Page 12 of Scandalized by My Prince
Chapter5
Killian remained still,trying not to give away how much her inquiry disturbed him. The pointed question had to come from somewhere though. Why had she thought to ask about his father? What did she know about his family? His next words had to be careful, or she’d discover the hiddentruth.
“My father has been gone for quite a while now,” he said calmly. It was a lie of sorts. The man the world believed had sired him had died when he was still a boy. “Nothing but old age happened to him.” The former Earl of Thornbury had been well past his sixtieth year when he wed Lady Sarah Augustine, Killian’smother.
“Perhaps I asked the wrong question,” Aubriella said. “What was your father’s connection totheking?”
Killian’s insides turned to ice at her words. She couldn’t possibly know his secret. No one, save his mother, the previous earl, and his true father knew the truth. The mad king could blab all he wanted, but it wouldn’t be believed. He’d lived his life dreading the moment someone found out who he really was, and it appeared to have arrived. The need to distract her had never been greater inside of him. This woman was more dangerous to him than anyone before her. A nuisance he had no idea how tosilence.
“His connection is no greater than any other lords,” Killian replied. “Why doyouask?”
Aubriella tapped on the side of the carriage with her hands. She opened a curtain on the side and peered outside. Sitting there in silence was driving him crazy. Why hadn’t she answered him? He had to find out what she knew and how she’d come by that information. After several heartbeats, she finally turned to him and met his gaze. “Are you always this vague when answering aquestion?”
“No more than you are,” he retorted. “I feel like finding out anything about you isimpossible.”
They were a fine pair, the two of them. Both had something to hide and were determined to keep it to themselves. He wanted to uncover every last detail regarding her, and by the end of this trip he hoped he’d have all of those answers. Until then, he could be patient while he figuredherout.
“I suppose that’s fair.” She folded her hands in her lap and smiled softly. “However, I do believe I’ve told you far more than you have sharedwithme.”
“Semantics,” he said flippantly. “You act as if you know the answers before I give them. Perhaps it is I who has asked the wrong questions. What’s your interest in myfamily?”
He couldn’t say exactly what bothered him about her. Something about her was damned eerie though. When she smiled, he wasn’t sure if he should yank her into his lap and kiss her senseless or prepare to be flayed. She was certainly dangerous to hissanity.
“I find it fascinating.” Aubriella shrugged lightly. “Ialwayshave.”
What the hell could be so appealing about his family? Perhaps he didn’t see the appeal because it was his life. She might not either if she had to deal with the stigma of being a bastard. He didn’t belong where he was, and it bothered him more than itshould.
“I fail to understand,” he said. “Would you care to tell me what it is you find so bloodyinteresting?”
She brought her hand up and wiggled a finger at him back and forth, chastising him. “Tsk, Tsk, My Lord,” she said almost teasingly. “It’s unseemly to curse in front ofalady.”
“Areyou?”
“What?” she asked liftingabrow.
“A lady,” he replied. Most ladies wouldn’t act as she had. He had doubts she truly was one. Her manners couldn’t be faulted, but she did the oddest things attimes.
“I suppose you might not consider me one,” she said softly. “I am a mere miss, after all. My father wasn’t high born, and perhaps I’m reaching by even being in your prestigiouscompany.”
Hell, he’d gone and offended her now. “I apologize,” he said. “I shouldn’t have made you feel less thanyouare.”
“Think nothing of it,” she said. The carriage hit a bump in the road and bounced the carriage. Aubriella fell forward and landed in his lap. On instinct, he reached for her and pulled her into his arms. She stared at him. “I…” She licked her lips and continued to look up at him. Killian groaned and held onto her as if his life depended on it. He had tokissher…
He leaned down and touched his lips to hers. Fire shot down his spine and he lost all train of thought. Aubriella moaned and brought her arms around his neck. The kiss started out innocent and quickly turned toward an all-consuming passion. Aubriella sighed, parting her lips for him. He took full advantage and slid his tongue into her mouth. She sucked on it greedily. This woman had experience kissing, and he couldn’t help wondering how far that skill went. At the moment, he didn’t really care. Killian couldn’t imagine being anywhere else than in the carriage kissingAubriella.
Killian slid his hand down her back and stopped at the curve of her waist. The urge to yank her skirts up and touch her intimately was hard to resist. He did his best to keep his wits about him, but she’d damn near reduced him to a blubbering fool with each kiss. He lifted his lips from hers and started to trail kisses over her cheek, chin and then her neck. With each touch soft moans filled the carriage, driving him overtheedge.
He had to stop this before he went past the point of no return. As much as he was enjoying it, he couldn’t have her. With a groan, he lifted her and set her on the bench opposite of him once again. It was the hardest thing he’d ever done inhislife.
“Why did you stop?” she askedbreathlessly.
“It’s the right thing to do,” he replied. Damn his morals… “Besides, as fun as it sounds, the carriage isn’t all that comfortable fortupping.”
Her cheeks blushed a pretty pink. Perhaps she wasn’t as experienced as he’d started to believe. Kissing was one thing, giving herself to a man would be another altogether. She wouldn’t be the first woman to experiment a little bit before finding herself tied to one man for the rest of her life. Some women didn’t even let thatstopthem.
“It wouldn’t have gone that far,” she saiddefiantly.
“Wouldn’t it have?” he mocked. “I was quite close to lifting your skirts and pushing myself inside of you.” Killian winked. “What’s more, you would have loved it.” If possible her cheeks pinkened even more at his taunt. He hadn’t read the signs wrong. This woman wanted him as much as he desired her. If he were a less honorable man he’d be currently in the throes of enjoying her charms. His cock was hard and ready to push the point, but he wouldn’t do that. “Rest. We’ll be in the carriage awhile, and we won’t stopoften.”
