by Renée Dahlia
Josephine had deliberately kept her family background quiet for the last four years. Having grown up with a father in His Majesty’s government services, she had long ago learnt the value of silence. Van Percy had said that he had researched her. Had he found any connection to her father’s profession? She frowned. Even if he had, by chance, worked out her background, how did that translate into his overt interest in her? What did he want with her?
Professor Van Percy wiped his moustache precisely on his napkin and turned to Josephine.
‘In what capacity does St. George work for your father? I’m surprised that someone of his background would lower himself to work for someone else,’ he said. She wanted to roll her eyes as he took another chance to undermine Nicholas.
‘Professor, you have an old-fashioned view of the English aristocracy,’ she said. ‘St. George might be a Lord, but it is just a piece of paper. There is hardly any money that comes with a title nowadays. Everyone must work if they want funds. In that respect, he is little different from anyone in this room. We are all working towards a career.’
‘I see,’ said Van Percy tightly.
‘I am not so naïve that I don’t see the two of you perceive each other as rivals, Professor,’ whispered Josephine furiously, tired of the assumption that these men could determine her future for her. ‘Perhaps you should ask my opinion before making judgements on my behalf.’ She’d be better off with neither of them in her life. St. George appeared willing to let her decide for herself, or at least, he gave that impression when she was in the room.
The footmen arrived at their table again to remove the course just completed, and the dessert course arrived. A layered dessert with chocolate base and top, with nougat and oozing caramel inside. Ice-cream flavoured with Armagnac and drizzled with orange syrup completed the dish. Moisture filled her mouth as the rich chocolate scent rose from the dish.
***
Nicholas watched Josephine’s spoon rise to her luscious lips. A drop of syrup clung to her bottom lip and her tongue flickered out to mop it up. He was hard, rock hard. For someone so experienced in playing this game with the best of society, this uncontrolled response lacked his usual finesse. Instead, he yearned for her as he watched her consume the rich dessert. Lust had become an uncomfortable beast and he had risen fully to the occasion. He wanted to ravish and devour her right here on the table with no heed for the crowd. The depth of his desire shocked him. She turned to look at him, her spoon hesitating in mid-air, a question in her eyes. He realised that he must have groaned quietly. Heat flared on his cheeks. He cleared his throat and reached for his glass of wine. The realisation that she could have him so close to a primitive response in such a public location bothered him immensely.
He drank his wine and forced himself to think of anything else. When he was a youth, thinking of his grandfather usually helped. His mother’s father was an Earl who demanded respect. He never did work out that respect was earned. Nicholas took another long sip. The strategy worked. His rampant erection started to soften and he breathed evenly again.
After a few moments of silence, his dessert untouched, and his wine refilled, Nicholas rejoined the conversation. He could see out of the corner of his eye that Josephine had finished her dessert. Thank Christ that temptation was over. Some music started up and Nicholas held out his arm to Josephine.
‘Miss Tobinbury. Let us work off some of that delightful dinner with a turn around the dance floor,’ he said.
‘But I don’t dance,’ she protested.
‘You do now.’ He pulled her to her feet and neatly twirled her into his arms. The lust he had worked so hard to control raced back into action. He had to concentrate to keep his hands light against her.
Together they floated across the dancefloor in perfect harmony.
‘You do dance,’ said Nicholas, as he held her close. They flew across the dancefloor at a speed that would shock most society matrons. It was not that they were faster than the music, but their strides were so long that they effortlessly covered plenty of ground. The music came to an end and they finished on an extravagant flourish. Nicholas stepped back and bowed and she made a wobbly curtesy in response. Together they turned and walked to the edge of the room where Marie was standing with Claire.
‘I see you are holding up well under all the attention,’ said Claire pithily. Nicholas smiled as the two friends grinned at each other. He stayed close, with her hand trapped under his arm. He couldn’t let her go, needing her right there next to him.
