Abby blew out a slow breath. She wondered, was Lord Bachelor more afraid of falling in love with one of his brides, or was there something else at stake here besides his heart?
“Well, one of you do something,” Will said, lifting his arms skyward.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Abby, tired of waiting for Edmund’s eyebrows to smooth out from his tortuous thoughts, decided to take matters into her own hands. She rescued him. Yes, they’d kissed before, but they had come together and retreated what seemed like so many times after that.
Uncertain what he’d do this time, her lips brushed his in an attempt to get him to respond. She thought she might have to drag him through the entire process until his fingers lifted to caress her throat, his touch like a warm velvet blanket.
She meant only for it to be a reserved exchange, an attempt to give as little of herself as possible, unlike the challenge he obtained from her earlier in the evening. However, as Edmund’s heartbeat thudded strong and fast against her palm, she knew she was lost. Slow and deliberate, his tongue slid over her lips, teasing and tormenting, before dipping inside the recess of her mouth. Gentle strokes coaxed her lips farther apart drugging her to match his twining rhythm, boldly and blindly.
Afraid he might pull away, she grasped at the lapel of his coat. A moment later, she found she’d been wrong to think such a thing. His kiss grew more possessive and urgent, eliciting a soft moan from deep in her throat. He drew her closer, her body trembling, and her insides tightening. As his fingertips caressed her neck, the pleasure of his touch deepened. The taste of him was intoxicating and addictive, and she knew that she’d never want to give him up.
****
A fire raged in Edmund’s veins, and the harder he tried to control it, the wilder and more powerful it became. Where his thumb rested on her throat, he felt the throbbing of her pulse, erratic and powerful.
Kissing her was exceptional, a blissful enjoyment that he thought he’d never tire of experiencing. Being with her like this made him forget everything outside of this moment. His thoughts lay only in the sweet taste of her tongue and the sugary smell of her skin.
“Now that’s what I’m talking about,” Will howled with excitement, shattering the moment and forcing Edmund to pull back.
Still unfathomably connected to what they shared, however, he placed his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. Will may have said something else, but the only thing Edmund heard was the soft panting of Abby’s breath and the thundering beat of his own heart.
It took him a few moments to detach himself, the closeness between them shattering when Will’s jittering presence interrupted them once again.
“Good, you’re back,” the man said sarcastically. “Tomorrow’s a big day, so we’ll go live for the noon hour.” He rubbed his hands together. “And then there were four,” Will said in a singsong voice.
“Are you all right?” Edmund asked Abby, when she sat like a butterfly beside him.
“Oh, she’s fine, Edmund. She’s probably dreaming about the pre-honeymoon segment. If you know what I mean,” Will retorted.
Edmund felt Abby tense beside him. He’d tried to push this part of the show out of his mind, hoping by some miracle his mother would ring and say Sir Richard had exiled himself from the family and Edmund’s father’s proclamation was nothing but a ridiculous hoax. However, Edmund had yet to receive such a message.
****
Abby exhaled, understanding the next round consisted of the audience choosing one bride to eliminate with Edmund deciding on the second. And, yes, she had caught Will’s meaning, causing her throat to constrict.
Why, at the most unfortunate moments, did she forget the reason Lord Edmund Rushwood was here, kissing her, with Will bellowing directions like a maniac?
She groaned and stood. If Raify was right and she was falling in love, she didn’t know how she could possibly cope with sharing him with three other women in the most intimate way possible. The thought not only suffocated her, but caused her to rethink her stubborn attitude on quitting.
“I’ll take you home,” Edmund volunteered quickly, as if he meant to prevent Will from saying something that required the man needing another line of stitches.
“Okay.” She nodded and forced a smile.
The ride to the store was a quiet one, Edmund remaining silent until he’d pulled the car to the curb of the store. When she hesitated to get out, he folded his hand over hers.
Her shaky voice broke the stillness, her words laced with the tears she so desperately wanted to shed.
