“Did you have any serious relationship with any woman?” she whispered, still staring at the fire.
“There was one.” Abbie turned to look at him. “In Scotland. I visited my grandparents the summer after ending my debauched journey. I was twenty-three, the age a young man should begin to shop about for a prospective wife. The Wollstonecraft line did not depend on me procreating; what was the rush? I met her at a social in Edinburgh. Lovely young lady. My grandparents were thrilled. Perhaps, they thought, I would settle in Scotland.”
God, it had been ages since he thought of Elspeth. How much to reveal? All of it, you fool. “I thought myself half in love. Elspeth was beautiful, her hair a rich caramel shade, her eyes shining with a matching incandescent color. We kissed, touched, and even came close to having actual sex. There is nothing quite like rolling about in the heather kissing a pretty young lass…” His voice trailed off and a smile curled about his lips at the memory.
“I do not think I care much for this bit of your past,” Abbie stated, her mouth pulling into a taut line.
“Nothing came of it, for I did not want to be responsible for breaking another woman’s heart or placing her in danger because of the curse. But more importantly, my heart was not completely engaged. I ended it before it became too serious. It did not come close to what we shared, and I discovered that I would never settle for less. If that meant I would be alone the rest of my days, so be it. I had already vowed to live a solitary life anyway.”
Their gazes caught. The heat between them could easily ignite a raging forest fire.
“What happens now?” she whispered.
“Come to my bed.”
“Bounder,” she replied softly, her eyelids lowered. “Beyond that.”
“You tell me. You have my complete attention.”
“I do want you, Garrett. But could we possibly…take things a bit slower? As I told you, I do not know exactly where this will lead, if anywhere.”
He couldn’t believe what she had just said. Garrett stared at her incredulously. “You come to my room, claim you want me, bare your heart, and ask me to bare mine; now you state that you want to take things slow? Are you out to purposely torment me?”
She placed her glass on the nearby table. “Good God, no. All I ask is we not have actual sex tonight. Touch each other, by all means… I am not sure how to explain this… By our own admission we are not the same people. I want us to—I want you to—”
“Court you?”
She smiled, and the warmth of it made his heart skip a beat. “Precisely. I wish to be courted. Just a little. I never have.”
No, he supposed she hadn’t. After their first meeting, they’d agreed to meet the next afternoon. Once in each other’s arms, they’d found a private area in the woods, rolled about in the grass, feverishly touching and kissing until passion overcame them and, at her eager invitation, they lost their virginity. Abbie was his first. By God, if he had any say over fate and curses, she would be his last.
Her arranged marriage also negated any courting. In this, he would not deny her. “I would be honored to court you.” He stood and held out his hand. She slipped hers in his and rose to her feet. “Define touching,” he teased. “Like this, perhaps?” Cupping her rear, Garrett brought Abbie in tight against his hard-as-oak cock.
Bold as ever, she slid her hand between them and grasped his cock, squeezing hard until the groan escaping him sounded similar to a beastly growl. “And like this.” Abbie stood on the tips of her toes and nuzzled his neck. “This…and more. Until we reach our peaks. Licking, tasting. Kissing.” Her breath came in short pants. “But we must keep it our secret, until—”
“We are certain we wish to make this permanent? If my courting you will even sway you to consider permanence?”
She nipped his earlobe playfully. “Already you are finishing my sentences.”
“Come to my bed, and we will do all you described. I want you to put your mouth on me, make me…”
She kissed him with a hot wildness, causing him to groan in response. Then she broke from him. “I think it best I head to my room. We must show some restraint. A little, at least. Besides, there is always tomorrow night.”
God, he was on fire. “Stay one more day here at the hall.” He wanted her for one more night. “We have more to…discuss.”
“I will ask Megan. The decision will be up to her.” Abbie kissed his chest, then stepped away. “Good night, Garrett. The sweetest and heated of dreams to you.” She winked, then in a swish of sheer pink material, departed his room leaving him hard and aching. Minx. Vixen. Tease. He loved it. He could not wait until tomorrow night, for they would be doing far more than teasing if he had any say in the matter.
