“When I first started university, three years ago, Kell hadposted in the student’s services office, looking to start a band. Icalled him up and we hit it off, both being Goths and all that.Since he was on his own, I moved into his place and rented a roomin his house. Soon after, Dorian and Keegan came along and moved inas well. I suppose you could say, we formed our own fraternity ofsorts.”
“You mean like an actual frat house? A frat house of Gothboys.” She giggled when he winced at her phrasing.
“In a way, yes, but let me assure you that the House of Gothsis not your average fraternity house.”
“Of course not.” She laughed at the very idea. “The last thingyou are is average.”
“Glad we agree on the important things.” He smiled at her,enjoying her quirky sense of humour.
“What’s your band called and what instrument do you play?” sheasked him next.
“The Kingston Quartet. Don’t blame me. It was Kell’sidea.”
“Right…” she said with a smile. “So, is Kell the bandleader?”
“I suppose he thinks he is since it was his idea to create aband in the first place. I play guitar but when performing, Iprefer to concentrate on singing. I am also the songwriter. Kellplays bass, Keegan plays guitar and Dorian is on drums.”
“Is Becky in your band, too?”
At herquestion, he nearly choked on his sip of wine. “We prefer to thinkof her as our mascot.” He chuckled ruefully. “She moved in thispast fall after Keegan left. She and Kell are together now, quitein love.”
At thatinformation, Gwen put to rest her worries regarding Crispin’saffection for Becky. Not that she had any particular claim on himbut she’d like to think he was at least a little interested in her.He sure acted as if he was. Even now, his fingers were softlystroking the back of her neck.
“Keegan left? But you…”
Crispin rolledhis eyes and took a big swig of wine. “He took off for a shortstint, for a girl of all things, but he came back after she dumpedhim, the twit.”
“Oh…”
“Don’t look at me that way. I don’t blame him for falling inlove, and I don’t blame the girl either. I blame him for taking offwithout a word. The ass ran off in the middle of the night, like acoward.”
“You don’t like him, then?”
“I like him just fine. I simply don’t trust him. Why should I?He left once. He’ll just do it again. He says he’s sorry, but thedamage is done as far as I’m concerned.”
“I see…” Gwen paused, realizing that Crispin held grudges andthat his trust once broken would not be easily fixed. He wasturning out to be quite the complex personality and she wonderedjust how many layers there were to him. “I’m guessing that you areor, at least, were all quite close, you, Becky, and your otherhousemates?”
“Well, I suppose we are… for now.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means, no one knows what the future holds. Me, Becky, andmy bandmates live together, share a home, make the most of the timewe have as we are now.”
Gwen frowned, not quite knowing how to respond. Withoutprompting, he continued. “Nothing is forever, you see?People come and go. Humans are fickle andunpredictable. As you well know from yourown experience, you can’t count on anyone.”
“I never said anything about not trusting people. It was themoving around that hurt me. But as much as I hated moving, I stillhad my parents with me, and I did manage to make one or two goodfriends who I’ve kept in contact with.”
“Well, how nice for you,” Crispin said with sarcasm drippingfrom every pore.
“I like to think I can count on you, too.” She watched andwaited but he had turned cold and aloof once again. “Are you okay,Crispin? Have I upset you?”
Before he couldrespond, the waiter returned to take their order. As per the rule,he turned to Gwen first. Right away, she grabbed open the menu andfrowned, obviously undecided and flustered. After an uncomfortablemoment, Crispin took the initiative and ordered steak pot pies forthem both. When the waiter bowed politely and retreated, Crispinput his arm around her shoulders and drew her into him. “I hope Ichose correctly for you.” She had eaten the bacon from breakfast sohe was pretty sure she wasn’t a vegetarian. When she nodded and letout a deep sigh, he chuckled and pressed a kiss to the top of herhead.
“I hate when I freeze like that,” she confessed into hischest.
“It’s all right, no worries.” He gave her a reassuring squeeze.It surprised him, really, how much patience he had for her and howeasy it was to take the lead with this little lady. It made himwonder just how far he could go with this. Before this night wasdone, he would find out. That much he knew. That thought alone madehim want to skip dinner altogether and get her back to theinn.
Like the nightbefore, Crispin took up his glass of wine and gently put it to hermouth. Without hesitation, she looked into his eyes, accepted hisoffering, and sipped. As he drew it away from her, she licked herglistening lips. He could not resist the urge to swoop in andcapture them in a savouring kiss. For a moment the world aroundthem ceased to exist.
Overwhelmed andunable to think, Gwen automatically placed her hand on hisshoulder. Without breaking the kiss, he snatched it away and heldit tight within his own.
“What are doing to me, Crispin?” she whispered, losing herselfin his mesmerizing kiss.
“Seducing you, of course,” he said, leaning in and nipping herone last time on the earlobe.
Chapter 18
Well, let’sjust say, Crispin Clover was not one to make idle threats. Afterthey left the pub, there was no doubt in Gwen’s mind that his plansto seduce her were in full effect, and her wine induced fuzzinessonly served to accentuate the point. Before she knew it, they werecrossing Tower Bridge on foot, once again, her hand safely encasedwithin
