Her Secondhand Groom(70)
She swatted at him with her fan when he actually stood. He sat down. “I thought you said you wanted to take me to the gardens.”
Juliet closed her eyes for an extended blink. “Just because Agatha said I’d never be able to get a gentleman under the age of seventy to take me to the gardens, doesn’t mean I intend to prove her wrong.”
“You don’t?” Patrick asked, taken aback. Putting aside the fact that “Agatha’s” husband was probably fast approaching seventy, if not there already, the Juliet he knew, would not only delight in proving that silly chit wrong, but would take it a step further and purposely get caught kissing a gentleman who just so happened to be her younger, wealthier, and dare he admit, better-looking husband in the gardens.
“No. Just because I like proving you wrong every chance I get, doesn’t mean I intend to publicly embarrass you or myself, especially myself.”
He chuckled. “That’s very reassuring, thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention?”
All eyes shot to where Wallace stood in the middle of the room.
“Yes?” one of the older gentleman barked.
Wallace swallowed visibly. “It has been decided we should all play a group game.”
Patrick had to stop himself from groaning. He hated games. From chess to boxing and everything in between, he couldn’t think of a single game he enjoyed.
“What kind of game?” Mrs. Gulch, an uninteresting older woman, asked from her chair by the far window.
“A hiding game, I hope,” Patrick grumbled.
Juliet lightly elbowed him.
He dropped his head to whisper in her ear. “You cannot tell me you weren’t thinking the same. Everyone here was, including Wallace.”
Juliet elbowed him again, harder this time.
He sat back upright just in time to hear Wallace announce they were indeed about to play a hiding game.
“And while you all go hide. I shall sit right here and count to one thousand,” Wallace informed them.
A few snickers and chuckles sounded, but Wallace seemed to pay them no mind. He just shrugged off any statements directed at him, then plopped down in a plush chair and started counting aloud.
“Where shall we hide?” Patrick asked Juliet as soon as they were out of the room.
She shrugged. “Somewhere he’ll find us easily enough. I don’t wish to be the next ‘it’.”
Patrick pulled her inside a room, then quickly closed the door and slid the lock. “Not to worry, Juliet. I have no plans to be found at all.”
“You don―”
His lips descended on hers, putting an end to any sort of conversation or questions. She responded. But not with words or by shoving him away like he expected. Instead, she returned his kiss with as much passion and intensity as he’d used.
He picked her up and carried her to the small bed in the middle of the room.
“Drake,” she panted. “I d-don’t think...”
“Shh,” he crooned. “That’s right. Don’t think, Juliet. Just feel.”
“But what if we’re caught.”
“We won’t be.”
“How do you know?”
Patrick pressed a row of kisses down the column of her throat. “Because Wallace hates this foolish game as much as I do―” he scattered kisses along the plane of her chest― “and the last time we played it―” he tugged the top of her bodice down until one of her perky breasts sprang free― “he never came looking for anyone.”
“Oh.” She squirmed and bucked under his body as he closed his lips around the point of her breast. Her hands sank into his hair. “You’re sure?”
“Mmm.” He lowered the other side of her bodice, and freed her other breast. “Quite. Now, close your eyes and let me enjoy you.”
“What about me?”
“What about you?”
“Don’t I get to kiss and touch you, too?”
He shook his head. “Not this time, Juliet. This time is all about you.”
Chapter 21
Four Weeks Later
“Drake?”
Drake’s gaze swung to where Juliet had her head poking inside the door to his study. “Yes?”
Juliet walked into the room and licked her lips. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to borrow your carriage this afternoon.”
“That’s not a problem at all, Juliet. Where are you planning to go? Mayhap I’d like to join you.”
She doubted that. “Emma sent word that Marcus’ sister is about to deliver her baby.”
Drake snarled and Juliet grinned. “Are you sure you want to go?”
“Oh, stop that. This is a big day for Emma, she’ll need her friends.”