‘St. George is a masterful dancer. Have you been coping with the drama of sitting between him and the professor?’ asked Claire. Nicholas’ ears burnt as Josephine trembled slightly against him. She had gone pale and Claire reached out to touch her on the arm.
‘Actually, you do look quite tired. Perhaps Lord St. George should take you home.’ Yes. Nicholas had to work to stop his body from marching out of there in wholehearted agreement with Claire.
‘Yes, let’s depart now and leave the rest of you to enjoy the evening,’ he said.
It only took a quiet word to the butler to arrange his carriage to be sent around, and they walked rapidly back along the hallway to the front entrance. Josephine sagged slightly against his arm, surprising him. The dinner wasn’t long, and they had danced only once. The party had only started, yet here she was, obviously exhausted by it all. He frowned with concern. He wanted to soothe her worries. To learn why being sociable drained her so quickly. The carriage arrived and he helped her negotiate the steps. The act of walking seemed to revive her and she shook off his help to get into the carriage.
She sat opposite him and stared at him.
‘Thank you for assisting me in leaving,’ she said. ‘I’m not very comfortable with public situations, and to have you and Van Percy bicker over me like a pair of rabid dogs is terribly exhausting.’
Nicholas blinked at the accusation. He thought she was happy with his intervention. He frowned at her, trying to portray his confusion without words.
‘Seriously. I expected him to fawn over me. He’s been like that for a month now. I didn’t expect you to leap so madly to my defence and instigate those antagonistic comments,’ she said.
‘We are betrothed.’
‘No. We are fake betrothed. You didn’t have to act like you own me.’ She heaved a great sigh and turned away from him to look out the window.
Nicholas had never been so confused by a woman before. Even as she railed at him, he couldn’t stop the intensity of his attraction to her. Especially when she raged at him. There was one action he used before to prevent her firing angry words at him. He was more than ready to use it again and kiss her into peace.
He switched seats and pulled her onto his lap. Her head swivelled towards him and he trapped her in his bright blue gaze. The dark of night and the sway of the carriage added a sense of mystery to her face. He leant in and brushed his lips against hers. Just the faintest touch. Her body leant towards him of its own accord, and he dove in to the kiss. The kiss deepened and he pulled her tight against him. Her lips were soft and pliable. An intensity grew. It built the passion between them. Her hands brushed up his arms to his shoulders where one clung to him and the other drifted up to his head. The sensation of her fingers through his hair added yet more depth to the kiss. This feeling could get addictive.
She kissed him back. A hint of chocolate remained, mingled with red wine tannins as their tongues tangled. He growled in response. Their hunger for each other was evenly matched. His arousal pressed hard against her hip as he pulled her closer. His hands reached for her dress and swiftly unbuttoned the back in a practiced manoeuvre. His hands found their way inside her dress and soon it fell from her shoulders. Her own hands gripped his head as his hands roamed freely over her back, up across her shoulders and down towards her breasts. Her dress fell around her waist as his hands glided underneath her corset, searching for the treasure inside.
The kiss remained holding them together, and he
tugged at her corset strings. He loosened them enough to worship her breasts. She shivered. He broke the kiss.
‘Are you sure?’ he whispered.
‘Yes.’ Her consent breathed into his hair and sent a rush of energy down his spine. He nibbled his way along her jawline, tasting, savouring. His head bowed low as he kissed his way down to her nipple, and she cried out as he sucked. His hands were spread across her, one hand on one breast, while his mouth worked the other.
Her head lolled back as he shifted his attention between her breasts, swapping his kisses from one to the other. She shuffled to stretch herself back against the carriage seat, her breasts fully exposed to him. Glorious. Full, round, and soft. Rigid nipples that begged for his attention. His hands drifted lower down her abdomen as he drank in the taste of her skin. With one hand, his fingers spread, he slowly caressed her soft skin, drifting lower and lower.
