An Inconvenient Kiss

by Carole Kimberly

  “Simon,” she whispered. “That’s beautiful.”

  “So you can try to seduce me every night,” he said. “God knows there’s a twisted part of me that would relish that particular brand of agony.” He looked into twin violet pools and almost lost his thought. “But I promise, Princess, I will not yield. At least not until you consent to be mine.”

  Georgiana sighed lightly. “You’re the most obstinate man I’ve ever met, Simon Ashford.” At his silent consent, Georgiana threw up her hands in surrender. “Unfortunately, we’re at an impasse.”

  “So it would seem,” he nodded.

  “You know,” Georgiana began slowly, “your declaration puts me in a rather uncomfortable situation.”

  “Yes,” Simon said unapologetically.

  “After all, if I agree to marry you under such circumstances, how will I ever convince you that I love you?” she said in mock dismay. “You’ll likely assume I married you simply because I want you in my bed.”

  “Exactly,” Simon agreed. “It’s not—Wait. What?”

  Simon’s breath caught. He was trying not to get his hopes up, so he said carefully, “I haven’t slept more than a few hours over the past week, Georgie, so forgive me if I seem a bit thick. Is there something you’re trying to tell me?”

  She blushed faintly, but her voice was clear. “When you left, I felt so empty—like a part of me was missing. Being with you makes me feel...complete.” She took a step toward him and placed her hands on his chest. “I love you, Simon. I think I’ve been in love with you since I first laid eyes on you. I don’t want to spend another day, or even another second, without you.”

  Simon swooped on her like an eagle on a dove, capturing her mouth and kissing away six years of regret and loneliness. Without conscious thought he lifted her and brought her to the bed, following her down onto the soft mattress. He was so enraptured by her kisses he very nearly didn’t let her go when she pulled away.

  “What about your declaration of celibacy?” she asked, dazed.

  “You changed my mind,” he said, reaching for her.

  Before he could start kissing her again, she stopped him. “Wait, Simon. There’s something I need to tell you.”

  “I swear on all that’s holy, Princess,” he muttered vehemently, “if you tell me you were funning me, I’ll take great pleasure in tormenting you the rest of your days.”

  Georgiana smiled at him. “No, I meant it. I love you.”

  Simon exhaled in relief and began kissing her again. It wasn’t long before she pulled back again, remembering her earlier mission. “No, you need to listen first.”

  “Can this wait?” he asked impatiently. “Please?”

  “It’s important,” she insisted.

  “Fine,” he grumbled. Stifling his exasperation, he moved his lips to kiss the base of her throat. “I’m listening.”

  “It’s hard to focus when you’re doing that,” she said breathlessly.

  “Then I suggest you tell me your very important something quickly, love,” he mumbled against her shoulder. She squeaked a bit when he nipped at the jointure of her neck and shoulder. “Very quickly,” he warned.

  “I’m going to have wrinkles,” she gasped. When he didn’t answer right away, she huffed a bit. “Did you hear me?”

  “Wrinkles,” he murmured against her collarbone.

  “Yes,” she muttered solemnly.

  “All right,” he said, licking the base of her throat.

  Georgiana gasped, but her tone was utterly serious. “I’m not finished,” she insisted, swatting at his wandering hand. “My hair is going to turn gray. It might even fall out.”

  Simon stopped what he was doing and squinted at her, trying to follow the thread of this odd conversation. It most likely would make sense if he had any blood in his brain. “You could...wear a hat?” he suggested, his voice thick. “Or we could find you a wig, if you prefer.”

  He tried to return to what he was doing, but she stopped him. “I don’t know about my figure,” she continued bravely. “It could go either way. My mother tended toward thinness, but I have an aunt who is quite robust.”

  Simon cleared his throat, trying to muster his patience. “Um, I suppose we should wait and see, in that case. It seems unnecessary to prepare for both.”

  She smiled at him for that. “My family has always had good teeth, but there’s no guarantee, of course. They may just yellow, but it’s possible they’ll fall out.”

