Page 34 of Avoiding the Merry Viscount
Elias settled into a chair beside Lydia and watched her delicate fingers work to craft the decorations.
“You could help, brother,” Diana said, waving for him to see how the others were all working. Jenny and Grace were the most excited, since it was one activity they could be present for.
“Come now, sister, you know I am no good at this,” he groaned.
“What I know is that you use that excuse every year to get out of helping.”
He put his hand over his heart dramatically. “You wound me, sister.”
She smirked at him. “But that reminds me. I owe you both a prize. And your prize is that you two get to be the ones to direct the placement of the kissing balls. You can make them as easy or as difficult as you wish for our guests to get caught under them.”
While he liked the idea of knowing where we could pull Lydia whenever he wanted, his eyebrow arched. “Is that your clever way of being able to feign ignorance if I catch you beneath one with one of these gents?”
“Still worried I’m after Jude, brother? Perhaps I’ve tired of him and moved on to Matt now.”
Elias pinched the bridge of his nose. “Leave all of my friends alone.”
Diana lowered her voice where only he could hear her. “Perhaps it’s you who carries the guilt of dallying with one’s friend, brother.”
“Don’t,” he ground out.
“Then get it through your thick, bacon-brained skull that your friends are like brothers to me, and that is it.”
He was inclined to believe her. She didn’t possess her usual telltale signs that she was hiding something, and she had never acted as if she had an interest in any of them. It was hard to stop playing the role of the protective older brother, and he felt it would continue even after she had wed.
After what felt like hours, they finally had all the decorations ready to be hung. Diana directed various servants on where she wanted the garlands to go. Elias noted that someone must have collected the yule log since it was decorated and waiting by the grand fireplace in the drawing room.
Once all the decorations were in place, except for the kissing balls, Diana sent the rest of the guests to rest and refresh themselves after the morning’s exertions, but she’d asked Lydia and Elias to stay back with her.
After everyone had departed, aside from a single servant, Diana pointed toward the balls with mistletoe. “I shall leave you both to these.”
Diana departed, and then a footman followed Elias and Lydia around while they pointed out the spots that they wanted the ballshung. When there was only one ball left, they found the most perfect secluded spot in a small alcove. “This shall be our secret hiding place,” Elias said, dismissing the servant after they hung it in place.
“I find myself standing here beneath the kissing ball,” he said, waving her to him. “You wouldn’t wish to suffer any bad luck, would you?”
“You’re a sneaky one,” she said, grinning at him. But she hastened to him, close enough so he could pull her the rest of the way against him.
“I’m just resourceful, Beautiful,” he said before placing several tender kisses on her lips. What he felt for her might not be love, but whatever it was, was quite strong. He didn’t think he’d ever get enough of her, and he’d need to ensure that he made her his wife.
She pulled back to look at him. “We should both go freshen up. Your sister will surely want us all back down here soon.”
Elias groaned. “I see you already have a good measure of Diana, because you are quite right.”
He extended his arm to her. “I shall escort you upstairs.”
Suddenly, he had that feeling again that they were being watched, but when he looked around, no one was there. Perhaps he was going mad. It was the only explanation.
*
Half an hourlater, there was a knock at Elias’s chamber door. Part of him hoped it would be Lydia, but it would be far too scandalous for her to appear in his chamber in the middle of the day.
Not as scandalous as enjoying how his cock felt in her mouth, he reminded himself.
Pushing aside the memory before he would be forced to take himself in hand again, he opened the door. A footman held out a note. “The lady asked me to deliver this to you.”
Elias took it and nodded, then closed the door. He unfolded the missive and read it to himself.
Come now and meet me in our secret hiding place.
