Page 80 of The Gentleman's Confession
“Lisette will always be like a sister to me,” Miles clarified. “Which is one of the reasons I did not dare reveal my feelings and hurt her. But largely, I restrained myself because Jemma was against marriage. I did not think she would accept any offer from me. When she changed her mind ...”
“You started to hope,” Tom finished, shaking his head. “It doesn’t seem right that our Mr. Romantic, for whom wives would leave their husbands and debutantes would throw away their reputations, ends up alone with a broken heart.”
“Do try to make me sound less pathetic in the future, won’t you?” Miles asked.
“It won’t be easy,” Tom responded. “Especially if all we can imagine is you crying in some room alone in another city for who knows how long.”
“I won’t be absent long. And I might be miserable, but I don’t intend to stay this way,” he assured them. At least his friends didn’t hate him for caring for Jemma. His one consolation.
“Where will you go?” Paul asked, the light from the window making his hair more red than brown.
“To stay with my younger sister and her husband. They have begged me to visit for some time. My stepfather will oversee my duties until I return.”
“And when do you leave?” Ian asked.
“When I am finished here.” Miles gave a sad smile, but it was the best he could do. “I do not think I could bear to stay a minute longer.”
A noise sounded in the direction of the main room of the inn, probably an argument over a guest who couldn’t pay. Miles ignored the clatter by the door, too wrapped up in his own thoughts.
Tom stood. “Vixen?”
Miles looked up as Jemma marched into the room. Her eyes sparked, and her mouth pulled into a determined slant. She was a vision in a dark-pink-rose gown with her hair in a simple knot, the loose ringlets by her face swaying as she made her way to their table.
“Jemma?” Ian started to stand. “You aren’t supposed to be in here.”
The other guests in the room protested.
“I’ll take my chances. I have important business to discuss, and it cannot wait.” Jemma went straight to Miles and before he could stand, set her hand on his shoulder. Did she plan to hithim? He had never known her to be violent before, but maybe she had gotten a taste for it after his appalling behavior.
“I-is everything a-all right?” he stammered.
He saw a flicker of hesitation behind her otherwise dauntless features, but she blinked it away. “I believe it is still my move.” She grabbed his jacket by the lapels and kissed him hard.
This was an offensive play he had not seen coming. For years, he had dreamed of her lips on his, but never had he imagined such fire. It was no simple kiss but a love letter to his heart. No message could be clearer. Jemma Fielding wanted him.
He leaned into her, kissing her back as if it were for the last time.
When she released him, he fell back against his seat like someone had doused him with a bucket of water. He spurted for breath while Jemma spun on her heels and left. The innkeeper yelled threats if she ever returned, and the gentlemen behind Miles growled their complaints.
But Miles drowned it all out with the sweet music ringing in his ears.
“Poor Mr. Bentley.” Tom laughed. “It looks like he is officially out of the running.”
“She chose me?” Miles could hardly believe it.
“You’ll have to marry her now,” Ian said, shaking his head with a wry grin. “Although, you will have your hands full with that one.”
Marry her?Miles grinned back. Yes, it was exactly what he would do.
“If we thought a fairly concealed kiss made out of desperation was a scandal, wait until this gets out.” Paul chuckled.
“It puts my ballroom kiss to shame,” Tom laughed back.
Paul agreed. “But as Louisa taught me, there is always a bright side. Maybe there’ll be enough gossip to draw more people out to church.”
Miles vaguely heard their words, his mind was reeling over Jemma’s earth-shattering kiss.
“Miles?” Ian reached over and socked him lightly on the shoulder. “You’ve heard our congratulations, so what are you still doing here?”
