not accept!”
He uncoiled from his chair and rose, towering over her, and looking very, very angry. “I am trying to set things right, Amelia.”
Tears glazed her eyes and stung her throat. How she desperately needed to hear those words ten years ago. Now, it was simply too late. She shook her head. “My answer is still no.”
“You are the most exasperating woman…”
In the blink of an eye, she found herself engulfed in Lord Julian’s embrace, his lips devouring hers. Stunned, she couldn’t move. The agonizingly familiar mixture of sandalwood and his male essence made her dizzy. Her eyes slid shut as the world spun out of control. His lips softened to a persuading rhythm. Teasing, coaxing a response out of her. She couldn’t concentrate on anything but the feel of his warm body pressed against hers and she tingled all over. His tongue swiped her bottom lip. Lightning exploded in her middle. Amelia gasped and he filled her mouth. As pleasure poured through her and she found herself wanting to return his kiss, her senses came back. Just in time.
She jerked away.
Tears she could no longer contain slid one by one down her cheeks. “I do not need you to buy me a house, nor do I want your money.” She dashed the traitorous wetness away. “I will not accept your offer, my lord. Ever. So you can quit wasting your time trying to persuade me with such base tactics.”
His brows shot up and he took a step back. “That’s not what I—”
“It doesn’t matter. Alex and I will manage on our own as we always have.” She crossed her arms. “My new governess position pays well and I have been assured employment for many years to come.” She raised her chin three full inches. “I will be able to take care of Alex very well on my own. As you can see, my lord, I do not need your assistance. And I sure as hell do not want it.”
CHAPTER 5
Julian paced before one of the large windows in the gold salon of his sister’s massive town mansion, his thoughts in turmoil. He never should have let them go. At the very least, he should have pressed harder to escort Amelia and Alex to their destination. Then he could have settled the nagging sensation that continued to torment him, whispering that something was wrong. Thoughts plagued him for not only what he had done to Amelia in the past, but for not helping her when she needed him now. Unfortunately, she wouldn’t hear of him seeing them safely to their destination. He frowned. Why did the directions he overheard her giving to the hackney driver seem familiar?
Out in the street below, he watched a phaeton race by in a cloud of dust and shook his head. Perhaps he should have done more to insist Amelia receive his assistance. The stubborn woman would not listen to his apologies, though. Nor would she hear any discussion of him making amends, monetary or otherwise. She continued to insist she was better off with him staying away from her, that she had a fresh start and he would do nothing but remind her of how horrible her life had once been. He settled his forearm against the wall and bowed his head. Staying away was much more difficult than he thought it would be. He worried that she would do as well as she indicated, that Alex would be happy and have an opportunity to study the stars. That the two of them would find the peace and joy once denied them. That he had once denied them.
It also drove him to distraction he would never see them again.
He blew out a harsh breath, wishing he’d had more time with them. Perhaps he could have said or done something to make Amelia change her mind. He should have tried harder, should have made it perfectly clear that he had the ability to make her life easier. That he wanted to make her life easier. Alex could have gone to the finest schools and studied astronomy, as the boy truly wanted. Julian gritted
He uncoiled from his chair and rose, towering over her, and looking very, very angry. “I am trying to set things right, Amelia.”
Tears glazed her eyes and stung her throat. How she desperately needed to hear those words ten years ago. Now, it was simply too late. She shook her head. “My answer is still no.”
“You are the most exasperating woman…”
In the blink of an eye, she found herself engulfed in Lord Julian’s embrace, his lips devouring hers. Stunned, she couldn’t move. The agonizingly familiar mixture of sandalwood and his male essence made her dizzy. Her eyes slid shut as the world spun out of control. His lips softened to a persuading rhythm. Teasing, coaxing a response out of her. She couldn’t concentrate on anything but the feel of his warm body pressed against hers and she tingled all over. His tongue swiped her bottom lip. Lightning exploded in her middle. Amelia gasped and he filled her mouth. As pleasure poured through her and she found herself wanting to return his kiss, her senses came back. Just in time.
She jerked away.
Tears she could no longer contain slid one by one down her cheeks. “I do not need you to buy me a house, nor do I want your money.” She dashed the traitorous wetness away. “I will not accept your offer, my lord. Ever. So you can quit wasting your time trying to persuade me with such base tactics.”
His brows shot up and he took a step back. “That’s not what I—”
“It doesn’t matter. Alex and I will manage on our own as we always have.” She crossed her arms. “My new governess position pays well and I have been assured employment for many years to come.” She raised her chin three full inches. “I will be able to take care of Alex very well on my own. As you can see, my lord, I do not need your assistance. And I sure as hell do not want it.”
CHAPTER 5
Julian paced before one of the large windows in the gold salon of his sister’s massive town mansion, his thoughts in turmoil. He never should have let them go. At the very least, he should have pressed harder to escort Amelia and Alex to their destination. Then he could have settled the nagging sensation that continued to torment him, whispering that something was wrong. Thoughts plagued him for not only what he had done to Amelia in the past, but for not helping her when she needed him now. Unfortunately, she wouldn’t hear of him seeing them safely to their destination. He frowned. Why did the directions he overheard her giving to the hackney driver seem familiar?
Out in the street below, he watched a phaeton race by in a cloud of dust and shook his head. Perhaps he should have done more to insist Amelia receive his assistance. The stubborn woman would not listen to his apologies, though. Nor would she hear any discussion of him making amends, monetary or otherwise. She continued to insist she was better off with him staying away from her, that she had a fresh start and he would do nothing but remind her of how horrible her life had once been. He settled his forearm against the wall and bowed his head. Staying away was much more difficult than he thought it would be. He worried that she would do as well as she indicated, that Alex would be happy and have an opportunity to study the stars. That the two of them would find the peace and joy once denied them. That he had once denied them.
It also drove him to distraction he would never see them again.
He blew out a harsh breath, wishing he’d had more time with them. Perhaps he could have said or done something to make Amelia change her mind. He should have tried harder, should have made it perfectly clear that he had the ability to make her life easier. That he wanted to make her life easier. Alex could have gone to the finest schools and studied astronomy, as the boy truly wanted. Julian gritted
Similar Books
