Page 27 of My Secret Duke
No, she thought.Definitely not.And at the same time, Olivia stood up on her tiptoes as she slipped her arms around his neck and brushed her lips against his.
He froze, as if her forwardness had surprised him, but it was only for a moment and then he capitulated. Ivo leaned in, pressing his lips to hers more firmly. His tongue slid along her bottom lip, and he tugged gently with his teeth. She gasped, and he moaned, as if he were as powerless as she. His mouth caressed hers, and it felt amazing. A million emotions swam up inside her, while her blood caught fire, and her legs trembled so that she wondered if she would fall without him holding her up. This was like nothing she had ever experienced before, and yet the warning signs had been there. Some part of her had known from the moment they first met that he could be her downfall.
“I want you,” he said, nuzzling against her, peppering her with little kisses, as if he would cover her entirely.
“I want you too.” And right now, she did want him.
The words were barely out of her mouth when there was a shout.
“Olivia!”
Gabriel came striding from the shadows so suddenly that Olivia struggled to understand exactly what was happening. The heat and the desire that had her head spinning received a dash of cold water, and common sense came rushing back.
“Gabriel,” she managed to speak as he reached them. She had not seen her brother this angry since the night of the billiards match. For a moment, she was seized by a cowardly urge to turn and run, hide herself in the lush foliage that surrounded the clearing, and wait until this was over. It was a lily-livered impulse, and Olivia was never that, so she stood her ground. Her fingers were being crushed in a viselike grip, and that was when she realized she and Ivo were still holding hands. With awordless cry, she pulled away, putting distance between them.
Ivo cleared his throat, giving Olivia an apologetic glance before he spoke. “It isn’t as you think, Grantham.”
“What do I think, Northam?” Gabriel glared at Ivo, disgust in every line of him. “That you have indulged in another of your ridiculous wagers? What was it this time? Ruin Olivia? Oh wait, you already tried that.”
Ivo straightened. He sounded as if he was trying to keep his anger under control. “Someone sent us both notes with a time and a place for a meeting. Mine was signed Olivia, and Olivia’s…?” He looked to her as if realizing he did not know the answer.
“Prince Nikolai,” she said.
Gabriel waved a hand to dismiss their excuses. “You were kissing!” he roared. He seemed to recollect himself and took a breath. “You were kissing,” he said more quietly. “Don’t you realize how serious this is? Anyone could have seen you. What a wonderful piece of gossip it would be. Word would spread like a spark in dry kindling, and before we knew it, you’d be utterly and completely ruined.”
He was right. Olivia knew he was right. A vision flashed into her head, another of those dreadful cartoons depicting herself and Ivo, clasped together. She had tried so hard to be good, to do as she knew she ought, and in a single, rash moment, all of her efforts had been consigned to oblivion.
“I am sincerely sorry,” Ivo said, and his voicesounded shakier than she had ever heard it. “This is my fault.” He shot a glance at Olivia, and she had the awful feeling he was going to ask her to marry him. Again. And she would have to refuse him. Again.
Gabriel barely gave him a glance, his voice gruff with restrained fury. “I wish to speak to my sister alone, Northam. Perhaps you could escort Georgia back to the house and make an appearance at the ball before everyone notices you’re both missing. I will deal with you later.”
Georgia.
Of course! Her most disliked sister. That explained the sensation that someone was following her through the garden. Georgia would have loved running to fetch Gabriel and tell him her tales. Olivia peered into the gloom and saw the girl, hovering at the edge of the clearing. “You will be sorry—” she began.
“Stop it,” Gabriel barked. “Georgia has done nothing wrong. Unlike you.” Then, with barely a glance at Ivo, “Are you still here?”
Anyone else would have left immediately, and yet Ivo remained. “Olivia, do you want me to stay?” he asked quietly.
She supposed it was courageous of him, but it would only make matters worse. “No,” she said. “Please, go. The ball will have started… What if people wonder where we are?”
There was no answer to that. Ivo gave a somber nod, and set off toward the path, where Georgia waited.
Olivia spoke before Gabriel could. “Did… Do you think anyone noticed?”
“Of course they did! It was your mother who drew everyone’s attention to the fact you were missing.”
Olivia stared back at him. Hermotherhad drawn attention to her absence. In normal circumstances, one could assume Felicia was worried, but Olivia did not think that was the case. Mischievous was more likely. Manipulative. Olivia could well be ruined because of it. But no, Olivia had done this to herself. All of her hard work, all of her promises, and after a few moments alone with Ivo, this was the result.
“Well, have you nothing to say?”
Olivia’s voice broke. “Gabriel, I truly am sorry. So sorry. I don’t know what… why… Is it over? My last chance?”
He shook his head, then looked to the heavens as if he could find an answer to her behavior there. The stars twinkled down in silence. Gabriel held out his arm to her. “I don’t know,” he said, “but we need to get back.” She slid her trembling fingers into the crook of his elbow. “Don’t despair yet. I’ll make up some nonsense,” he went on as they walked back through the garden. “I thought you had learned your lesson, but Northam seems to bring out the worst in you.” They took the path to the side of the house, farthest away from the chatter of the guests and the music from the orchestra.
“I don’t understand it either,” she said in a bewildered way because she truly was bemused by her behavior. It was as if that fire Ivo had lit in her was impossible to put out, and no matter how hard she tried, it kept reigniting. Was this her life from now on? Would she become an outcast from the society she had so longed to inhabit? Her spirits sank with each step she took.
“My advice is to stay away from him.”
