Taming a Laird's Wild Lady: Taming the Heart Series
Page 14
Blonde hair framed blue eyes, crinkled at the corner. Full lips titled in a small smile, only enhancing the strong line of his jaw. His muscles rippled under her back and a fluttering began somewhere deep inside her. She blinked, trying to understand. Where had he come from? Why was he here? And why were her insides fluttering around like there were butterflies inhabiting the space. “Unhand me, sir.”
Giving her a rakish smile, he set her down on her feet. “You’re welcome.”
He grinned wider as a blush climbed up her cheeks. She wasn’t trying to be difficult. He was right, of course, he had saved her. But he had also walked uninvited into her home and manhandled her.
“Who are you and what are you doing in my home?” Her hands shot to her hips as she assessed him. Confrontation was not her usual behavior but something about this man had her tied in fits. Lord, he was even larger than she thought, with broad muscular shoulders and narrow hips. She forced herself to look back at his eyes. A most perfect shade of light blue. The blush deepened.
He cleared his throat and the smile slipped from his face. “Is this where you grew up?” He asked, looking around the halls.
“I must insist, who are you sir?” The blush began to drain from her cheeks, an inkling of his identity making her tremble. He couldn’t be…
His blue eyes pierced into her, no laughter, no smile. He gave a slight bow, “I am the new Earl of Rothenberg.”
Liz blinked twice. The same feeling overtook her as when she had been on the ladder. It was once again as though she were falling through air. The ground would hit her any second and, if she were lucky, she would not wake.
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CHRIS CURSED, under his breath, as he watched her fall for the second time that day. He hadn’t wanted to alarm her, falling from a ladder like that must have her body overset.
Reaching out his hands, he caught her again easily and then picked her up, once again fitting her against him. She melded into him, seeming to fit in exactly the right places. He had caught it the first time but with her so close, he took another whiff the scent of soap that surrounded her, honey and clove if he had to guess. As a spy, he had been trained to notice these subtleties. Intoxicating.
Beautiful too. Though not in the obvious way of women who were very tall or blonde. She was of an average height, with rich brown hair that looked as though it would be a silky mass if let undone. The kind a man could get lost in. Her full lips were the most beautiful shade of shell pink. He’d once seen such a shade on the beaches of France.
Her pert little nose was utterly kissable which was framed by her high cheekbones and flashing brown eyes. And the curves. Hells bells, the curves looked perfect for keeping a man warm and entertained through the long cold winter.
“Sir?” a hesitant voice spoke from his right. “That is, Lord Rothenberg.” He turned to see an adorable girl with the same chocolate brown hair and eyes, with a matching nose. “Is Lizzie all right?”
“She’ll be fine. She’s just had a shock. Lizzie is it?” He looked down at her again. He liked the name Lizzie. It had an informal warmth, like everything about her.
“Oh pardon me, I meant Lady Elizabeth.” A blush rose in her cheeks.
“And who are you?” He gave her a grin of encouragement.
“I’m her cousin, May. That is to say, Miss May Stanly.” The girl gave a courtesy.
“Well Miss May, how about you show me to a parlor where I can set Lady Elizabeth down.”
“This way,” she waved and began to race from the entry down a hall.
“And how did you come to stay with your cousin?” He asked, hoping to find out that an aunt and uncle had swept in to rescue this situation. As lovely as Lizzie was, he would prefer to not have to deal with a ward at all.
“Oh, Lizzie takes care of me. Well first, Lord Rothenberg did, the former Lord Rothenberg that is, but now Lizzie does. She has for a long time.”
“And your parents?” His gut clenched. Manly had made no mention of a second ward.
“Oh, I don’t remember them. They died when I was a baby, carriage accident.” She continued her way down the hall without a stutter or pause and Chris marveled at the resilience of children. Who was May’s guardian?
May turned into a parlor and reached for a cord near the door to ring for a servant. Chris stood for a moment deciding whether or not to set Lizzie down but then opted to sit on the settee with her still cradled in his arms. He reasoned, she was likely more comfortable with the heat of his body, noting just how much he also enjoyed the contact.