Chapter 10
As difficult as it was to leave Garrett’s arms, Abbie thought it best to return to her room. It would have been simple to acquiesce to his blatant invitation to go to his bed; however, a small amount of prudence was warranted. She was glad she’d decided to go to his room, for she debated with herself for over an hour before appearing at his door. More than anything, they needed to discuss the past and, more importantly, the future.
Sleep came quickly, and it was restful, if not exactly long. She awoke shortly after dawn, read for a while, then, after asking a footman for directions, she and Megan joined the family for breakfast. Thankfully, Megan agreed to stay one more night at Wollstonecraft Hall when they spoke privately before the meal.
What an abundance of food. The earl certainly did not exaggerate when he stated it was their favorite meal. After the men loaded their plates they all ate heartily, exchanging conversation on all manner of topics, ranging from horses to current affairs and social reforms.
A whirlwind of activity filled the rest of the day, from another tour of the hall, lingering in the libraries selecting books, afternoon tea, and then a light supper of roast beef. Through it all, Abbie was a bundle of nerves, anticipating her meeting with Garrett later in the night.
Once Abbie was sure Megan was fast asleep, she crept to Garrett’s door once again and lightly tapped on it. He swung it open, wearing the tight breeches he’d worn last night and a billowing white shirt, open and displaying his broad, muscled chest. His long hair hung forward, shadowing part of his face, giving him a deliciously dangerous air.
She wore the same pink confection she’d worn the previous night, as he’d seemed to like it. Grasping her wrist, he gently pulled her across the threshold, then closed the door with his bare foot. He swept her up in a wild, hungry kiss that made the room spin. Garrett tunneled his fingers through her hair, scattering the few pins holding her style in place. Her wavy locks tumbled past her shoulders and he nuzzled them. “Wildflowers,” he murmured. “I never forgot your scent. It stayed with me, all these years.”
Oh. Her insides tumbled at his soft but husky voice whispering in her ear. Stay strong. Reluctantly she stepped away from him, immediately missing his rock-hard body and sizzling heat. “We have more to discuss, as you mentioned last night.”
He closed his eyes as if trying to gain control. Watching him struggle with his emotions caused her stomach to tremble. “Right. Talk. I need a drink. You?” He opened his eyes and the intense heat emanating from them tempted her to say to hell with conversation.
Once he poured them a scotch, they took the same seats they’d occupied the previous night. Abbie stared into the amber contents of her glass. “You will think me bold—”
“Be bold. I loved it then, I yearn for it now,” he rasped.
“I said I don’t know where this will lead. But I do have an inkling of where I would like it to lead.”
He crossed his long legs and sipped his scotch, watching her intently over the rim of the glass. “Tell me. Everything. Honestly and succulently.”
“I had accepted that I would remain a widow for the rest of my days. The bungalow was paid for. Elwyn arranged a small stipend for me, along with money for Megan’s education. I was comfortable. At peace. I even had an open marriage proposal if I ever changed my mind.”
“What?” Garrett thundered.
“It was from Gethin—Dr. Bevan. We are friends. He suggested an alliance of sorts. I think he was lonely and assumed I was as well.”
“The bloody cheek,” Garrett growled.
“I was actually enjoying my independence and privacy. Then you rumbled into Standon. All my carefully laid plans were torn asunder. I came here without thinking things through, for that is the affect you have on me. I do want you to court me a little, but I want more. Perhaps we can work toward the permanence you spoke of.” She took a long draw on the scotch, its fiery contents giving her the courage she needed. “But not if you insist on placing the curse between us as a shield. If you cannot commit to me or love me with your entire heart and soul, then I do not want you at all. I won’t settle for any less. Elwyn taught me that much.” She met his gaze. “We could tumble headlong into another scandalous affair. I could return to my life in Standon with yet another heated memory to keep me company as I slide into my dotage. But I’ve decided that I will only move forward if you agree to put the curse aside.” There. She’d said it. There had to be rules of engagement.