Page 53 of A Duke for Stealing
She moved forward and brought a gentle hand to his cheek, enjoying the way his green eyes glittered with life at her touch.
“I can know that,” she replied, her tone absolute, “For I am going to help you. We can do this, Everett.”
She met his eyes, and there was no mistaking the utter appreciation in his gaze.
From above, the sound of thunder crackled, interrupting the moment. They both looked up just in time to see the gathering dark clouds alight with a trace of lightning. They had been soengrossed in their conversation that neither had noticed the sun had disappeared.
“Thank God,” Everett laughed, “This conversation was becoming far more sincere than I ever intended.”
Rose couldn’t help but roll her eyes as she smiled, and she shook her head. Of course, her husband could not speak on such things for too long. It went against everything he’d built himself up to be.
“Come along,” she urged playfully, tugging at his hand, “It is starting to rain. We should get back to the party. It is no doubt moving back inside.”
She went to move, but to her surprise, Everett’s grip on her hand tightened, and he pulled her back to him.
“Since when are you eager to return to a party?” He teased, beginning to sway her back and forth.
Raindrops began to dance upon Rose’s head and shoulders, feeling cool and refreshing against her heated skin.
“Never,” she retorted, letting him lead her through a dance with no music. “But you spent so much effort on this dress. Do you truly want it ruined?”
His smile widened as his eyes swept hungrily down her form, then he spun her around in the rain.
“I will buy you another,” he replied, “Then perhaps we could repeat that argument we had over it. I did quite enjoy helping you relax your tension away.”
Under usual circumstances, Rose would find his words far too brazen. However, with the cooling rain, his heated stare, and the way he was dancing with her, Rose found herself not disgusted by his words but emboldened by them.
“I think I should quite enjoy that,” she answered flirtatiously, batting her lashes as her body swayed closer to his, “And perhaps if you do not leave so quickly this time, I could return the favor.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“Oh, my darling Rose,” Everett murmured, pressing her body closer to his, “I do quite like this brazen side of you.”
He was not used to Rose flirting back with him, so when she’d said such bold words, his entire body hardened with desire. He’d even enjoyed the little jab she’d made at him for leaving her, even if it was a call out for his ungentlemanly behavior.
Rose continued to look at him with her vivid blue eyes, a wickedly seductive smile touching her lips.
“You are a bad influence,” she all but purred. “I blame you for this new brazenness.”
His movements were quick, as if his body was acting on its own accord, and before Everett could help himself, he was kissing her lips. Heat swept through his body as the softest gasp left Rose’s lips as he kissed her, and he took the opportunity to slidehis tongue possessively into her mouth. He moaned with heady pleasure as he tasted honey and lemons.
For a moment, he became lost in the intensity of their kiss, in the way their bodies were suddenly fused together. His hands around her waist; her arms locked around his neck. As if they’d been drawn together by some great force. Then a great clash of thunder erupted above them, and those few cool drops of rain turned into a downpour. At once, they were both soaked through, but even then, it took effort to pull away.
“We should,” Rose panted, raindrops dancing on her face, “Get back to the others. Out of the storm.”
It was a good idea. It was a rational idea. They had made such a show earlier with his story that they would no doubt miss- and yet…
“Come with me,” he said, pulling her not toward the house, but further away.
“Where are we going?” Rose called through the growing noise of the storm. “The house is the other way!”
“Just trust me,” he called back, then pulled her into the shelter of his arm, doing his best to stymie the heavy fall of rain.
They ran through the garden, both of them laughing at the ridiculousness of their actions, until the small gardener’s cottage came into view. Everett hurried her inside, and once they wereout of the rain, they looked at each other for a moment, then burst into laughter again.
“How did you know this was here?” She asked, rubbing her hands over her arms as she looked around the one-room cottage. It was not much. Just a single room with a bed, a hearth, a rather small wooden table, and an even smaller counter.
“I was chums with the Earl back when we were boys,” Everett explained, taking the cloak hanging from the single peg on the wall. He shook it out and then wrapped it around Rose.
