| |
“Be sure you save one of the waltzes for Mr. Connelly.”
Becca’s mother was giving her more instructions as they stood at the edge of the room, watching the other guests. Her mother had been giving her a list of things to do all afternoon. How to wear her hair, how to smile, and how to flirt. Becca was beginning to wonder if her mother was going to be looking for a husband this season as well.
“He was being very attentive the other day. I think he might be getting close to making a proposal.”
Becca couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Yes, Stephen had been kind enough to spend a few afternoons with her, but it was nothing romantic. They usually discussed books or the weather. Nothing he said to her hinted at more attachment than a friend.
“Are you hoping to save one for young Mr. Donovan instead?”
Becca’s gaze snapped to meet her mother’s. She expected some kind of censure to be there but instead her mother appeared worried.
“Robert? I’m not sure he will have time to dance with me. He is in pursuit of his own marriage.”
“Yes, but he might have set his sights on you for the role.”
Becca dismissed the idea. “He had a childish affection for me when he was a boy, but that is long past. I’m hardly the sort of woman he pursues now.”
“You know that for certain?”
Becca had tried not to think about the actress, but thoughts of her creeped in. Those were the sorts of women that interested him now. Ones with experience and seduction. Not sweet girls next door.
“He seems to be looking for a woman with more worldly charm,” Becca told her mother, not wanting to reveal too much. “I doubt he will want to remain in New York forever. He seemed to enjoy the adventure of travel.”
“Just like his brother.”
Becca wasn’t going to give her mother an answer to that. She was too busy watching the crowd and waiting for the young gentleman to fill up her dance card. If she didn’t get enough attention, her mother would be greatly disappointed. She had spent a great deal of energy on making sure Becca looked beautiful tonight. She wore a silver gown, with black lace around the low-cut collar and around to waist to make it appear more narrow. There was even a piece of that same lace pinned to her hair, falling across her forehead.
“Don’t forget to smile,” her mother hissed harshly against her ear.
Becca forced her lips to part to reveal her teeth to the room as she waited. It felt so unfair that a woman was supposed to simply wait for a man to notice her. That she had to be on display, while he got to choose who caught his eye. Becca felt perhaps it would be a better world if women were the ones doing the choosing.
“Miss O’ Hare?”
She heard the voice first and turned to find Stephen standing there. A part of her felt disappointment but she didn’t let her smile falter.
“Mr. Conelly, what a delight.”
Her mother beamed at hearing the words she had told her daughter to say.
“I hope you still have a place on your dance card for me.”
She lifted her hand to show it dangling on her wrist. “I believe there is just one left.”
“No, there isn’t.”
Robert appeared out of nowhere, stepping toward the group with a dark expression on his face.
“I haven’t had the chance to put my name down yet,” he said.
“I’m afraid you are too late then. Mr. Connelly has claimed the last one,” her mother said. “You should have asked for one sooner.”
“I was detained.”
Her mother’s gaze moved up and down on him, taking in all the impeccable details. There wasn’t a hair out of place.
“I’m afraid it is too late.”
Stephen appeared uncomfortable by the exchange, but he realized that the band was beginning the waltz and that was his dance. He took Becca by the hand to lead her to the floor. She cast an apologetic look over her shoulder at Robert but tried to focus on her partner.
“Is there something about you two that I should know?” Stephan asked as they began to circle the dance floor.
“What do you mean?”
“He seemed very... territorial.”
“He is just protective of me. Like a brother would be.”
“He doesn’t look at you like a brother.”
“What does he look at me like?”
“A hunter.”
Becca couldn’t help but laugh at that ridiculous comparison.
“I believe he is about to come for his prey.” As Stephen said that, Becca caught Robert out of the corner of her eye. He was following the two of them around the floor from the edges of the crowd. He did that for the entire dance and never took his eyes off them once. As soon as the dance ended, he appeared on her right, putting a hand on her elbow.
“I will take her back to her mother.” He growled that as an order and not a question. Stephen appeared more amused than intimidated.
“Of course,” said Stephen. “You are such a good friend to the family.”
Her mother was waiting with the other matrons along the right side of the room, but Robert was pulling her to the left. He found a door that she never noticed before and opened it, pulling her into what appeared to be the host’s private study. Books lined shelves on the wall and a large desk was positioned in front of the fireplace.
“How did you know this room was here?” she asked, swallowing the nervous feeling she had.
“I’ve had business meetings here with the host.”
Becca felt the fast pace of her heart beating in her chest. The room felt warm, even though there was only a low burning fire in the fireplace. None of the lamps were lit, giving the room darkness. She wondered if that was the source of the warmth she felt on her skin, but doubted it. The feeling soaked into her body and suspected it had more to do with the man she was alone with.
“My mother will come looking for me shortly,” she said to Robert, who was standing rigidly in place, a hard expression on his face.
“Then we should talk quickly.”
“You pulled me in here to talk?”
She didn’t expect the tone of disappointment in her own voice.
“Yes, but now that we are here... I have forgotten what I wanted to say.”
Becca could feel him staring at her lips, and it made them go dry. She used her tongue to wet them, and she could see his jaw tighten at the sight of such an action. She knew that his thoughts were the same as her and that they were both thinking of that kiss.
“If you don’t remember what you wanted to discuss, I should return to the party.”
She said that but Becca made no move toward the door. She was hoping he would stop her from leaving, because she so badly wanted to stay.
“Becca...” He was fumbling for the words, forcing himself to keep his hands at the side. She could see his fingers flexing in the fists he made.
