Page 13 of How to Charm an Earl
“You didn’t answer me,” he said, his tone edged with concern. “Are you hurt?” Roman slid off of his horse and walked toward her.
“I’m perfectly all right,” she said and jutted her chin upward. “Now you can leave.”
He laughed. “Darling, I’m not going anywhere without you.”
In response, the sky opened up and a deluge of rain poured over them. She glanced up and cursed the unfortunate weather. She was drenched through. “We need to get out of this rain.” She couldn’t walk far, and incidentally, they wouldn’t have to. “Follow me. There’s an old hunting cabin not far.”
They would have their confrontation in something resembling shelter, at least…
Roman held the reins of his horse and followed her as she led her own horse to wherever the hunting cabin was located. He didn’t know the area well enough to be certain there was actually a cabin nearby. Though he didn’t think she would have any reason to lie to him.
Finally, they reached a building. Not that he would call it much of a hunting cabin. When was the last time anyone had come out here? Though not entirely in shambles, the cabin was clearly abandoned. “Why is this no longer in use?” he asked.
She shrugged as she tied her horse to a nearby post. “This belongs to the Duke of Thornridge. You would have to ask him.” He did the same and then they went inside. It was dusty, but it still had all of its furnishings. He went over to the hearth and luckily there was kindling nearby that they could use for a fire. Roman arranged them and quickly lit a fire. It took a while for it to grow enough to provide warmth, but he was satisfied with his work.
He turned toward her. “Now tell me how badly you were injured?”
“I told you I am all right,” she insisted. “My side will have a bruise, but it’ll heal. Nothing to concern yourself with.”
Roman sighed. She was so damned headstrong, but he liked that about her. “I won’t ask again then.” He stared at her. “There are other things that are far more important we need to discuss.”
She lifted a brow. Her ice-blue eyes held curiosity and something else he couldn’t quite identify. “I am glad you have your priorities, my lord.”
He shook his head and sighed. “We’re back to formalities, are we?” Roman moved over to her side. “I thought we had progressed past all of that.”
“We had,” she said. “But that was a mistake.”
“We are not moving backwards,” he said in a firm tone. “Your sisters were not forthcoming, but I can guess what the issue is. I won’t let you run away and hide.”
“What do you think you know?” She had that defiance in her tone that he almost admired, if it wasn’t being used against him. “We’ve barely had any time together. It’s been nothing but slips of time that can be easily set aside. You’re better off not having me in your life.”
“I don’t agree,” he said. Roman had known the moment he met her she was the woman for him. He had also known that she might require convincing of that fact. “The only thing I’ll ever regret is walking away from you. Nothing in life is easy, and sometimes the things that are the hardest are the most worthwhile. I’ve seen a lot of atrocities, but you’re not one of them.” He lifted his hand and cupped her cheek in his hand. “You love, are the one thing I have always wished for and never imagined I could have. I’ll never be able to let that go. Don’t ask me to.”
She closed her eyes. “My family…”
“Is not the reason I started courting you.” He smiled. “I know what they say about your mother.” Roman pulled her into his arms. “Let me be clear. Even if that nonsense was true, I would not care. I want you despite it, perhaps even because of it. Either way, I don’t give a damn. The ton can go to hell for all I care. You’re the one thing I cannot live without. Do you understand?”
Athena sighed. “You might come to regret that.”
“No, love,” he told her. “I won’t ever regret you. I promise you that. The only things that are ever worth regretting are the things we do not do, and loving you had made me happy.”
Roman’s heart raced inside his chest. He had to make her believe that he couldn’t live without her. This all had happened so fast, but all he could do was be honest with her. In a more perfect world, they would have time to sort it all out. If the ton were not full of bigoted fools, she wouldn’t have run home. But none of that mattered in the end. As long as they were together, they could find their way through anything.
“You make me happy too,” she admitted. Athena licked her lips. “Kiss me.
“There’s nothing I’d like more,” he said. Roman had dreamed about kissing her every night since the first time his lips had touched hers. He wanted too much more with her, but this might not be the time for that.
He pulled her flush against his body and kissed her deeply. She sighed, and he slipped his tongue inside her mouth. Her clothes were soaked, but then again, so were his. He could kiss her forever and it wouldn’t be nearly long enough. Roman had to stop, though. “If we stay in these wet clothes, we might catch our death.”
Athena’s lips twitched. “Why, my lord, are you trying to seduce me?”
“I…” Roman was speechless. “No… I mean…”
She winked and then pulled her shirt free from her breeches. The white fabric was so wet it was nearly transparent. Her chemise underneath was the only reason he couldn’t see her plump breasts, but that wasn’t much of a barrier, either. Athena yanked her shirt over her head and undid the strings of her breeches. She pulled off her boots and let her breeches fall to the ground. “Don’t worry, love.” She stood before him in nothing but her chemise. “I want you to seduce me. Now it’s your turn. Take off those wet clothes and come keep me warm. I don’t know that we have any blankets to help with that endeavor.”
Sweet torture. She was so damned perfect. Roman had never undressed so fast in his entire life. Once he stood before her in nothing but his smalls he stepped toward her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he lowered his head to kiss her. He slid her chemise up and caressed her stomach and hips, then slid his hand up until he could cup her breast in the palm of his hand. She moaned as he tweaked a nipple between his thumb and finger.
“Are you certain,” he asked as he trailed kisses over her neck. He didn’t want to take advantage of her, but she was so damn sweet and irresistible.