“I want to pretend that this is some fun summer experiment where we shake hands at the end and go our separate ways, nothing lost and nothing gained. But, I don’t think it’s going to end that way, do you?”
He straightened in his seat, letting his head fall back against the leather headrest. “I did at first.” He then turned, twisting his body so his hand could touch her face at a comfortable angle.
“Tomorrow, the audience will eliminate one woman. I’ve been given the task of eliminating one as well. Give me a sign if you want her to be you.”
Her heart dropped clear to her stomach. “Is that what you want?”
His face was devoid of any emotion, his gaze unable to meet hers for more than one second at a time.
“Okay,” she relented. That was all she said as she climbed out of the car and up the stairs. She stayed awake for most of the night, unable to talk herself into quitting or staying.
She’d almost drifted into a fretful dream when her phone rang beside her. Her heart started as her hand shook to reach it in time.
“Hello.”
“Abby?”
Abby sighed and closed her eyes. Just to hear the sound of Edmund’s voice was like a crisp cooling rain on a hot day. Now, she’d never get to sleep. “You know, you really shouldn’t be calling me.”
“I know.”
She tried to imagine him, lying on his bed, one hand tucked behind his head, the other holding the phone. “I keep thinking,” he said, ending it there. She heard the cadenced sound of his breathing. She wanted him to say something, to acknowledge how much he wanted her in the show, as a bride.
First, however, she had to get him talking.
“Why are you calling, Edmund?”
“I keep thinking…about our date, the gardens, that…kiss…”
She sat up. “If you’re going to complain, I’m going to hang up right now.”
“No, no. I’m not going to complain,” he said, as agitation made his voice shake.
Abby bit down on her lower lip. “You’re trying to change my mind about tomorrow, aren’t you?”
She heard him lift into a sitting position. “I didn’t realize it was made up.”
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Edmund. Good night.”
****
Edmund sat awake, his thoughts reeling at the mess he’d not only placed on himself, but Abby. No happy conclusion lay in the cards for either one of them, least of all her.
Of course, the next morning came without a resolution and he’d yet to discover what she’d decided. He wanted to talk to her, only he’d not counted on a congregation of fans who’d rallied outside the studio to give their opinion on who should go and who should stay. From the signs, he realized that Courtney was the least liked and Abby the most, although all the remaining contestants had their loyal followers.
“Choose Abby, you two will make beautiful children,” yelled one lady to his right.
He waved and ducked into the back door, the woman’s words reverberating off his thoughts. Children. His and Abby’s children. Imagining such a thing stole his breath.
“Wow, can you believe that crowd out there? We’re at capacity inside. That’s never happened before.” Will greeted him, already one espresso away from a caffeine meltdown.
“Where’s Abby?”
“Huh? Oh, she’s here. Holly took her back to the dressing room to cover up the dark circles under her eyes.�
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“I want to see her,” Edmund said, brushing past his friend toward the hallway.
“What? No. You can’t see her. You’re supposed to be on in two minutes.” Will reached out to grab Edmund’s shoulder and turn him around.
Just as Edmund began to protest, he saw Abby emerge from the hall beside a very chatty Holly. Outfitted in a simple shift-style dress that matched the color of her eyes, he thought she’d never looked more alluring. She let her gaze fall on him, the tiniest of smiles curling her dewy pink lips.
“Here.”
Edmund looked down to find Will shoving a neon purple index card into his chest. “What’s this?”
“The bride the audience chose for you to eliminate. Good luck.” Will gave him a thumbs-up and then smacked him hard between the shoulder blades before disappearing into the shadows.
As prompted, Edmund stepped onto the decorative set of Love Match, built up with more expensive paintings and paneling from the growing popularity of the show. He’d come to know the women by now, most of them non-deserving of what he and Will created. He’d yet to glance down at the card when Holly came to retrieve it from his hands. With the air held inside his chest, he blinked at the scribbled word, a wave of relief washing over him that it wasn’t Abby. As many times as he’d given her a way out, deep down he didn’t want her to take it.