“Robert?”
“I didn’t like watching you dance with him,” he finally said.
“Stephen? I thought he was your friend.”
“It don’t dislike him,” he continued to keep control over himself, picking his words carefully and speaking them slowly. “I didn’t like seeing him with you. I don’t like seeing any of them with you.”
“You make no sense. You know I am supposed to be looking for a husband. My parents insist on it.”
“Yes, I understand, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
He was making no sense, but she was going to let him keep talking as long as it gave her a reason to remain in his presence. They were standing close enough that she could smell that masculine scent that she loved about him. She could see the details of his face up close. She could even hear the even, steady breathing as he kept himself in control.
“Becca, I can’t stop thinking about that night in my hallway.”
He was talking about the kiss. Just mentioning it made her stomach flutter and she placed a hand over it.
“Do you ever think of it?”
She knew the proper thing would be to deny it, but the truth was she thought of it often.
“Occasionally,” she answered in a whispered tone.
He took a step forward, shortening the distance between them to barely an inch. She could feel his breath on her forehead. Robert kept his hand folded behind his back.
“Do you want to kiss me again?” Robert asked.
Becca was staring up at him, watching those dark eyes of his as they watched her. The depths of them were almost enough to make her feel lost.
“Do you want to kiss me again, Becca?” He repeated the question.
“Isn’t it the man’s job to do the kissing?”
“Normally it is, but I fear I might not be able to restrain myself if I kiss you.”
Becca thought about that. “So you want me to be in control of the kiss?”
She heard him groan and he nodded. Something about that made her feel exhilarated. Cautiously, Becca reached up to put her hands on his wide shoulders. She had never been forward enough to kiss man on her own before. She went up on her toes to reach his lips, pressing her against them gently at first.
“You can do more,” Robert murmured against her lips. “Don’t hold back on my account. Kiss me the way you want to be kissed.”
Becca didn’t know what that meant, but she knew that she wanted to taste more of him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, to help pull their bodies closer. She felt as though she were going to climb him, like a tree.
Instead of just pressing their mouths together, she decided to try nibbling on his lips as she remembered him doing. He responded with the same. Soon they began to dance with their tongues as well, giving her the same heady feeling she’d had in the hallway. She wanted to suckle on his bottom lip, and it pulled a groan out of him. She could feel his arms flexing beneath his jacket as he continued to hold his arms behind his back.
If he wasn’t going to touch her, then she was going to touch him. It seemed only fair.
“Becca, what...”
He couldn’t complete his question as she slid her hands down the front of his chest, to undo the buttons of his jacket. As he pushed it off his shoulders, it caught on his wrists where he was still clutching his hands together. Then she unbuttoned his green silk vest, but left it hanging to his shoulders. Then she focused her attention on the buttons of his shirt.
“Becca, what are you doing?” Robert’s voice sounded strained.
“I want to feel you,” she replied. “You said I was in control.”
As she parted his crisp, white dress shirt to reveal his under shirt she fought to ignore the heat in her cheeks. She had gone too far to be shy now. With his arms fastened together, she wasn’t going to be able to remove all of the layers, but she wanted to at least feel his skin under her fingertips. Becca tugged at the final piece of fabric that his body from her, pulling it up enough to reveal his stomach and the muscles he had there.
“Don’t,” he said, almost sounding like a plea. “We can’t do this here.”
It was too late for her to stop now, she needed to feel him. To see if his skin felt as warm to the touch as hers did. She ran her fingertips along the strip of exposed stomach, felt it make him tremble. She could feel the bulge in his pants below where she was touching him, pressing against her skirts. She undid the buttons of his pants, letting her hand slip in to explore. She didn’t know what she was reaching for, but once she felt it against the palm of her hand, she wrapped her fingers around it.
“Becca!” His voice was strangled and his eyes were closed.
This sense of power was like nothing she had ever felt before as she stroked him. He was straining against his own arms, which were fighting to stay behind his back. He was pushing his hips back and forth and throwing his head back. Becca leaned in to place feather light kisses on his neck, and she could taste the saltiness of his skin.
“Becca.” He groaned her name one last time before she felt a warm, liquid spill against her hand. The flesh in her hand pulsed until it was done. Then Robert, who was trying to steady his breath, let go of his own hands and pulled hers from his pants. He then removed the handkerchief from his pocket to wipe her hand clean.
“Where did you learn to do that?” he asked, avoiding eye contact with her.
“I don’t know. I just... I wanted to find out what it felt like.”
“You have been thinking about touching a man... there?”
“I suppose I have.”
“Since when?”
“Since you kissed me.”
He growled, but she didn’t know why.
“What about Brandon?” he asked.
Becca didn’t know why he would be asking about his brother in the moment.
“Brandon and I never.... He was always a gentleman.”
Robert barked laughter. “Thank you, god, I never became one of those.”
She was confused, and it must have shown on her expression because he looked at her tenderly.
“I’m glad I got to be the one who sparked your curiosity.”
Even though they were no longer touching, she could still feel him as if they were.
“We had better return,” he told her. “They will come looking soon and we don’t want to be caught like this.”
“Of course.” She should have been thinking more about her reputation.
“You leave first.” He was re-buttoning his shirt. “I’m going to need a moment to make myself presentable again.”
Becca couldn’t help but appreciate how delicious he appeared when he was disheveled. He looked as if he had been making love to her and not the other way around. Feeling confident and pleased with herself, Becca placed a quick kiss on his cheek and then left.