A Code of Wonder by Jacki Delecki

Author:Jacki Delecki
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Doe Bay Publishing LLC
Published: 2020-04-29T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Eliza climbed the stairs, well aware of Lord Wessex’s intense stare. She schooled herself not to look back, but the heat of his gaze burned along her skin, warming her when she should be cold in only his shirt. It smelled of sandalwood, fresh air, and his earthy maleness.

“You’ve had quite an adventure for a country miss.”

She squeezed Derrick’s immense arm and looked into his familiar comforting eyes. “Will there be a scandal? I just couldn’t bear to bring any more pain to my mother. She’s suffered badly after our banishment in the country…all because of the cruelty of my father.”

“No. Wessex is a gentleman. He can be trusted to reveal nothing.”

“And I won’t be forced to marry him? Won’t I be ruined if anyone finds out about Lord Wessex undressing me?”

Derrick paused on the landing.

“Did more happen between you and Wessex…? Did he…?”

To hear the brave man, viewed as invincible, stammer, made her smile for the first time in a while. The blush spreading across his cheeks was so out of character.

“Only that he kissed me.” She tried to sound nonchalant as if being kissed by a virile and handsome naked man was a routine occurrence in her life. “I can’t fault his desire since I believe any man near a naked woman might attempt liberties. And he did explain that he was only trying to wake me.” She would never forget how tenderly he’d treated her. The way he’d cupped her face between his big rough hands. His lips had been soft and warm, causing heady and unfamiliar sensations.

“You have spent way too much time in the stables. What do you know about men’s desire?”

“Not much, Derrick. But I’m right in believing the kiss meant nothing but proximity?”

“For many men, that is a reasonable assumption. But by the way Wessex is behaving and the way he is staring at you, I think the kiss meant something to him, too.”

Now she felt color heating her face. He had known her since she was a little girl. She could never fool him.

“Did he do more than kiss you, Eliza? Because if he did, you’ll either have to marry him or I’ll have to kill him.”

Eliza noted the change in Derrick’s concerned tone. She didn’t want any more bloodshed. She just wanted to see her sister.

“I don’t believe so…but I kneed him…” She pointed downward. “To make my escape.”

Derrick chortled. “I’d love to have seen Wessex’s face.”

“I didn’t know at the time that he had taken off my clothes to warm me. He saved my life. If he hadn’t followed me…” Eliza shuddered. She shut down the terror of the last days to avoid the flood of emotion that would have her crumbling into a heap.

“I owe him my gratitude.”

“You understand—that doesn’t mean you have to kiss him again.”

It was as if Derrick was a mind reader. She did want to kiss Lord Wessex again and not because of his life-saving rescue but because she wanted to know if she’d feel the same blissful magic.

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