“How’s Sam this morning?” he asked.
“Tired. He wanted me to make him mush.”
Edmund laughed. “Did you?”
Holly pushed up her round glasses and shrugged. “I made him oatmeal and called it mush. He was happy.”
Edmund nodded and walked away, settling on a circular chair before his remaining brides, trying not to glance over at Abby for any extended amount of time. For the first segment, they showed his and Abby’s kiss, the audience whistling and clapping with approval.
Then, the women were asked to stand, Holly handing him the long-stemmed roses and walking off stage. As Edmund prepared himself for the next five or so minutes, someone yelled, “Quiet,” prompting him to amble down the red carpet, giving Jasmine, Courtney, Sierra, Gina, and Zella a rose along with a quick peck on their left cheek.
At last, he stood before Abby, her trembling hand reaching out to take the rose he offered. Reminded not to spend more time with one over the other, he leaned in and kissed her softly, taking a slight moment to whisper, “Go or stay?”
Edmund didn’t want to guilt Abby into remaining in the contest. He wanted her to be there of her own free will. When he pulled back, she parted her lips and mouthed the word, “Stay.”
Elation washed over him as he blew out a long breath. When he stepped away, Holly presented him with the first bouquet of yellow, pink, and white flowers. He strode three paces, stopped, and turned in front of Gina.
He didn’t know what to say. Then, even if he did, he never got the chance.
“But…but…I thought our date went well. Why don’t you like me?”
Edmund stood frozen in place, absorbing the pain of Gina’s rejection. He wanted to remind her it wasn’t his decision, but she’d already collapsed into hysterical sobbing, with Holly dashing up to escort her off the stage.
With his spirit crashing, even after knowing Abby remained, he picked up the second bouquet of flowers and rotated toward the remaining contestants.
“For the next elimination, I’ve decided to ask each of you one question, and I would like for you to answer it in five words or less.” He paused to get their reactions and then turn toward Will in case the man had any objection.
When Edmund saw none, he engaged the anxious women before him. “What do you want?”
He turned first to Jasmine. She smiled and squealed out her answer. “Diamond earrings.”
Not surprised, he nodded and shifted right. “Courtney.”
The woman stared at him for a long second, taking more time to deliberate on his question. “A house in Paris?” she said, more as a question than an answer.
“Are you sure?”
“I don’t know. What do you want me to say?”
“A house in Paris,” he answered and shifted right. “Sierra.”
She smiled. “Ten solar-powered shelters.”
Edmund’s mouth dropped, overwhelmed by the request. Did she not realize he was only a lord and not Bill Gates?
“Very well,” Edmund admonished, moving on to Zella, whose pretty eyes sparkled with excitement. Of all of them, he liked her least. He supposed they could have been a match made in heaven, her motives purely selfish. He’d been grateful that she hadn’t been eliminated yet. He thought it kept Kendra’s claws away from Abby.
“I’d like to have my very own round-the-clock stylist, who can also do manicures.”
He nodded, not surprised. “All right.”
“So when we go out every night, I will always look my best.”
He began to move down when her lips opened once again. He raised his hand to stop her. “Zella, you have exceeded your answer by at least twenty words.”
Her pouty mouth slammed shut as he shifted one foot to his right. Now, he stood in front of Abby, the loveliest woman he’d ever seen. Every second with her made him see a different part of her, like a rough diamond cut and polished and made to shine. So much so, he had to fist his hands to keep from reaching out to touch her face, his want for her pulling tighter with each inhale.
“Abby, in five words or less,” he emphasized with a sliced gaze in Zella’s direction, “What do you want?”
He anticipated having to wait for her answer, until her brilliant gaze bore into his soul and sent him a smile so radiant, it stole his breath.
