Page 4 of A Scandal Before Christmas
“Without a doubt. Now, do you agree to the terms? Yes? Good. We begin.”
“No. We do not begin, you ruffian,” Lauren bristled, attempting to push away from the glass window and out of the cage his arms created.
She may not have agreed to his proposal, but her own words indicated compliance. There was no understanding the irresistible pull she experienced with this man. It was irrational and dangerous.
Theodore blocked her escape simply by shifting his body. Once again, he placed a finger beneath her chin, tilting until her head fell back enough to see the bow of greenery above them. Decorating the high arch of the window’s frame, it filled the space between the opened draperies.
A large ball of mistletoe hung from the garland’s ribbon-bedecked center. In the shadows, the plant’s white berries glowed like tiny, bright stars.
“This one doesn’t count, Hawthorne,” Lauren choked out in alarm. Her heart accelerated, galloping twice its normal speed.
Theodore chuckled darkly, fingers sliding into her coiffure, his palm cupping her jawbone. “Oh, sweetheart. This first one counts far more than any of the others to follow. Do you even understand why you will change your mind and open your heart to me again?”
Lauren shook her head in a fractional gesture, frozen as Theodore’s mouth hovered over hers. There was such an agonizing, delicious hesitancy in the gesture that a whimper of longing snagged in her throat. His hands made her dizzy. Made her remember how wonderful it felt being in his arms. How warm it made her when he smiled at her.
Forgetting he once only wanted her for her inheritance was incredibly easy. Remembering that might not have changed was even harder. Had he truly recovered his fortunes?
Theodore’s winter blue eyes burned her, dark lashes shielding his true thoughts as he stroked her skin.
“It’s very simple, my sweet, lonely, future wife. You need me as much as I need you. To fill the void of emptiness. To settle the restlessness in your soul. To quiet and free your desires. Give yourself to me, Lauren, and in return, I’ll give you everything you never knew you wanted.”
Chapter 3
Theodore hadn’t forgotten how sweet she always smelled, like roses and vanilla. How her body curved against his own hard form as though crafted for him, her skin soft and warm as velvet.
But when his lips touched Lauren’s, slanting at an angle which allowed greater access to the depths of her mouth, he realized memories paled in comparison with reality.
She tasted like ambrosia. Or the rarest brandy. Sinful and heady. Intoxicating. He wanted to drink from her until he could drink no more. Until he’d emptied her of whatever it was that fueled his hunger.
When he bit her plump, lower lip, Lauren moaned and opened her mouth further so his tongue could sweep inside. She still trembled, and Theodore moved her away from the window, wrapping his free arm around her waist and keeping her jaw cradled in the palm of his hand.
She’d been such a responsive creature before, so many months ago, leaning into his touch and eagerly accepting his kisses during their stolen moments. He was glad to see that at least had not changed.
He could not be gentle now, although he did try. In a restrained frenzy of possessiveness, he showed her how terribly he’d missed her. Showed her how desperately he still wanted her and how ironclad his resolve was.
When he finally drew back, Lauren’s grey eyes were stormy and dark. Her features mirrored his own need, her skin flushed with warmth, her fingers clutching his forearm as though needing something solid to steady herself.
“I’ve two weeks to convince you this is where you are meant to be, Lauren. Here, in my arms. Where I can kiss you any time I desire, wherever and however I want.” Theodore traced the outline of her mouth with his tongue, pushing past the seam of her lips until she parted them with a little sound of frustrated yearning.
“Hawthorne…” Lauren whispered.
“Use my name as you did once before. Don’t treat this like a random social call. Do you understand me?” He ravished her mouth until she was panting. “Do you. Understand. Me?”
Her breath hitched at his unyielding tone, but she complied. “Theo.”
Theodore could not deny the jolt of lust that electrified him when she said his name in a quivering sigh. His forehead dropped forward until it touched hers. “I want to devour you until I’ve gorged myself. Until I can’t possibly take any more of you. But the truth is, I will never have my fill, Lauren. I want all of you.”
Pressing one last heated kiss on her mouth, Theodore allowed her to sink back from him. His arms felt empty without her warmth.
“Now, come. Let’s see you settled into your room so my conquest of your heart may begin in earnest.”
* * *
Hours later,Theodore watched Lauren during supper. She was doing a fine job of avoiding him, and he suspected she’d engaged Penelope in making sure she was not seated anywhere near him.
He would allow that distance for now. After all, his presence here was unexpected. It probably felt as though she’d been ambushed. To be truthful, he was shocked upon arriving at Settleton the day before and learning Lauren would also be attending the house party.
The past year and a half had been brutal. His own father’s death and the steps taken to rebuild the family fortune had drained him. Not to mention the guilt he’d suffered when Lauren discovered the foundation of their relationship.