  In spite of his raging desire, his concern had been growing. He was quite beginning to fear the answer to his next question. Even so, Simon needed to ask it. “Georgiana, love, are you ill?”

  “No,” she snorted, and a tidal wave of relief washed over him. She looked at him, entirely serious and more than a little anxious. “But...I’ll not always look like this.”

  Understanding hit Simon like a bolt of lightning. His beautiful, clever princess was afraid that his interest would diminish as her beauty faded. He nearly railed at her for thinking he could be so shallow, but the sincere worry in her lovely eyes gave him pause. Simon sighed. Naturally, he’d have to put her fears to rest.

  But not yet.

  “Huh,” he said pretending to consider her words. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

  Simon assessed her, and made a small sound in his throat. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

  “You’re how old now?” he asked innocently. “Thirty?”

  “I’m twenty-four, you oaf!” she protested.

  “Really?” he said, looking at her skeptically. “So that should give you, what, another two, maybe three years before you start to decay?”

  Georgiana swatted him on the shoulder and squirmed to get away. “I should’ve known better than to try to talk to you about this.”

  Simon gathered her hands together and pinned her to the mattress. “Listen to me, my darling girl,” he said, ignoring her protests. “I think you’re absolutely the most stubborn person, man or woman, I’ve ever met in my entire life. You are single-minded and even manipulative when you want your way, and you’re a very sore loser when you don’t get it. You’re also proud and you’re frequently practical to the point of insensitivity.”

  “If this is your way of reassuring me, it is not helping,” Georgiana snapped.

  “And you snore,” he added, crushingly. “But underneath that carefully constructed veneer of icy pragmatism, you are warm and kind and caring, and you’re utterly selfless when it comes to those you love. I also happen to know that you are witty and intelligent on a level that amazes and frightens me. You’re tenacious and charming and absolutely wonderful.

  “So yes, Princess, your hair may gray, your teeth may fall out, your skin will wrinkle, and you’ll undoubtedly find great pleasure in taking me to task on a daily basis. And you will still be my wife and you’ll still be the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known and I will still want you in every way.

  “I love you, Georgiana,” he said with a steely determination. “I love the real you, with all your beauty and all your flaws. Nothing short of death will change that.”

  She bit her lip and smiled at him.

  “Now, if it’s not too much trouble,” Simon said haughtily. “I’d like to resume our earlier activities.”

  He bent his head to kiss her, but she turned her face.

  “Sweet Jesus, I’m going to throttle you,” he muttered darkly.

  Georgiana looked up at him mischievously. “You said you were saving yourself for your wife,” she reminded him.

  “Which you agreed to be,” he said fiercely.

  “I didn’t, actually,” she argued. He was about to shout at her, but she stopped him with a finger to his lips. “Only because you never asked me.”

  “Now?” Simon bit out.

  Georgiana
nodded. “We wouldn’t want you violating your own word.”

  He muttered something very impolite about violating her then took a deep breath. “I’m not getting out of this bed,” he groused. “I’ll propose properly tomorrow, if you insist.”

  She nodded obediently.

  Simon marshaled what little self-control he had left. Then he straightened his spine and looked at the woman underneath him. “Miss Phillips,” he said chivalrously. “Would you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?”

  “Mr. Ashford, this is quite a surprise,” she tittered, pretending to flutter in confusion. “Perhaps I should think it over.”

  “Georgie!” he snapped.

  “Yes, Simon,” she said softly, taking his face in her hands and kissing away his fury. “Yes. I will marry you.”

  “It’s about damned time,” he muttered.

  It was the last thing either of them said for hours.

  * * *

  Georgiana and Simon spent another week in Puri, exploring and recording the details of the Rath Yatra Festival before returning to Cuttack. To Simon’s great relief, by their final evening in Puri Georgiana seemed resigned, and even happy, that her cousin was ready to start a new Chapter in her life. So, as hard as it had been, they had packed up and bid farewell to Jane and Sir Jon, who planned to accompany Professor Thorne and Miss Celia to Calcutta within a week. Relics in hand, they were quite hopeful that the Asiatic Society would deem Konark worthy of exploration.