Not that it mattered. Love wasn’t for him. It didn’t matter that Alex had managed to find it. Chris was too scarred, on the inside, to ever give his heart to a woman. Especially a lady like the one he held in his arms. Besides, he didn’t need the bother. Look at his friends. Women demanding their time, warming their beds…
He forced these thoughts away as the door opened. “Oh dear,” an older woman in a perfectly pressed uniform exclaimed as she took in the scene.
“Mrs. Fairchild, this is the new Lord Rothenberg. Lizzie fainted when she met him.”
“Lady Elizabeth,” the housekeeper wagged her finger as she spoke, “Must have had quite the shock. Lord Rothenberg, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I wish you had informed us you were coming, we would have greeted you in a manner more befitting. Please allow me to assemble the staff and―“
“Perhaps you could first get some smelling salts to see if we can revive Lady Elizabeth?” He gave the woman a winning smile, though his request seemed rather obvious.
“Of course, my lord, how silly of me. Right away.” She bobbed a curtsey and made to leave.
“Your concern is touching, Miss Fairchild, but it isn’t necessary, I am revived. Assemble the staff.” Lizzie hadn’t moved a muscle in his arms and yet he was surprised he didn’t know she had awoken. Normally he might have detected her change in breathing.
“So glad, Lady Elizabeth. I will, right away.” Then Miss Fairchild disappeared out the door.
“Is she normally not concerned with your well-being?” Chris asked.
“Of course not. But she is more concerned about retaining her post with you.” Lizzie did not open her eyes or move as she spoke.
Chris was also content to leave her right where she was. Though mildly amusing, it was a touch unsettling that the housekeeper be more concerned with him then with Lizzie. He wasn’t used to being so favored, unless of course, it was from a different type of woman entirely. “May. Would you fetch some tea for Lizzie please?”
Lizzie started to protest, but he shifted her so that her expletives fell deafly into the muscles of his chest. The girl nodded happily to race out and do as he bid. Once the door clicked closed, he settled her back into position.
This time she tried to get away but he could tell by her movements that her muscles were heavy and he easily subdued them. “Hush, now. Just rest.”
“I’m not supposed to be alone with you like this, I’ll be ruined.” Her voice held a pert note that her body hadn’t been able to muster. He appreciated the effort.
“Firstly, there is no one here to see that you are ruined. But beyond that, as the new Lord Rothenberg, you have been made my ward. So it is perfectly appropriate for us to be together.” He would save the rest for another time. He did not want her faint again. As it was, he worried what type of shock this news might be.
“Your ward?” She sat straight up in his lap. Her arms grabbing his shoulders to steady herself. Then she glanced at them, frowning slightly. “You’ve the largest shoulders, I’ve ever seen.”
“Thank you,” he grinned reaching for her waist to further steady her. His hands landed on the curve of her hips and though Chris tried to stop it, he felt himself harden. Perfectly formed, they swelled under his fingers in the most provocative way.
“What will you do with us?” He heard fear in her voice and her hands trembled on his shoulders.
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sp; His lips pressed into a straight line. Annoyingly, Rose had been right. Lizzie and May needed him because women left adrift in the world were in danger and they knew it.
She must have misinterpreted his silence because her shaking increased. “Please don’t turn us out. It’s winter and we’ve nowhere to go―“
“Lizzie, I can’t turn you out. I’m your legal guardian.” He didn’t mean to do it but one of his hands left her hip to stroke her hair. It was meant to comfort but as his fingers came into contact with her silky strands, his body grew even tighter.
Relief washed over her face for a moment but then she frowned. Taking a breath, her warm brown eyes turned to his. “What about May? Are you her guardian too?”
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tammy Andresen lives with her husband and three children just outside of Boston, Massachusetts. She grew up on the Seacoast of Maine, where she spent countless days dreaming up stories in blueberry fields and among the scrub pines that line the coast. Her mother loved to spin a yarn and Tammy filled many hours listening to her mother retell the classics. It was inevitable that at the age of 18, she headed off to Simmons College, where she studied English literature and education. She never left Massachusetts but some of her heart still resides in Maine and her family visits often.
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