Page 65 of Alone with the Beastly Duke
“If he does not feel the same way about you, then it will hurt. Yes, it will hurt you that this person that you have this affection for does not feel the same for you. However, you will have realized that he is simply not for you. And then, you would know how to work on moving on and killing whatever feelings you have for him,” Rose advised.
“Do you have any potion in your stash that can help kill feelings?” Jasmine asked, laughing even amidst her tears.
Rose shook her head. “I do not. However, from what I have seen of him at the dinner table, he definitely feels the same way for you.”
Jasmine’s eyes widened in surprise. “What are you talking about?”
Rose shrugged.
“He seemed to stare at you a lot, especially when you were not looking. And he would often avert his gaze once he saw you look in his direction. If you ask me, I would say he is running away from his feelings. Perhaps, this is because he does not know for sure if you feel the same way about him,” Rose suggested.
Jasmine smiled genuinely for the first time in a while. Rose’s new revelation had changed everything. She now had the boldness needed to bare her heart to Axel.
“Thank you, Rose,” Jasmine said before rushing out of the powder room and stopping short. “But what will Mama and Papa say? I cannot just leave like that, they will look for me.”
“Do not worry, little sister. I have just the perfect plan…”
Without bothering to wear a coat or even change into another outfit, Rose led Jasmine to the back door of the house. She assured her that she would be sitting in Jasmine’s bedroom in case anyone came to inquire about her well-being. She would tell everyone that she is feeling indisposed and cover for her for a few hours.
Jasmine was ecstatic that Rose would do that for her, and all that was in her head was to tell Axel how she truly felt about him. She could only hope that Axel would be just as honest with her.
Jasmine’s heart beat rapidly as she drew closer and closer to the entrance of Axel’s estate. She was therefore surprised when a carriage stopped beside her, and Axel peered out from the carriage. “Lady Jasmine,” he said formally, “what are you doing here all alone with no chaperone?”
Jasmine smiled. “I want to talk to you right now, Axel,” she explained, not minding that Axel’s coachman could hear her informal and personal tone. “Where were you going?”
She was past caring now, and she did not care if the Ton somehow knew that she had feelings for the man they all called the Nordic Beast.
Axel directed his coachman to give him privacy, after which he turned to Jasmine. “Come into the carriage.”
Jasmine did as Axel instructed, and she stepped into the rather narrow carriage. Her legs pressed against Axel’s as she sat in the carriage, and she was suddenly aware that she was all alone in the carriage with the man she was attracted to. She shook her head to wade off the intrusive thoughts that tempted her to jump into Axel’s arms and kiss him. She could not afford to get distracted.
“Axel,” she started, “you cannot leave now.” Axel simply stared at her. “You cannot leave London now,” she continued.
Axel looked away from her, and she could tell that the idea of being apart from her broke his heart just as much as it did hers.
“I… I have feelings for you, and I do not know if you feel the same about me. However, if you leave London, I will be completely devastated. I cannot bear to be apart from you, Axel,” she confessed.
“Jasmine, I…It would be best if we did not…”
For a moment, his words lingered there, unfinished. Jasmine’s heart beat rapidly, and Axel was turned away from her. It was at this moment that Jasmine began to realize the folly of what she had just done.
Of course, he does not feel the same way about me. How could I have been so foolish to think that Axel had anything but lust for me?
“I am sorry,” Jasmine said as she made to step out of the carriage, “I was foolish to have thought that you feel anything for me beyond being an object for amusement. I am sorry for taking your time, Your Grace.” Her voice broke even as she spoke, and her vision got muddled by tears.
Jasmine had extended a leg out of the carriage and made to leave when a huge hand clamped firmly on her arms. Jasmine stopped and turned back. She saw Axel, a pained expression on his face. For the first time since she had met him, he looked vulnerable and even broken.
He stared at her, and his eyes rested on her lips. The next thing Jasmine knew, Axel kissed her.
Jasmine felt an intimate warmth start at the base of her belly and began to move throughout her body. She felt warm all over and, more importantly, happy. Jasmine wrapped her arms around Axel and pulled him close. She reciprocated, kissing him as passionately as he kissed her.
All her past tears and sadness were forgotten now as she kissed him, her toes curling with pleasure. They kissed for what seemed like an eternity before Axel pulled away.
“Jasmine,” he said, holding her arms, “I…I do not wish to hurt you.”
Jasmine shook her head. “You could never hurt me, Axel,” she replied, “You could never.”
“You know that is not true, Jasmine,” Axel replied. “If anyone found out about us now…”