  Simon, on the other hand, was not optimistic about the discussion he was about to have with Nathaniel Phillips. Nath could be stubborn when he wanted to be—and he seemed especially determined to stonewall whenever it came to talk of Georgiana. Still, Simon was determined to make him see reason. After all, they were going to be family.

  That didn’t stop Simon from dreading the conversation. Blowing out a huge breath, he knocked on the door to Nathaniel’s office. Nath ushered him in warmly, clapping him on the back and gesturing to the chair across from his desk. Simon seated himself, allowing Nath to update him on the progress of the canals and the general state of the cantonment. As Simon had suspected, Skeffington had managed the project with little problem. All was right and tight, which undoubtedly explained Lieutenant Colonel Phillips’ good mood.

  “Tell me, did you find the Black Pagoda?” Nath beamed, handing him a glass of scotch.

  Simon took the drink and sipped. “Not exactly,” he said. “Our guide took ill before we could search the area in any depth.”

  “Unfortunate,” Nath muttered. “Grandfather must be disappointed that his expedition failed.”

  “Sir Jon was surprisingly jovial about it,” Simon replied lightly. “It helped that Thorne had some interesting pieces from the Konark area to present to the Asiatic Society. With Sir Jon’s influence and Thorne’s artifacts, we have high hopes that the society will see the site as a potential find and send out an expedition. One that’s better equipped for the job.”

  Nath nodded heartily. “One that Professor Thorne will undoubtedly lead. I’m sure the professor was crushed when your party came back with nothing. I’ve heard he is a bit zealous with regards to his research.”

  “Oh, I think Thorne was satisfied with the way things turned out,” Simon said, smiling into his scotch.

  “I’m surprised, not to mention disappointed, that Georgiana didn’t go with them,” Nath grumbled, shooting Simon a sidelong glance. “She usually follows Grandfather around like a spaniel, and as far as I know she never does anything without Jane.”

  So Nathaniel suspected something was afoot. Better to just clear the air. “About your sister,” he said.

  Nath glared at him. “I don’t wish to speak of her.”

  “You should know why Georgiana came back to Cuttack,” Simon insisted.

  “It’s nothing I care to know,” Nath retorted. “My sister keeps her own counsel, and I prefer it that way.”

  Simon rolled his eyes at his friend. “Georgiana came back to Cuttack because, well, because of me.”

  Nathaniel Phillips’ expression was as cool as ever. The only indication that he’d heard the statement was the twitching of his jaw and a slight flaring of his nostrils. He took a healthy swig and stared at Simon. Since he seemed unwilling to say anything, Simon plunged ahead.

  “I’ve asked her to marry me,” Simon said softly. “She’s accepted.”

  “No,” Nath said through tight lips. “I forbid it.”

  Simon exhaled. “I’m not asking your permission, Nath. Nor am I seeking your blessing. I merely came here, as your friend, to let you know—and to ask you to stand as witness for us.”

  “The hell I will!” Nath roared, slamming his glass onto the top of his desk. “I’m not standing witness at your wedding because there will be no wedding! What on earth possessed you to propose to her?”

  “I love her,” Simon said, managing to keep his voice civil. “And to my surprise and delight, she loves me back.”

  “Why would you do this to me?” Nathaniel rose and began pacing the room. “My sister has been a thorn in my side for years. She’s made it her life’s work to drag my family’s name through the mud time and again, garnering a reputation that would make a Cyprian blush.”

  “You and I both know that much of Georgiana’s reputation is merely gossip and wild speculation,” Simon argued, his own temper starting to simmer.

  “And we both know the truth doesn’t matter,” Nath shot back. “People believe what they want to believe. Even if Georgiana hasn’t committed every sin she’s credited with, she’s done plenty. The fact that her name is bandied around so readily is embarrassing enough.”

