Page 25 of Healing the Duke's Desires
In a hasty motion, Alexander pulled away from Emily, not saying a single word. After all, what else was there left to say that hadn’t already been said in hot breaths, in wordless tongues?
When he lingered for one moment, his lips parted, she wanted to run away with him, to hide away from everyone and never come back. But that was wishful thinking. Somehow, she believed he read this desire in her eyes, and it mirrored his own. Hastily, he retreated behind an overgrown hedge, disappearing from view.
Emily remained standing in the same place, unable to move. She felt as if the world had stopped spinning, and she herself was frozen in time and space. Regaining her composure seemed like an impossible feat after what had happened, but she had to try.
As she took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, the world around her started to regain clarity once again. The rustling of leaves, the fragrance of the roses, and the soft sounds of the garden returned in full force. She knew where she was once more. She felt a mixture of emotions—desire, confusion, and a twinge of disappointment at the sudden disappearance of Alexander.
This was her first kiss, not counting the dream, of course. But even in the dream, she had shared that kiss with the same man, the man whose warm breath she’d soaked up into her own very being, one brief moment making them two bodies and one soul.
Just as she was gathering her thoughts, trying to make sense of not only the situation she had found herself in but also the maelstrom of her own emotions, a familiar voice cried out, bringing her back to the present moment.
“Emily!”
Emily turned around, her gaze shifting to her sister, who walked with Henry by her side. There was no mistaking the look of sheer delight on Sarah’s face as she clung to his arm. They were approaching Emily languidly with oblivious smiles, absolutely unaware of the charged atmosphere that had enveloped the garden mere moments ago, which they had unwittingly interrupted.
“Why, we’ve been looking for you everywhere!” Sarah told her sister amusedly, which made Emily think that her own disappearance from the garden party was a very welcome distraction for Sarah and Henry as well, providing them with a reason to wander off from the rest of the guests.
They were unchaperoned, which was not a welcome sight, but after what happened to Emily herself, she should be the last person in the world to be teaching them right from wrong.
Emily smiled back, focusing on her sister. She disliked lying to her, but sometimes, a little white lie made everything less painful.
“I was simply taking a moment to enjoy the beauty of the garden,” she said, which fortunately wasn’t too far away from the truth. It was indeed her initial reason for wandering off, just needing a moment to herself. Now, as for what happened later, that was something she decided to keep to herself, at least for the time being. “I see you two have also been… um… enjoying the garden as well?”
Sarah stifled a mischievous smile with a raised eyebrow. “No such thing. We were merely looking for you. It was urgent that we find you, and there was no time to find a chaperone because everyone was immersed in conversation, which we of course did not want to interrupt.”
“I see,” Emily teased, suppressing a chuckle. “How convenient and polite of you two.”
Sarah shrugged with the look of a mischievous cherub. “Sometimes, it is so.” She was about to say something else, then she tilted her head, her eyes deep and inquisitive, as if to take a closer, more introspective look at her sister. “Have you been running?” she wondered, sounding slightly amused.
“No,” Emily asked, surprised at this sudden change of topic. Her following question was preceded by a soft clearing of her throat. “Why?”
“Your cheeks look rather flushed,” Sarah remarked, somehow too playfully for Emily to think that it was just a simple observation.
Emily’s heart skipped a beat, a mix of anxiety and curiosity swirling within her. Had Sarah seen something? Could she possibly know about the intense moment she had shared with Alexander? Emily’s mind raced through scenarios, her nerves getting the better of her.
Swallowing hard, she managed a hopefully convincing smile. “Oh, well… you know, the sun has been quite warm today and I did take off my bonnet for a moment.”
Sarah’s chuckle tinkled in the air. “You should be more careful, Emily. Mother will have a fit if you get any more sunburn on your cheeks.”
A wave of relief washed over Emily. Sarah’s words were a gentle reminder that, despite her initial worry, her sister was simply concerned about her well-being. Emily chuckled, appreciating the sisterly chiding that never failed to warm her heart, even in a moment when she thought that her most secretive thoughts and actions were completely bared.
“I promise to be more mindful of that,” she replied, her smile genuine this time, without any apprehension. She took another look at her sister, and realized that she, too could have caught her sister in a similar act of transgression against societal rules. “I think it is best we all go back before we face Mother’s lecture.”
Sarah nodded and the two sisters shared a conspiratorial smile, a bond forged through silent understanding of a situation that needed no further explanation. Emily still wasn’t sure whether Sarah had any idea of what had transpired there mere moments ago, but that didn’t matter. Whether she knew or not, her lips were sealed, and Emily was all the more grateful for it.
All three headed back to the manor house, where the chatter of the guests welcomed them immediately. Sarah and Henry were embroiled in a conversation, and they paid no heed whether Emily was listening to them or not. This was perfectly fine with her, because she was not.
The truth was, shecouldnot, for with every step, she discreetly surveyed the hedges, her eyes searching for any sign of movement, any glimpse of Alexander’s presence. Her heart raced and her cheeks flushed at the memory of their shared intimacy.
It was all so unexpected, and yet, it had felt so right. In her naivety, she could never have imagined that she would be the object of such a whirlwind romantic happenings. The memory of the stolen moment, of his kiss on her lips sent a flutter of butterfly wings throughout her body. It was as if his touch, his scent awakened sensations in her she didn’t even know she possessed.
This knowledge felt forbidden, as if she was not supposed to be feeling it at all, especially not during a garden party with everyone present. In a way, she felt as if the truth was written all over her face—all anyone had to do was take one look at her and all would be revealed.
“… isn’t that right, Emily?” Sarah’s voice broke through Emily’s reverie, pulling her attention back to the present moment.
“Um, yes… maybe?” Emily chuckled in a perplexed manner, which in turn made Sarah and Henry chuckle, as well.
“You weren’t listening, were you?” Sarah asked, although the answer to that was rather obvious. Even her tone hinted at her perceptiveness regarding her sister’s state of confusion, though there was no ill will behind it. Sarah was merely making an observation, which amused them all.
