Page 46 of The Reckless Love of an Heir
‘Do not deny me, you have spent a week avoiding me, you cannot do so forever.’
Avoiding him… He knew…
‘Susan…’ He offered his arm.
She nodded. She ought to feel pleased, jubilant. Instead tears gathered at the back of her throat and pressed behind her eyes, fighting to be freed. But she could not walk from the floor beside him crying. She blinked and swallowed.
Henry led her away from those forming sets for the nextdance. ‘You have been playing your rebellious hiding games again. I’m tired of it.’ His voice was low and gruff.
She did not answer.
Did he know how deeply she felt?
He did not stop walking when they approached the edge of the ballroom but walked about others, drawing her onwards, and then out into the hall.
‘Henry…’ She pulled against the hand that held hers. No one was in the hall, but this was wrong. They should surely not leave the ballroom.
She pulled his arm, but he laid his hand over hers and refused to let her stop him.
‘What will people say? Take me back.’
‘If they say anything I shall tell them you felt faint and needed a moment to rest.’
‘I have never felt faint in my life?—’
‘There is a first time for everything.’
Her breathing fractured as he opened the door to a room she had never entered before. It was a study, not a large room, and clearly not a room for guests, which is why she would never have been invited into it before.
The sound of her heartbeat filled her ears.
‘We need to talk,’ he said, when he pulled her in. He let go of her hand then shut the door.
He was right, they must talk, to dispel the humid air flowing between them. She could barely breathe, and yet what was to be said? Not the truth, she could not tell him the truth. So there was nothing to be said. How could she speak?He is Alethea’s!
He stood still before her, his eyes seeming to say all the words her lips had not. Then he stepped forward.
‘Susan. I swear to God you are the most beautiful woman in that room this evening.’ His hands lifted and embraced eitherside of her face, then he brought her forward as he leaned down. His lips pressed onto hers as her fingers clasped about his wrists, holding on to stop herself from falling. Perhaps she would faint.
His lips were warm and soft and they pressed over hers again and again. It was not a quick gentle meeting of lips, as he’d kissed Alethea outside the house at home. He kissed Susan’s lips and then the skin beside her lips, and the skin across her cheek. ‘Susan.’ He breathed her name against her temple, then wrapped his arms about her.
She lay her head against his shoulder, and wrapped her arms about his middle, allowing this to happen for a moment, allowing herself to live out everything she felt and had dreamed of.
His fingers touched beneath her chin and lifted her face again, and his lips were once more on hers.
He feels as I do.The words cried out within her. She had not imagined the connection pulling at her. It was real and mutual.
She opened her mouth to take a breath, with her eyes shut as her fingers closed, holding the material of his evening coat at his shoulder and sleeve.
His tongue dipped into her mouth, reaching to touch hers.
‘Oh.’
Her mouth opened wider. His palm braced the back of her neck, with great care and gentleness, as though not to disturb her hair, while his other hand rested at her waist. She pressed against him as his tongue slid into her mouth then withdrew and slipped deeper again.
Pleasant, pleasurable sensations skimmed through her nerves and danced in her blood as she clung to his evening coat, and his tongue wove a caress around hers.
Is this what love feels like?