The carriage jerked to a halt and his body lurched forward over her. He grasped the seat so as not to crush her. She tugged at her dress, her hazel eyes wide in the dark carriage. He wanted more light so he could see all of her. Not just this shadowy version, half hidden by the night. He wanted to see the flush painted pink on her face. He pushed himself upright and helped her with her dress. It was lucky that they had arrived at their destination or he would have taken her right then on the seat of the carriage. Not the best idea. It had been many years since he’d had this lack of control. Not since he was a fresh-faced youth. He fought to regain his discipline and used the dark to collect himself. With a sharp breath, he stepped out of the carriage and held his hand for Josephine. She clasped him for balance. He tucked her cloak around her shoulders and she gripped it tight. Only he knew her dress was undone underneath. He walked her to the front door and unlocked it for her.
‘Sleep well. I will drop by after lunch to see how you have recovered from the dinner.’ He pushed open the door, watched her walk safely through, and closed it with a sharp click. He turned and stepped away into the cold night. Once he’d dealt with the hired carriage, he contemplated a good long fast walk to diminish his unrequited erection and take the edge off this unused energy. Otherwise sleep would be impossible with the image of Josephine reclined under him with her breasts exposed for his enjoyment.
Chapter 10
Josephine awoke late with the wintery sun sending streaks of light through the curtains. She rang for Betsy who bustled in with a tray of breakfast and a million questions about the dinner. Josephine kept to the basic facts. The food, the hall decorations, the Vice Chancellors speech. She deflected Betsy away from the interactions with people. And those moments in the carriage weren’t to be discussed at all. A blush rose at the memory of her heated body spread before Nicholas in the carriage. It had been nothing like the reproduction lessons they’d had at university.
To help herself find her usual grounded place, Josephine decided that she would ignore the world and spend the morning with her books. They were her favourite company. They would give her answers. Reliable answers. Her work had a solidarity and logic. Time flowed quickly with her head deep inside her books. A cool breeze floated in.
‘Dress up warm, Josephine.’ St. George’s voice filled the room. She wanted to keep her eyes on her books. She forced herself to stand and face him.
‘Good afternoon to you, my Lord,’ she said with a touch of sarcasm. He bowed and straightened to show her a wide grin. His blue eyes sparkled.
‘I thought we could go for a walk together. To discuss last night. And to determine our next move. It’s fiercely cold out there, even though it’s only November, so dress up nice and warm,’ he said.
‘If you want to talk, we should stay inside where it is warm. It is not rational to want to tramp around in the freezing outdoors when a more comfortable option exists,’ she said.
‘There is method to my supposed madness. Come, put on a pelisse and overcoat and come for a walk.’
She wondered how she could resist. He called to her as he stood in her room. Handsome with that engaging smile. And then he threw in a line that tugged at her natural curiosity. As much as she resented being told what to do, she knew she would comply.
‘If your method is based in science, then I will consent to walk—just walk—with you,’ she said. He bowed again and winked. Her resistance faded and she grabbed the appropriate attire.
He held out his arm to assist her down the slippery stairs. It wasn’t raining at this precise moment but the wind was icy and the steps were still wet from previous rains. Together they wandered onto the footpath and down the street. Thanks to the weather the streets were empty. Being alone together gave Josephine the confidence to instigate her opinions. Quickly, before he steered the conversation elsewhere.
‘About last night,’ she started.
Nicholas raised one eyebrow. ‘Yes?’
‘What happened in the carriage can’t happen again.’ Her words came out in a rush that matched the rush under her ribcage.
‘Why not? You liked it.’
‘Yes. I mean, no. It, ahh, it doesn’t matter whether I liked it,’ she said on a swallow. He stopped as she spoke and she turned to see his chest rise. ‘Just think, Nic—St. George. In ten days, I will finish my studies. It has taken four years to get to this point. I will not put all that work in jeopardy for a moment of madness.’
‘So, let me get this straight. You are dismissing us for your work.’
