hers. “Please, leave it be. You were very right to stop me earlier. Stop me from saying something I would regret. Until Brianna is well enough to be moved, I cannot chance Mr. Sneedly doing something drastic. Until we can leave I need to submit to Sneedly’s little game of power.”
Garek’s shoulders relaxed, if only slightly. “I abhor that you have been put in this position with that man. That I will have to leave you in his presence.”
Her fingers trailing off his hand, Lily turned back to the box, fiddling with the latch. “Then do not think on it. Tell me how Brianna is, how she was when you checked on her. Tell me when she will be well enough to move. And then we can leave this place and never have to think of Mr. Sneedly again.”
“You were right. Brianna does appear better. She awoke while I was with her, checking on her leg and setting fresh salve in place. She asked me who I was, which was awkward without you there. She asked for Dr. Rugbert.”
“That makes sense since he was our physician for years—but we rarely used him. I had never imagined he would do so much damage to Bree. But I told her of you this morning—I am surprised she did not remember.”
“Her mind is foggy,” Garek said. “I am sure she will have trouble distinguishing reality from whatever world she was in, for some time.”
She glanced up from the box to Garek. “Is this real? Bree waking up? Does it truly mean she will get better?”
Lord of Fates: A Complete Historical Regency Romance Series (3-Book Box Set) Page 58
