“Truly, Jules, everything feels fine.”
“She was bleeding some as well,” Felix pointed out, earning himself a threatening look from Sarah.
Juliet pulled back the handkerchief pressed to Sarah’s temple. “It looks like it’s stopped now. Just a small cut, I don’t even think it will leave a mark behind.” With deft hands, she cleaned the area as Felix hovered behind, his brow furrowed. Juliet scanned her quickly, checking her eyes and putting two fingers to her ankle. Then her face cleared and she smiled.
“You do seem fine, but let’s not rush you out of here too quickly. I’m going to ask Cook to make a little tea for you, after the scare you’ve had. Just to be safe. I will also need to let everyone know you’re not badly hurt. I will be back before long.” And with a sly wink, Juliet bustled from the room, drawing Lord Cunningham from the hall behind her, their two voices disappearing as they walked down the hall.
And Felix and Sarah were left completely alone.
Chapter Four
Sarah looked so small on the large, ornate bed of the guestroom, and he felt desperate at the idea that she might be hurt. His hands twitched, wanting to burst into action.
“I’ll ride for the physician,” he said. “I’ll bring him straight back here.”
There. That’s something I can do. She must be properly cared for.
But Sarah put a hand on his arm, stopping him.
“Please don’t worry so. I’m feeling much better already. I’ll be fit to return to the party before much longer, honestly.”
He studied her face, searching her eyes for shadows of pain, her head for a mark from that blasted rock. But all he saw was a brightness in her blue eyes, and he was suddenly very aware that it was just the two of them alone, in a bedroom.
Juliet had said she’d be letting everyone know that Sarah was all right and sending for tea, so he was sure they still had a few moments here to themselves. With care, he sat at the edge of the bed, not sitting too close to her.
Her chestnut hair had escaped from its ribbon and spilled across the pillows. Seeing how she looked here, in this grand bed, sitting with perfect posture as if she had not just suffered a fall in the middle of a party, he was able to finally recognize the depth of his feelings for her.
“I couldn’t bear it if something were to happen to you,” he said, his voice soft.
You are too precious to me.
Her cheeks pinkened, but she did not look away. “Is that because you would be sad for your sister?” she took a small breath, her chest rising beneath the scalloped neckline of her gown. “Or for yourself?”
He knew what she was asking. Was there a relationship, a tie between the two of them? Something beyond the link of Juliet? For the first time, he wanted to make the answer to that very clear.
“For myself,” he said, reaching a hand to her hair. He could not resist it, shining and tumbling so very enticingly. He gently pulled the fallen ribbon, letting the rest of her hair fall freely to her shoulders.
She did not stop him, only watched him with eyes that were suddenly unsmiling, suddenly a warm invitation to him alone.
His hand dropped from her hair to her shoulder, the wide neckline of her gown exposing a small sliver of it, still warm from the outdoors. He caressed the skin there, tracing a circle and watching as goosebumps spread down her arms at his touch. Felix watched this reaction with appreciation, wondering how far those small goosebumps might have spread below her gown.
He looked up from her skin to her face, tracing her bright eyes, her pink lips that looked so soft, and wondered what she might taste of.
“Miss Sarah, I believe I am unable to control the desire to kiss you,” he said softly. “If you tell me to go, I shall do so at once.”
Her eyes widened, but she said nothing. He watched the full curve of her lips, waiting, giving her the chance to stop this, but they only parted slightly, and the sight of it crashed through his defenses and he could stay away no longer.
Leaning forward, he pressed his lips to hers.
Her lips were just as soft as they had appeared. Sweeter than he could have imagined. He longed to explore more, to taste, to touch, to kiss, but he felt a hesitation, a stiffening, and knew she had never been kissed before.
He drew away, only inches, staring deeply into her eyes. “I find myself unable to resist you,” he said, tucking one lock of her hair behind her ear.
She closed her eyes at the touch, with the contented look of a cat being stroked, leaning further into it.
“Felix, I—”
But a gasp at the door drew their attention away from one another, where Sarah’s lady’s maid and chaperone stood, one hand over her mouth, eyes wide with horror.
