Page 12 of Only a Lyon Will Do
Asher shook his head as he let Pitt’s words go. Once again his eyes turned toward the garden, which Val had exited, looking no happier than when he entered. Surprisingly, there wasn’t a bouncer standing at the entrance and Asher took the opportunity to make his way across the gambling floor to slip inside. Luck was finally on his side tonight.
He slowly strode through the doorway. The garden looked almost barren, though that was inevitable, given the season. Itwould still be several months until this area would be back into what he would expect a garden to look like. He was, however, surprised to see a hearth set into the far wall. It was currently ablaze to provide whatever heat could be found to warm those who might decide to brave the cooler weather.
His Persephone stood there. She was holding her hands out toward the fire but Asher still noticed her shivering from the cold. With the tinkling sounds of water flowing from the fountain, she didn’t hear his approach. He pulled his jacket from his shoulders and placed the garment around her. A gasp left her as she quickly turned to meet his gaze.
“Hades,” she exclaimed in surprise. “What are you doing here?”
“Good evening, Persephone,” he whispered. He pulled the edges of his jacket closer to provide what limited warmth it would offer. “I saw you enter a while ago and thought I might take advantage of the situation to speak with you again.” Was that disappointment that briefly flashed across her features?
“Good evening, my lord,” she answered. “I thought perhaps… never mind.”
“What did you think, my dear?” he asked in a husky whisper. He reached out with his thumb and forefinger and gently took hold of her chin, tipping her face upward so he could stare into those striking hazel eyes. The green of her eyes was only on the edges with a golden-brown center.
“It doesn’t matter,” she finally answered in a breathy tone.
“I beg to differ. Tell me,” he urged stepping closer. Her mouth was so tempting and he couldn’t resist running his thumb over her lower lip. She gave a sigh that went straight to his heart among other places.
“You’re here now. Nothing else matters,” she murmured instead of telling him her thoughts. She raised those hopefullooking eyes to him and he swore a little piece of the ice surrounding his heart cracked.
He knew he shouldn’t. She was a lady and not some woman of loose morals like those upstairs. But he couldn’t stop himself when he leaned down to brush his lips gently over hers. A startled soft gasp escaped her as their breath mingled together. His heart hammered inside his chest and he began to rethink the wisdom of tasting her lips. But then she stepped closer and wound her arms up and around his neck. He suddenly became lost in the feel of this woman’s body pressed intimately against his own.
His arms went around her as he deepened their kiss and when she opened her mouth, they were able to begin a dance with their tongues that sent sensations coursing through his body more powerfully than he’d ever felt from a mere kiss. Asher came to the harsh realization that he may just have met his match in this lady. The soft moan that came from deep within her made Asher break off their kiss as reality sunk in. Anyone could walk by and her reputation would be in ruins.
When she opened her hazel eyes, he had to blink for he swore he saw the promise of a future staring right back at him if he only allowed himself to believe in it. He shouldn’t have kissed her and the words of the prostitute who lived upstairs filled his head. Kissingwastoo personal, he realized too late, now that the damage was done.
“My apologies, Persephone. I shouldn’t have kissed you,” Asher said noticing the brief hint of hurt that flashed across her face.
A slight smile crept up at one corner of that luscious mouth. “No need to apologize since I was more than willing. Besides… I would expect nothing less from Hades to steal a kiss from a lady.”
A chuckle left him. “You know me too well.”
A light laugh left her. “Hardly, my lord. I think there is much to learn about you and that you are hiding behind this façade of a devil-may-care man.”
That thought was sobering, reminding him of the responsibilities that awaited him in the coming days especially with his brother.
“I don’t consider myself as a reckless person,” he said as he carefully watched her.
“And I am not usually careless with my reputation despite what just happened between us,” she replied patting her hair into place, not that she looked at all disheveled.
He then remembered the beginning of their strange conversation when he first entered the garden. “I never gave you time to tell me what you were thinking when I arrived,” he said raising his hand to push a tendril of hair from her cheek.
“I thought perhaps Mrs. Dove-Lyon had sent you to meet me.” A becoming blush rushed across her face and he couldn’t help but wonder just how far down her bodice did her embarrassment go.
Then her words registered inside his head. He hated the thought that he would disappoint her.
Chapter Nine
Patience watched multipleemotions rush across the face of her Hades. Longing was swiftly replaced with shock and then disappointment as her words registered within him. He stepped back from her as though his fingertips had just met the fires of hell when he had pushed back her hair. Whatever this connection that had briefly consumed them, it obviously wasn’t going to be repeated. What had she expected from him in the first place? Obviously he was a rake of the worst sort and she had no business thinking there would ever be anything more between them.
An unbidden sigh escaped her. “It appears I was mistaken,” she said trying to appear as though the thought of never seeing him again didn’t wrench at her heartstrings.
“You’re looking for a husband,” he muttered as though even the thought of marriage was displeasing to him.
“Why else would I be escorted into the garden area?” she replied trying not to show how hurt she was that Mrs. Dove-Lyon hadn’t sent him to meet with her.
“I am sorry to disappoint you but I am not looking for a wife nor have I come to an arrangement with Mrs. Dove-Lyon,” heproclaimed, though Patience swore there was a touch of sadness in his voice.
A sarcastic laugh left her lips. “Don’t you mean that you lost at her tables and now have a debt that needs repaid?”
