awareness. Hunger. Lust.
A frisson of excitement shot through her. She liked that he looked at her like that. Liked that she brought out the primitive side of him. Warmth and fondness had its place. At present, its place wasn’t here.
“Well I must prepare for supper.” She desperately needed to reclaim some control in a situation that seemed to be veering out of hers.
“May I call on you the day after next?”
Catherine blinked. He wasn’t going to call on her tomorrow ? She had been ready and more than willing to cancel, move, rearrange her entire schedule to accommodate his visit. Yet he would not do the same for her? She felt foolish…again.
“Actually, I have plans with friends that day.” She certainly wasn’t about to sit at home awaiting his call.
“Break them.”
“I shall not.” The nerve.
“Catherine.” A note in his voice suggested she was beginning to test his patience.
This provoked her even more.
“I’ll have you know, I do have a life. I have friends, engagements, and concerns I must take care of. I cannot simply be at your beck and call.” She lied without batting an eyelash.
“Forgive that presumptuous you so dislike in me,” he said, all bone-melting contrition. “But I must return to London this evening to settle some business matters. I planned to do so when I first arrived, but I was too damned impatient to see you. But I shall put it off another day if I must as you are my first priority.”
If his argument was meant to sway her—as it obviously was—it succeeded wildly. She was instantly wet clay ready to be molded. Why was he so adroitly capable of disarming her?
Because he is willing to sacrifice so much to be with you.
“You would do that for me?” she whispered in half wonder and disbelief. She was tempted to pinch herself. Or better yet, pinch him to make sure he was real.
Cupping her face in his palms, he stared deep into her eyes. His voice was low and heartfelt when he spoke. “I love you. I would do anything to make you happy.”
Catherine didn’t know how she didn’t melt into a puddle on the floor. But she somehow managed to reply, “Well since I’ve already caused you to change your schedule, I guess I can be accommodating.” As she held his gaze, she felt as shy as a girl in the throes of her first crush.
A moment later, his mouth was upon hers taking her lips in another deep, drugging kiss. By the time she caught herself and began to fully respond, he pulled away. “And I’ll be eager to see how accommodating you will be,” he said huskily.
Catherine blushed furiously.
“I shall see you the day after next. Until then, I shall think of nothing else but seeing you again.” He brushed a kiss against her forehead and exited the room moments later.
Catherine stared at the empty doorway for a half minute after. With an unsteady breath and the feel of him still burning on her lips, she settled a clenched fist over her madly beating heart.
C HAPTER F IVE
T en minutes later, Catherine sat on the divan, marveling at how, in less than an hour, her life could change so dramatically. Once resigned to a life without a husband or any hope of children, Lucas’s return and declaration had changed all that.
She felt giddy and truly alive for the first time since her sister had returned home a year ago.
“Well, I believe that went rather well,” Charlotte declared upon reentering the library.
Her sister could not have appeared more triumphant had she singlehandedly defeated Napoleon and the French herself. With the air of glee and smugness enveloping her like one of her favorite mantels, she crossed the room to take a seat beside Catherine.
For what felt like a full half a minute, she and her twin regarded each other, their eyes and mouth reflecting similar happiness and joy. Suddenly, a sound that could only be termed a delighted squeal emerged from Charlotte’s smiling lips as she threw her arms around her, embracing
A frisson of excitement shot through her. She liked that he looked at her like that. Liked that she brought out the primitive side of him. Warmth and fondness had its place. At present, its place wasn’t here.
“Well I must prepare for supper.” She desperately needed to reclaim some control in a situation that seemed to be veering out of hers.
“May I call on you the day after next?”
Catherine blinked. He wasn’t going to call on her tomorrow ? She had been ready and more than willing to cancel, move, rearrange her entire schedule to accommodate his visit. Yet he would not do the same for her? She felt foolish…again.
“Actually, I have plans with friends that day.” She certainly wasn’t about to sit at home awaiting his call.
“Break them.”
“I shall not.” The nerve.
“Catherine.” A note in his voice suggested she was beginning to test his patience.
This provoked her even more.
“I’ll have you know, I do have a life. I have friends, engagements, and concerns I must take care of. I cannot simply be at your beck and call.” She lied without batting an eyelash.
“Forgive that presumptuous you so dislike in me,” he said, all bone-melting contrition. “But I must return to London this evening to settle some business matters. I planned to do so when I first arrived, but I was too damned impatient to see you. But I shall put it off another day if I must as you are my first priority.”
If his argument was meant to sway her—as it obviously was—it succeeded wildly. She was instantly wet clay ready to be molded. Why was he so adroitly capable of disarming her?
Because he is willing to sacrifice so much to be with you.
“You would do that for me?” she whispered in half wonder and disbelief. She was tempted to pinch herself. Or better yet, pinch him to make sure he was real.
Cupping her face in his palms, he stared deep into her eyes. His voice was low and heartfelt when he spoke. “I love you. I would do anything to make you happy.”
Catherine didn’t know how she didn’t melt into a puddle on the floor. But she somehow managed to reply, “Well since I’ve already caused you to change your schedule, I guess I can be accommodating.” As she held his gaze, she felt as shy as a girl in the throes of her first crush.
A moment later, his mouth was upon hers taking her lips in another deep, drugging kiss. By the time she caught herself and began to fully respond, he pulled away. “And I’ll be eager to see how accommodating you will be,” he said huskily.
Catherine blushed furiously.
“I shall see you the day after next. Until then, I shall think of nothing else but seeing you again.” He brushed a kiss against her forehead and exited the room moments later.
Catherine stared at the empty doorway for a half minute after. With an unsteady breath and the feel of him still burning on her lips, she settled a clenched fist over her madly beating heart.
C HAPTER F IVE
T en minutes later, Catherine sat on the divan, marveling at how, in less than an hour, her life could change so dramatically. Once resigned to a life without a husband or any hope of children, Lucas’s return and declaration had changed all that.
She felt giddy and truly alive for the first time since her sister had returned home a year ago.
“Well, I believe that went rather well,” Charlotte declared upon reentering the library.
Her sister could not have appeared more triumphant had she singlehandedly defeated Napoleon and the French herself. With the air of glee and smugness enveloping her like one of her favorite mantels, she crossed the room to take a seat beside Catherine.
For what felt like a full half a minute, she and her twin regarded each other, their eyes and mouth reflecting similar happiness and joy. Suddenly, a sound that could only be termed a delighted squeal emerged from Charlotte’s smiling lips as she threw her arms around her, embracing
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