Page 23 of Black Widow

Gideon caught Amelia easily,stopping her with a firm grip on her upper arms. Then he remembered the bruises he’d seen on her. Forcing himself to relax his hold, he held her a little away from him. But he didn’t let go of her. He didn’t wantto.

“Gideon!” Amelia stared at him in openmouthed surprise. “I mean, my lord, what are you doinghere?”

He tried to come up with a civil answer, but his temper was hanging by a thread. He’d been up all night trying to find out where Amelia had gone with no luck. Even Clarke’s impressive social contacts and network of household spies had run dry. It wasn’t until they had found a footman in Viscount Worthing’s household willing to take a bribe that they’d learned he and Amelia had departed for Lord Westcliff’s estate a few hours outside ofLondon.

Gideon had arrived just in time to hear Worthing propose to Amelia. His sudden thundering heartbeat had been louder than the words that followed—although he had heard Sir Clarence’s name mentioned. He had no idea what her reply had been, and he hadn’t stayed to confront them because Lady Westcliff had come down the hallway justthen.

He’d hoped coming outside would calm his overheated blood. Instead, it had afforded him the opportunity he had long sought—to have Amelia alone. But he couldn’t proceed with his plan to charm the truth out of her. All his eloquence and restraint had been burnedaway.

“Are you going to do it?” he asked, unable to keep the bite from hisvoice.

“Am I going to do what?” she asked, looking up at him with a dazedexpression.

“Are you going tomarryWorthing?” he ground out from behind clenchedteeth.

Amelia’s lovely lips parted, but she didn’t say anything inreply.

“Damn it to hell,” he swore, crushing her tohim.

Her scent of clean soap and jasmine had been driving him crazy since that first ball. It enveloped him, teasing his senses until it seemed as if his skin was marked with traces of it. Every hair on his body stood on end. He was too hot, but he had a solution now. His mouth descended on hers with a hunger so ravenous it blindedhim.

He moved his hands to cradle her face, deepening the kiss. Gideon poured every ounce of his pent-up energy and heat into her. He licked her soft lips, probing and parting them with his tongue until they opened enough for him to slipinside.

Her taste was indescribable. It was sweet and intoxicating, more potent than anywine.

The little sound Amelia made as she melted against him vibrated deep within him. This was what he’d wanted from the moment he’d seen her. He knew that now. Part of him hated himself for it, but it was easy to ignore when he was holding her in hisarms.

His arousal was almost painful. It was pressed against her, but he couldn’t feel her heat through the volume of her skirts andpetticoats.

Just a little bit more.He reached down, ready to pull the layers of fabric up so he could reach for the wet heat he knew was waiting for him. Having her was all thatmattered.

Gideon was trying to justify taking her down to the ground when the sound of something crashing through the undergrowth only a few yards away interruptedthem.

He swore, snapping his head up and pushing Amelia behindhim.

“What is it?” she whispered, her hand reaching around his waist to press against the front of hisgreatcoat.

“Some sort of animal,” he said in a murmur, keeping his voice soft in case he startledit.

Given the noise it made, the creature was very large, possibly a boar. Keeping his eyes trained on the source of the noise, he bent to pick up a fallen branch. Walking with soundless steps, he moved toward it, ready to swing his makeshift weapon in case the animal charged. He rounded the trunk of the thick oak only to hear rapidly retreating footsteps and the sound of more shrubbery being crushed andbroken.

As the sound retreated, he turned back to Amelia, walking back to her quickly and taking her by the arm. Her face was no longer flushed with passion. She was pale and her eyes werewide.

“We need to head back to the house in case it comesback.”

“What do you think it was?” she asked, quickening her steps to match his briskpace.

“Most likely a boar. They’re common enough in these parts and can be quite dangerous.” He scowled at her suddenly. “You shouldn’t have been walking so far from the house on yourown.”

“I was just…thinking.”

“About marryingWorthing?”

“No, of course not,” she said, quickening her step to keep up with him. “Crispin is my friend, nothingmore.”

“Do all your friends propose marriage on a regular basis?” he asked, stillannoyed.

“No. I mean, yes. Crispin does, but only from a sense of obligation. He wants to protectme.”

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