Her eyes grew dark, and she lowered her lashes to the ground.
“Don’t, Elise.” He moved toward her, and with nowhere else to go, he had her trapped against the marble base of the statue behind her. He placed a finger on her chin and tipped her head up to face him. “Do not turn away from me.”
Blue eyes suddenly turned fierce, and he could see the fire in them again. “Don’t tell me what to do. I’m not some simpering miss you can direct and bend to your will.”
“Not like Miss Richardson?”
There it was again, the flaring of her nostrils and the contempt on her face. He’d seen it during dinner the night before and he wanted to test her reaction again. So, he made sure to pay particular attention to Beatrice today.
However, that plan backfired because she had been occupied with Simon, and not only did that enrage him, but now Miss Richardson seemed to think that he was interested in her. She had been like an irritating little gnat the entire morning and the only way to escape was to take Thor for a ride, claiming his horse needed the exercise since it had been a while since he’d come to Huntington Park.
When it began to rain, he joined the party again, only to find his sister in a panic and Elise gone. After Eleanor had calmed enough to tell him what happened, she pointed toward the direction where her horse went. His heart had stopped in his chest when he saw Elise was alive—hurt, but alive—as a million terrible scenarios had gone through his mind while he searched for her. Unfortunately, the closest place they could take shelter in was here, a private garden surrounded by erotic imagery.
She swatted his hand away. “I don’t care about her. Or what you do with her or any of your mistresses!” A small gasp escaped her lips, like she was just as surprised as he was by her own words. He noticed her body tense as if ready to run away like the other night, and he knew he had to stop her. So, he did the only thing he could think of: pin her against the base of the statue with his body and hold her delicate wrists in his hands.
“No!” True fear crossed her face and she winced as if anticipating something bad to happen.
“I would never hurt you,” he said in a calming tone. “But I can’t let you believe …” Did someone tell her about Anais? “I can only guess that the Honorable Simon Richardson has been feeding you lies—don’t deny it, you’ve only been in England a few days so you haven’t heard any gossip, and neither Eleanor nor Grandmama would feed you such salacious details.” She struggled to get away from him, but he held her in place. Unfortunately, her sensuous curves rubbing up against him only fed his desire and his shaft went completely hard. “But you must believe me. I have no interest in Beatrice and I no longer have a mistress. It’s been six months since I’ve even looked at a woman.”
Her body went rigid. “Your Grace, I don’t need to know—”
“Of course you do, otherwise you wouldn’t have brought it up.” In a completely impulsive move, he leaned down and pressed his nose to the soft spot just below her ear. Her pulse jumped and he could hear her heart hammering in her chest. When her exotic scent filled his nostrils, he let out a groan. God, he wanted her. Damn all propriety.
He trailed his lips up her neck, across her jaw, waiting for her to protest. When she didn’t, he kissed that damn teasing plump mouth. Just like before, she stood there, unmoving as the statues around them. Again, it was like she was waiting for something, but when whatever it was didn’t come, her lips began to move against his.
He let go of her hands, but instead of falling limp to her sides, she slid them up his chest. There was the sweet temptress from the other night. She obviously wasn’t very skilled at kissing, but her natural reactions drove him wild just the same. He slid a hand up her waist, to her ribcage, under her jacket, then higher to cup a breast. When she didn’t cry out or push him away, he unbuttoned her shirt.
She gasped when his hand covered her naked breast and he used that chance to slide his tongue inside her mouth. Lord, she tasted sweet, like ripe peaches. Her tongue touched his tentatively, sending his body aflame. Her nipple puckered between his fingers and when the scent of her arousal hit his nose, he pressed the bulge between his legs against her. As if on instinct, her legs parted, allowing him to brush his erection against her core.
This was madness. He had to stop before he compromised her. But his wolf urged him on. Wanted him to make her theirs and bind her to them. Watch her belly grow large with their pup and—
No. Not again. He would not make the same mistake again. Of giving his trust and his heart to another woman.
He pulled away from her, cursing himself silently for letting things get too out of hand. Elise was a proper young woman. Related to the Alpha