“You,” she said, quiet and sensible.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Edmund’s world shifted. He’d meant to eliminate one of them with the answer he’d received, not have a profound moment of interjection. He stood staring at Abby, until someone from behind murmured his name. “Edmund?”
“Yes, yes. Very good,” he said, still rattled by Abby’s one-word answer. “I,” he paused before continuing, “suppose I have made my decision.” He walked the length of the stage, hearing each of the women blow out a relieved breath when he continued to move past. When he’d reached Jasmine, he stopped and turned.
“I’m so sorry.”
She grasped his peace offering and threw her shoulders back. “Why am I not surprised? The audience might as well announce the winner of this stupid show right here.”
“Shut up, Jasmine,” Courtney yelled back, although they stood right beside each other. “Who cares if they choose Abby? You’re just mad because you’ll never get to spend a romantic night in his arms, and we will.”
Edmund watched in astonishment as the feud between the two women erupted, with Jasmine lifting her bouquet and pummeling the other woman in the head with it.
Flower petals flew in every direction as part of the stage crew rushed in to separate the two struggling women. He found himself in the middle of the scuffle, grasping Courtney by her size one waist and half-carried, half-dragged her from the center of the stage.
“I should eliminate you as well,” he said, after he’d settled her away from him. He raked a hand down his face, trying to calm his temper.
Her fingers flew up to stifle a high-pitched squeal. “No, Edmund, please. I had so many plans for us.”
Plans? What plans? The only plan he had was to save his inheritance and his rich lifestyle, the hell with whom he ran over in the process. Then he thought of Abby. He twisted toward the end of the stage, finding her usual spot empty.
“Damn good show, Edmund,” Will said, nodding for Holly to come and take Jasmine away.
“Have you seen Abby?” Edmund asked, his gaze sifting over the dispersing crowd.
“No, and you’re not going to see her, either.”
Edmund stopped scanning to glare into Will’s dilated pupils. “Don’t do this,” Edmund warned.
“Do what? Give you everything you asked for?
For God’s sake, Edmund, shake out of it. If you’re not careful, you’re going to end up married to the girl, penniless and miserable.”
“How do you know? Did you think you would end up miserable after trying to shag her twenty-odd times?”
“It was fifteen times, I think, and not once did I ever intend on marrying her.”
“Not once?”
Will shrugged and lifted his hand to the scar at his eye. “I don’t know, damn. Maybe, but she wouldn’t even give me the time of day.”
Edmund, his displeasure rising to dangerous heights, turned to leave. He’d find Abby at the shop. He’d managed to walk three paces before Will placed a firm hand around his arm, drawing him back.
“Let her go, Edmund. She’ll call if she wants to see you.”
Edmund shook his head, his back stiff. “She should have never been allowed to stay.”
“Are you kidding? It’s been exciting to watch the two of you. It’s taken twenty years off my life, but everyone wants to see her win, they want to see you and her together.”
That was impossible, and the thought made him physically ill.
“Look,” Will said, pressing a thick envelope into Edmund’s hand, “The studio’s paying for you to take the girls out for the night…all night. As you can guess, Courtney’s tonight, Sierra’s Saturday, Zella’s on Sunday, and—”
“I get it,” Edmund ground out.
“Anyway, the studio thought we’d use Monday to recap all the other episodes, so Tuesday is our final taping and the moment of truth.”
Edmund clutched the envelope in his hand and tried to not let the growing resentment he had for his father eat him up inside.
“Here are your reservations for the Cascade Resort. You get one night with each girl. I don’t care what you do with them, as long as you wait to share it with the camera.”
Later that evening, before he was to meet Courtney, he tried to reach Abby on her cell phone. With no answer, he drove to the same bar where he’d first met her.
He sat alone, receiving more glances than he had before. So much had changed since that day. Then, he’d needed a name, a bride with a notable bloodline to satisfy his late father’s proclamation.
Lord Bachelor Page 20