‘Yes. There is no “us”. This is fake. The entire point of you being here is for a purpose.’ She ignored the frown that deepened on his face. ‘The purpose is to assist me in finishing my work without distraction. I won’t have you barge in and create more distraction.’ She heard her voice increase in pitch and she drew her coat tighter around her shoulders.
‘It doesn’t feel fake to me,’ he said in a hushed tone. Josephine spun around. Her heart slammed in her chest, then beat with fury. The world faded away and her whole body focused on him.
‘Excuse me?’ she spluttered out. Not the response she expected. He was an employee of her father, for goodness sake. Shouldn’t he keep to the task at hand? She sucked in a deep breath and a hint of cinnamon wafted into her nostrils.
‘My Lord, we hardly know each other. And on the off chance that you do actually … care for me, you wouldn’t ask me to compromise on this. My work is the most important thing to me. You will allow me to complete it. Let me do this first.’
Nicholas nodded, although his eyes never left hers.
‘I … Yes. Well. Come along. Keep walking with me,’ he said. He ran his hand through his hair and walked. Josephine stomped along next to him. How could he not understand how important her degree was to her? And why was she still here with him? He says walk. I walk. Stomp, stomp, stomp. She glanced over at him, stunned to see his jaw clamped shut tight. The muscles in his face tense with a flush of colour on his cheeks. She frowned, confused. Normally he was so relaxed and carefree. Had she upset him? Too bad. It might be uncharitable to think that, but he had upset her too. The end of this venture was nigh and she wanted to get there in one piece. She wasn’t giving up four years work because a couple of men threatened to derail it. She would finish this degree. For her own sake.
They reached the end of the street. She turned to head home. He made a rough noise under his breath. She peeked at him. The cords on his neck stood out under the collar of his overcoat. His jaw was tense and his eyes narrowed. She stepped backwards, away from his forceful stare.
‘You are right,’ he said.
Oh? I am? She nodded and shoved her hands into her pockets. Yes, I am right.
‘The purpose of my assignment is to ensure that you finish your studies safely. If I am interfering, I will step back and keep to my assigned duties. But I won’t ignore the obvious affinity we have together,’ he said. Oh. Once again, he said something unexpected that put her off balance. Why couldn’t he be more predictable? Like every other man in the world.
‘Fine. Recall that my work is the
entire reason you are here. As for our “affinity” if that’s what you want to call it. I wish for a hiatus. My work must come first. It is my priority. Your assignment makes it your priority. Once my exams are done and the work is complete, then I may be free to explore any possibility between us,’ she said. The tension between her shoulder blades loosened as he nodded slowly, agreeing with her. Agree? She frowned. Had he agreed?
‘I can’t agree to a complete break from each other,’ he said.
‘What? No, you must.’ She wanted to stamp her foot as her jaw clamped shut and she glared at him.
‘No, I must stick to my assignment. That doesn’t mean a complete break from each other. Besides you enjoyed last night. There is no need to halt completely,’ he said. She walked in a circle and scratched her head.
‘Last night was … well, it was good,’ she said.
‘Good?’ He stood there with his eyebrows raised, a half-cocked smile on his face.
‘Glorious, then.’ His face lit up with a proper smile at her concession and she wanted to step forward and kiss him. She shook her head at the notion.
‘It doesn’t signify though,’ she said and had the satisfaction of watching his smile disappear.
‘I won’t repeat it until my exams are done. I need all my powers of concentration. You cannot interfere with that,’ she said.
‘My assignment is to keep you safe from Van Percy. I can’t walk away and leave you. But I will agree to halting any further explorations for that time.’
‘Hmmm. Can you explain what that means in practical terms?’ she asked. Perhaps those pesky feelings for him could be parked away until she had time to rationalise the situation. He stepped closer and held her elbows gently.
‘In the mornings you will study, then we will walk each day after lunch.’
‘Just walking? No more kissing or any of that other …?’
‘No. I won’t agree to no kissing. But I promise not to go further than we have already been,’ he said. He slid his hands down her arms. She pulled away as heat radiated through her coat.