  “None of it is true,” Simon insisted.

  Nathaniel sank down into his chair, looking tired. “What she has or hasn’t done is moot. What does matter is that she blames me for ruining her life, and she’ll jump at any opportunity to punish me.”

  Simon shook his head, exasperated by his friend’s obstinacy. “Georgiana bears you no ill will,” he said.

  “How can you be so blind? She’s using you to get back at me,” Nathaniel insisted. “I should have expected nothing less from her—preying on my friend like a succubus. What I didn’t expect was that you’d fall in so easily with her plans!”

  “Believe what you like,” Simon said. “But I’m going to marry her, with or without your blessing.”

  “After all we’ve been through?” Nath glowered. “We fought together at Waterloo, Simon. We kept each other alive. After your father died, I specifically requested you for assignment here in India so you wouldn’t have to live like a parasite off your brother!” Nath gestured emphatically. “We created a civilized society in the middle of this godforsaken jungle. Are you really willing to turn your back on that? On me?”

  “You’re the one forcing me to choose, Nath,” Simon replied. “Most brothers would be thrilled to welcome a friend into their family.”

  “Most brothers have reason to respect their sisters,” Nath snapped. “I do not.”

  “And whose fault is that?” Simon asked pointedly.

  Nathaniel scowled. “You think I don’t live with the weight of my own guilt? That I don’t regret barging into that room that night?” he said ruefully. “Rest assured, if I could somehow go back and undo it all, I would. But I can’t.”

  He looked up at Simon and shook his head. “I can only minimize the damage Georgiana does to my good name and pray that one day I meet the coward who ruined her. Because I’d love nothing more than to look him in the eye and tell him exactly how much damage he wrought.”

  “Well,” Simon cleared his throat. “That would be me.”

  “No,” Nath said, disbelief and hurt in his eyes.

  “Yes,” Simon said. “I was with her that night.”

  “You took liberties wit
h my sister right under my nose?” Nath sputtered.

  “It was nothing more than a kiss,” Simon stated firmly. “I wanted to marry her. If you’ll recall, I offered for her the very next day. And many days after that.”

  “I thought you offered for her out of loyalty to me!” Nath roared. He rose to his feet and shook his head. “And now I learn that you—the man I’ve loved like a brother—betrayed me?”

  Simon scrubbed his eyes. “I thought you knew! You told me the matter had no bearing on our friendship, and I thought you knew. God help me, I thought you’d forgiven me because I tried so hard to make it right,” he said, genuinely contrite. “After she was sent away, I tried again to apologize but you said you didn’t want to rehash the issue. And then we went off to fight the war and the matter seemed settled. I...I never meant to deceive you, Nath. I swear.”

  “Yet you deceived me for years,” Nath hissed. “Six years!”

  “I thought you knew—” Simon began.

  Nath cut him off. “Because of you, Georgiana’s reputation has haunted every aspect of my life. She’s made a mockery of my family and caused us no end of embarrassment.”

  “We both had a hand in ruining her,” Simon said angrily.

  “I daresay you used more than a hand,” Nath sneered. “And now you have the nerve to ask me to witness at your wedding? What a lovely couple—a traitor and a harlot.”

  Simon’s eyes narrowed. Planting his hands on Nath’s desk, he leaned over and said, “You’ll not speak ill of my wife.”

  Nath placed his hands on the desk as well and leaned closer. “I’ll speak however I choose about my wagtail sister.”

  “Take it back,” Simon warned.

  “No,” Nath returned, his gaze burning. “I hope for your sake she doesn’t give you the pox.”

  Simon flew over the desk, a flurry of fists and curses. Nath countered the blows with a flurry of his own, and it wasn’t long before they were both bleeding and panting. Simon was still reeling from a kick to the gut but had Nath in a headlock and was slamming his fist into his friend’s face when someone managed to pull them apart.