He hadn’t intended it; he knew she hadn’t either, yet it had happened. Why such an interaction, so minor in the scheme of such things, should so grip his interest was a riddle he wasn’t sure he needed solved.
Yet he couldn’t leave it, couldn’t shake aside the insane idea that had rushed into his mind on a torrent of conviction and taken up implacable, immovable residence. The idea that had kept him awake half the night.
Regardless of his impluses, he knew better than to crowd her or to make their awareness of each other public knowledge. When, with the others, she happily rose and set out to explore, he ambled along some distance behind, with Charlie and James supposedly keeping a general eye on proceedings.
The Hammond girls went quickly ahead, hallooing and giggling. Oswald and Swanston, clinging to spurious superiority, followed, but not too fast. Desmond walked beside Winifred; they parted from the other ladies, taking a different route into the ruins. Drusilla, Lucy, and Portia strolled on, Portia swinging her hat by its ribbons.
Henry and Kitty had remained with the elders-Mrs. Archer, Lady Glossup, and Lady O had all felt the need to engage Kitty in conversation. James, therefore, was relaxed and smiling as they walked through the arch into what had once been the church’s nave.
Simon, too, smiled.
It took him fifteen minutes to lose James to Drusilla Calvin. When she paused to rest on a fallen stone, urging Lucy and Portia to go on, Simon paused, too, frowning, communicating his thoughts to James without words; James felt obliged to remain with Drusilla, entertaining her as best he could.
Charlie was a more difficult proposition, not least because he, too, had his eye on Portia-quite why, and with what aim, Simon was certain Charlie himself didn’t know. Considering his tactics, with Charlie beside him he lengthened his stride, closing the distance to Lucy and Portia, eventually joining them.
Both turned and smiled.
He addressed himself to Lucy. “So are the ruins all you’d hoped for?”
“Indeed, yes!” Face alight, eyes shining, Lucy spread her arms wide. “It’s quite wonderfully atmospheric. Why, one could easily imagine a ghost or two, even a sepulchral company of monks slowly making their way up the nave, censers swinging. Or perhaps a chant, emanating through the mists when there’s no one there.”
Portia laughed. Simon looked at her, caught her eye; distracted, she didn’t utter the response she’d been about to make.
Leaving Charlie to say, “Oh, there’s many more possibilities than that.” He flashed Lucy his most engaging smile. “What about the crypt? Now
Lucy’s eyes had grown round. “Where?” She swiveled, looking around. “Is it near?”
Her gaze returned to Charlie, eager and appreciative; as usual, he responded in his customary way.
“It’s on the other side of the church.” With a flourish, he offered his arm, totally distracted from his earlier aim by the giddy enthusiasm in Lucy’s eyes. “Come-I’ll escort you there. If you’re a lover of atmosphere, you won’t want to miss it.”
Lucy happily slipped her hand in his arm. Over her head, Charlie arched a brow at Simon and Portia. “Coming?”
Simon waved him on. “We’ll stroll on a little way. We’ll meet you in the cloisters.”
Charlie blinked, hesitated, then inclined his head. “Right-ho.” He turned back to Lucy; they started on their way. “There’s a story about a sound heard on dark and moonless nights…”
Simon turned back to Portia in time to see her smile, then she caught his eye; her smile faded. Head rising, she studied his face, his eyes. He studied hers, and couldn’t tell what she was thinking.
He waved, directing her on along the old paved path that wound down and around to the priory’s kitchen gardens. She turned, stepped out.
“You knew about the crypt, didn’t you?”
He followed close behind her, coming alongside as the path evened out. “Charlie and I have visited often over the years.”
Portia smothered a grin and dutifully strolled on. He had a habit of not specifically answering questions he would rather not, questions whose answers revealed more of him than he wished to have known. Yet she was more than content to spend some time alone with him; she had no real interest in the ruins, but there were other matters she wished to explore.
They walked on in silence, oddly companionable. The sun briefly broke through, warm, but not too strong; she didn’t feel obliged to put on her hat-aside from anything else, it made conversing with tall gentlemen difficult.
She could feel his gaze as they walked, feel his presence, and something more, a facet of his behavior she’d noticed years before, but which had only become clear in recent days. The constant flirting-Kitty, James, Charlie, Lucy, even the Hammond girls-had sharpened the contrast; Simon never flirted, never extended himself to engage, unless he had a purpose-unless he acted with intent.
He prowled beside her now, long strides lazy, the disguised power that invested every movement never more apparent. They were in an ancient place, alone. Whatever they said, whatever happened between them here would not need to conform to any social requirements. Only their own.
Whatever they wished, whatever they wanted.
She drew a deep breath, aware of her bodice tightening, aware that he noticed. A tingle of anticipation tickled her spine. They’d reached the kitchen gardens, originally walled, but now the walls were crumbling. The ruined kitchens lay to one side, the remains of the prior’s house beyond them. She stopped, glanced around. They were out of sight of everyone, essentially private. She turned to face Simon.
A scant foot lay between them. He’d halted and was waiting, watching-waiting to see what tack she’d take. Knowing she wouldn’t be able to resist taking-doing-something.
She lifted her chin. Fixed her eyes on his.
Couldn’t find the words.
His eyes narrowed, searched hers, then he raised a hand, slowly, placed the tip of one finger beneath the angle of her jaw, just beneath her ear, and traced forward, tipping her face up. The simple touch sent sensation skittering through her, left her skin tingling.
She was tall, but he was a good half head taller; his fingertip beneath the point of her chin brought their faces closer.
“I assume you’re intent on learning more?”
His voice was deep, hypnotic. She kept her gaze locked with his. “Naturally.”
She could read absolutely nothing in his face, yet the sense of being considered, like prey, grew.
“What did you have in mind?”
The invitation was blatant-and exactly what she wanted.
She raised her brows, faintly haughty, knowing the challenge would not escape him-and he would not escape it. “I’d imagined the next step.”
His lips curved, just a little; now that she knew what they felt like, she found them fascinating, both visually and in the expectation of how they would feel…
“And just what had you imagined that to be?”
She watched the words form on his lips; they took a moment to penetrate her brain. Then she hauled her gaze up to his eyes, blinked. “I’d imagined… another kiss.”
Calculation flashed through his eyes, enough to tell her she might have answered differently, that there was more yet she could have learned… if she’d known to ask for it.
“Another kiss? So be it”-his head lowered, her lids followed-“if that’s all you really want.”
The last words drifted into her mind, pure temptation, as his lips settled on hers, warm, firm, more definite this time, more sure, more commanding. She knew how to respond now and did, parting her lips, inviting him in. His hand shifted, long fingers sliding to cup her nape, his thumb remaining beneath her chin, holding her steady as he angled his head and-as she’d demanded-took the kiss further.
Deeper, into some realm that was hotter, more exciting. More intimate.
She felt it in her bones, felt her senses unfurl like petals under a sensual sun. And went forward with eagerness and delight.
Lifting one hand, she lightly touched, lingeringly traced his cheek. Drew breath from him and kissed him back- shyly testing, trying, mimicking-growing more assured when she sensed, not only his acceptance, but beneath his expertise and his strength, an elusive, beguiling need.
