Page 40 of The Viscount's Daring Cinderella
“My mother had a fit of the vapors. We thought father would have been apoplectic.”
“And was he?”
“He was not. I remember it well. When they found us cold and drenched, father just held on to us. It was quite a long hug. It was as though he would never let us go.”
Beryl shook her head from side to side. “Theodore.”
“I know. William never told them it was my idea.” Theodore smiled. “I felt a bit guilty about getting the staff in trouble.”
“William was protecting you,” she said softly.
“Indeed, he was. Everyone kept a much closer eye on us after that, and I suppose, in a way, that was my punishment. We could not roam around as freely as I would like, but William did not mind as much as I did.”
They stopped walking and gazed at the pond.
“Well, this tells you I was a bit of a rascal from the early days. I always wanted the freedom to do as I pleased. As time went on, William never got to live a carefree existence because he always had to be perfect. He did not prioritize his own happiness. To be fair, he could not because his sense of responsibility overwhelmed him. He had to be the dutiful son.”
He had not shared these memories about William with anyone else.
“But you understood the reasons for this.”
“Eventually, I did. Over the years, there was no mistaking that living a carefree life made me feel liberated and free. My life was exciting, filled with spontaneity and leisure. I pushed the boundaries to ensure my life was always exciting,” Theodore said.
He wondered if his uncle was right after all. Did his life lack a sense of purpose, accomplishment, and fulfillment? For the first time, Theodore was questioning whether his vanity, pride, and ego were dictating his life. His life of debauchery would probably not bring him long-term happiness, no matter how he looked at it.
“Thankfully, the girls are much quieter than you at a similar age,” Beryl teased.
The smile that lit her face caused his heart to hammer in his chest. He was continually drawn to her beauty, and it wasnot just her enchanting physical beauty. It was the beauty of her spirit and kindness. The teasing smile on her face fell away, and she registered the stillness. They were still for a moment, gazes devouring each other, until he stepped forward, closing the space between them. He reached up and cupped her chin, so soft and lush under his fingertips.
Theodore took another step forward, and they were close, but they did not touch. He did not take his eyes off her. The pulse at her throat fluttered wildly, and he heard her breath catch.
Theodore’s thumb brushed her lips. “You make me forget the promises that I make.”
“Theodore, you make me forget my rules,” she whispered.
A fierce hunger gripped him, but it was different from the hunger he felt before. It was not that he did not want to kiss her trembling lips. Oh, he wanted to, but he was also feeling a tenderness toward her that he could not explain. His need to be carefree did not fit with tender feelings for this intriguing woman. It did not fit with anything more than wanting a casual encounter. Then how could he explain the feeling that he had to take her into his arms and just hold her? If he was frank, he felt the need to protect her ever since he asked her to be the governess. He never wanted her to hurt or to see tears streaming down her cheeks.
Theodore pulled her into his arms, and their gazes held. His heart was beating loudly in his chest, and his breathing grew shallow. He was lost in the depth of her gaze. Theodore swallowed. He pulled her tightly against him so that he felt all her curves, and she gasped. The heat of desire was raging within him, and he wanted to crush her lips to him, but he did not. Shockingly, when his lips captured hers, it was tender and sweet. He slowly savored her taste as if she was precious and fragile. Beryl moaned and whimpered before she fell against him, trying to get even closer.
He groaned when he felt her fingers in his hair, gently caressing.
She tasted so damned sweet. And he couldn’t escape the feeling that he might want to kiss her forever.
CHAPTER 16
Beryl could feel the hard length of Theodore’s body. She had one hand on his chest and the other in his hair. She could feel the fierce beating of his heart as she felt the tension coil in the pit of her stomach. She moaned as he gently sucked at her lip. This kiss was different from the others. It was as though Theodore was holding back, but she did not want him to. She wanted him to match the fire that was threatening to consume her. She knew that he wanted more, and she wanted him to take it.
Beryl moaned her need, and she heard him swallow. He tasted like coffee, and his masculine scent filled her nostrils. She liked the smell and taste of him, and she knew that she wanted more. She did not want him to stop. The gentle strokes of his tongue were far too wicked, and a fire of desire ignited in the pit of her belly.
He deepened the kiss to something intimate, yet raw and carnal. He nibbled at her bottom lip before their tongues glided together, stoking the molten heat. The tension careened through her body and gripped her in the pit of her stomach. She did not want this tender kiss anymore. She wanted the firm, demandingkiss to disorient her completely. Beryl could feel the warmth between her legs, and she so desperately wanted him to touch her there. She wanted him to make her unleash her passion once more. She desperately ached for it.
Theodore planted soft kisses along her cheek and jawline before he sighed heavily.
“We must stop,” he said as he held his forehead against hers.
Beryl did not trust her voice to speak. She knew that he was right, so how could she fight him? Her body tingled with awareness of him, and she knew that he felt it too. The kiss was broken, but his heart still hammered in his chest. She felt it.
“Will you have dinner with me tonight, Beryl?”
