Page 10 of The Winter Rogue
Guilt stabbed Charlene as she saw how pale John was.She'd left him out there in the cold for so long, had almost forgotten about him in her distress and cold.She moved to his side to take his gnarled, work roughened hand in hers.“John?John, are you still with me?”
“Not going nowhere, girly.But I'm blasted cold.”A shiver wracked his body.
Polly came over to her and touched her shoulder.“My lady, we need to get him out of his wet things.I think he'd prefer if you were not here for that part.I'll come to you with an update once he is settled.”
“Shouldn't we call for the doctor?”Charlene stepped back from the bed, but worry creased her brow.
“I told you, the doctor can't come in this weather.I know enough to get him through this part.If the storm eases in a day or so, we'll have Dr.Farrington come,” Polly assured her, even as she guided Charlene from the room.“I’ve never seen such heavy snow fall.If it keeps snowing like this we’ll be lucky if we aren’t cut off from the village ourselves.Worse than the Royal Charter storm of ’59.”
“I hadn’t realized how heavy the storm was.Should I be concerned about being trapped here?”That would be an appalling turn of events.
“I wouldn’t worry about that now.Even if it did occur, we have plenty of supplies to get us through.”Polly radiated calm authority.
“Very well.I'll wait downstairs to hear how he is.”Charlene turned to leave the room.
“You should head to bed yourself,” Drew spoke in a low sort of growly tone, as though he was annoyed by something.
What could she have possibly done now?“I'm far too concerned for John to sleep.”
Charlene walked right past him and went downstairs.If Drew Wentworth thought he was going to dictate what she would do, he was sorely mistaken.No man would tell her what to do.Certainly not one who was neither her father nor her husband.
Drew followed her down the stairs and into the study.“Charlene, stop.You must be exhausted.”
She looked up at him, her attention drawn by the softness of his voice.The way the low, deep tones rolled over her like a warm embrace…she wanted to sink into that sensation and wrap herself in it.But then she remembered he was trying to direct her again.No.“Perhaps I am exhausted, but John is important to me.The sacrifice of a few extra minutes of sleep is a small price to pay, considering all he has done for me.”
Drew snorted.“And what has he done for you that calls forth such loyalty?”
Charlene turned away from Drew and faced the fire, letting its warmth seep into her bones.“He has always been there for me, like…like a father.He taught me to ride a horse, drive a coach, punch a man, he has listened to me when I needed an ear.And most importantly for the purposes of this conversation, he wouldn't be injured as he is if he hadn't been helping…helping me to…”
Drew stepped over to where she faced the fire and turned her toward him.“Helped you to what?”
Staring at a button on his simple blue coat was not enough to will the tears back.“He helped me to leave London.”Charlene hesitated, hating to reveal anything Drew might use against her.But it was no use.He would find out eventually.The whole of Society would.“To escape my engagement.”
He drew in a sharp breath.“Why did you need to escape?”
“I…” Charlene’s tears—mingled with exhaustion—won the battle and she fell into Drew's chest as she finally gave in to the grief and fear which had been riding her since Lord Fenwick had slapped her, what seemed like an age ago.
Drew's powerful arms encircled her and pulled her close, letting her melt into his muscular body as Charlene absorbed his strength and warmth.The tears flowed as she sobbed over her unwanted engagement, her parent's neglect when she'd gone to them with her concerns, and the result of her poorly planned flight from London.
She lost track of how long she stood there in his arms, but for the first time in months, perhaps even years, she felt safe, cared for.At peace.
As her tears resolved, Drew tilted her face up to him.“Don't cry, Charlene.Whatever it is, I can help you.You don't have to face this all alone.”
She shook her head.Whether in rejection of his offer, disbelief, or pure overwhelm, she couldn't have said.She did not have the words.
Words no longer seemed to matter.Their lips met.
Drew bent lower over her, bending her backwards while his tongue swept past her lips in exploration.Charlene moaned softly as their tongues tangled and twined in a sensual dance.He tasted of freedom, of fresh air and something a little smoky.Without thinking, she slipped her arms around his neck and tried to pull him closer as her body throbbed to life.Tingles washed over her body as Drew delved into her mouth, only to retreat before invading once more.
She'd never been kissed like this.
Certainly she had never been kissed like this by Lord Fenwick.That man had merely offered her a kiss of the hand and, on a rare occasion, a cool peck on the cheek.She was no innocent; Charlene had kissed suitors, and even allowed more with one or two she thought she might marry.
Nothing any of them had done had felt like what Drew was doing to her right now.Doing to her, demanding of her.This was how a man kissed a woman.
His kiss made her feel everything, made her want for things she knew she could never have.From deep within, a flare of salty resentment bubbled up.
Charlene pulled back from his lips, panting as she tried to catch her breath.His arms loosened their hold and he drew in a deep breath as his dark blue eyes glittered in the firelight.She stepped back from him, easily breaking free of his arms.She looked at him in confusion and dismay.“Why?”
