Page 43 of Treating a Sinful Earl
All at once, Jasper was filled with happiness. Surely, she had not enjoyed the kiss nearly as much as he had. In fact, Jasper had kissed some ladies in his day, and this by far had been the most intoxicating and enjoyable. There were no ways to express that with words and so Jasper leaned in again, this time, taking her by the waist to pull her towards him.
Now, the real heat that he craved bubbled to the surface, and Jasper feared for what he might do next. Still, he held onto her tight and delighted in her sweet lips, which were warm and soft against his own. Finally, he was the one to pull away, chest heaving. “Now, we must conclude this business for fear that I might lose my wits.”
She nodded, not at first answering with words. “That is a suitable suggestion for I feel faint.”
Concern washed over him, and he asked, “What can I do?”
“I fear that I need to lie down for but a moment.”
Jasper guided her down, and there she lay like a wood nymph, gazing up at the trees. She closed her eyes and, Jasper had a chance to view all of her in that state of repose. He watched her chest rise and fall gently, and he placed a soft hand upon her shoulder.
“Lie there as long as you need. I am taking some enjoyment out of it,” he said humorously.
A little smile came to her lips. “As am I.”
Chapter 20
Catherine chose to spend most of her time in the garden the next day. Although Jasper had offered to walk in the forest once more, she had declined, saying that it would be best to spend the entirety of the day working on her tinctures. This was not a lie, but it was not the whole truth either. In fact, Catherine truly wished to see him again, but she feared another kiss….
She did not fear it in the traditional sense, but Catherine knew that they had gone too far, and she was not sure where the next step would lead them. This and so many other fears had plagued her mind the night before as she lay in bed, dreaming only of Jasper’s touch and the way that his lips had felt upon hers. The memory of this was so tantalizing, Catherine convinced herself that there was nothing on this earth that she wanted more than to be with the Earl of Simmons.
Of course, that would never be….
But why would it never be? He had made that remarkable comment about being wed, and Catherine had been shocked by it at the time, but surely he had said it in jest. There was no way that a man of such standing would marry her. But then again, he kissed her! And also, she kissed him first! Oh, her head was going to be the death of her.
Before these thoughts could consume her completely, she was delighted to see that Selina arrived at the appointed time. Her friend had agreed to meet her that day, and Catherine was pleasantly surprised to see that she had arrived early. Alas, there was a sad expression on Selina’s face.
“What is the matter?” Catherine asked, getting up from where she knelt in the earth.
“I have dreadful news.”
“Is Abigail all right?” Catherine asked, it being the first thing that came to mind.
Selina nodded. “Abigail is perfectly all right. It pertains to something else. We must be seated at once.”
Selina and Catherine seated themselves, and Catherine was the next to speak. “You are taking rather a long time to tell me what is amiss. I beg of you to share.”
Selina heaved a weighty sigh. “Forgive me for saying this, for I do not know if it is merely gossip. The fact of the matter is…I heard something dreadful regarding the Earl of Simmons.”
Catherine froze. She had to make sure to take Selina’s words with a grain of salt, for she was mildly jealous of Catherine’s circumstances. Still, she would hear what her friend had to say, and she would most definitely not tell her of what happened in the forest!
“Speak, then. I am not afraid,” Catherine said.
Clearing her throat, Selina sat up straight and folded her hands neatly in her lap. “Well, this is what I have heard. I was enjoying luncheon with Lady Margaret and Lady Charlotte. We were speaking of who is most popular in the Season and naturally, the Earl of Simmons became the topic of conversation.”
Why was the Earl considered the most popular? Like herself, Jasper was a wallflower. Was there something about him that she truly did not know?
“Very well,” Catherine said, willing her friend to go on.
“So, we were speaking on this subject, talking of how all the ladies cannot stop looking at the Earl and he is so affable with all. Then, it was shared that he has…taken some liberties with a few ladies!”
“That cannot be true.”
“Well, these were very reliable sources, and it seems that many know of the scandal, and that is why the Earl does not make a show of himself. He is trying to hide what has been done in the fast and no doubt what he will do in the future.”
This was all too much. Catherine did not know how to continue this conversation, for it all seemed too ridiculous for words and she could not abide by it. “I think that this is nothing more than gossip.”
“But that cannot be true. There are several ladies that have corroborated that it has happened to them.”
