by Lauren Smith
“My parents are gone,” she said quietly. “I’ve been alone for more years than I like.”
“When did you lose them?”
A lump formed in her throat. Talking about their deaths was hard for her. She didn’t want to talk about her family anymore. The whole point of forcing herself to be a part of this journey was so she could interrogate him. She wanted to discover the details of his family history, and save him from himself. How had she let him get the best of her in the question department?
“I think I’ve talked about myself enough,” she said. “I have no family, and it pains me to talk about what I’ll never have again.”
“I apologize for making you uncomfortable,” he replied. “It was not my intention.”
“Perhaps it wasn’t, but that didn’t negate the outcome,” she said stiffly. “Why don’t we change the subject.”
If she was clever enough, she could turn the tables on him and dig into his personal life. She wanted to know a lot about the Earl of Thornbury and what made him tick. He fascinated her…
“What would you like to speak of?”
She couldn’t come out and ask him about the king’s decree regarding his parents. He’d probably get ticked off at her if she was blunt about it. She would have to make it his idea to depart that bit of information. For now, she’d keep it light and ask him about things he’d think frivolous.
“What do you do for fun?”
“Fun?” he lifted a brow. “I don’t have time for childish activities. Kingsbridge is a large estate and takes up most of my time.”
That didn’t surprise her. She’d been staying at the castle for a week and she still hadn’t managed to see all of it. At least in this time period… In her time, she’d sweet talked the current owner to give her a tour and let her explore to her heart’s content. She’d even managed to find the honeycomb of secret passageways. A part of her wondered if Killian knew about all of them. He’d probably not react well to her knowledge of his home. She’d always been fascinated with the castle and had included it as a part of her doctoral study. A lot of the information from the nineteenth century had been lost in a fire and she’d been limited in her research.
“What do you do to relax then?”
He frowned. The muscle in his cheek twitched. Aubriella stared at him for longer than was proper, but she couldn’t help herself. He was too handsome and all she wanted to do was throw herself at him. Would he kiss her if she sat in his lap and begged? She shook the thought away. Thoughts like that would lead her nowhere good…
“I read when I find the time.”
She smiled. “I love books. You have a nice collection in your library.”
The library was one of the first places she’d located when she’d been given permission to explore. It wasn’t as extensive as the future castle’s, but it clearly was how the collection had begun.
“You know how to read then?”
Why would he assume—oh, he’d perhaps thought she’d grown up poor. “Of course,” she replied. “I had the best tutors.”
Not entirely a lie. Some of her teachers had been amazing. They had given her the drive to study hard and learn everything she could lay her hands on. She was deeply in debt because of that yearning. Her university bills were mounting, and she barely kept ahead of the monthly payments. If her stepmother hadn’t burned away her college fund to live in style, perhaps her tuition would’ve been paid for. There was nothing she could do to change that now though.
“In a small fishing village?” Killian lifted a brow. “How could your parents have afforded that?”
Drat. She’d slipped… He’d been waiting for her to do that too. She could tell by the glee dripping out of him and sliding through her. Damn her empathy ability… “We weren’t poor, my lord,” she said sweetly. “My father was a wealthy merchant—at least until he remarried. My stepmother was a greedy woman and drove him into debt. I still believe that is what made his heart give out.”
That, at least, was partly the truth. Her father had died of a heart attack when she was a teenager, and her stepmother, Nora Byrne, was quite greedy. Sometimes she wondered if Nora’s attitude had driven her father to an early grave. She couldn’t prove that belief and hadn’t bothered to try. There was no point. It would have driven her crazy trying. As soon as she was able to though, she left home and didn’t look back. She’d avoided her stepmother as much as possible, and only saw her stepsisters upon occasion.
“What happened to your stepmother?”
He sure was persistent… “She’s dead too.” As far as she was concerned at least. “Couldn’t have happened to a nicer person,” Aubriella said sarcastically. Oh, how she hated that woman…
“You really are alone?” His voice held an edge of bewilderment mixed with acceptance. Maybe he’d finally stop the interrogation routine.
“I believe I’ve said that already,” she said. “Why don’t you believe me?”
The carriage hit a bump, making her jerk backward. Aubriella was starting to hate traveling in one. She never fully appreciated how much easier a car made her life until that moment.
He frowned. “It’s hard for me to accept it. You shouldn’t have to take care of yourself. A woman should have at least one person she can depend on.”
Aubriella sighed. “It might not seem like it, but I am all right. I don’t need anyone to see to my care.”
Killian’s lips tilted into a firm line. “Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
Time to change the subject again… “Tell me my lord, what happened to your father?”
So much for not being blunt… Sometimes a girl had to do the unthinkable in order to gain the upper hand though. Aubriella wasn’t above using the element of surprise when necessary. She sat back and waited to see how he’d respond. The ball is in your court, Killian.
Chapter Five
Killian remained still, trying not to give away how much her inquiry disturbed him. The pointed question had to come from somewhere though. Why had she thought to ask about his father? What did she know about his family? His next words had to be careful, or she’d discover the hidden truth.
“My father has been gone for quite a while now,” he said calmly. It was a lie of sorts. The man the world believed had sired him had died when he was still a boy. “Nothing but old age happened to him.” The former Earl of Thornbury had been well past his sixtieth year when he wed Lady Sarah Augustine, Killian’s mother.
“Perhaps I asked the wrong question,” Aubriella said. “What was your father’s connection to the king?”
Killian’s insides turned to ice at her words. She couldn’t possibly know his secret. No one, save his mother, the previous earl, and his true father knew the truth. The mad king could blab all he wanted, but it wouldn’t be believed. He’d lived his life dreading the moment someone found out who he really was, and it appeared to have arrived. The need to distract her had never been greater inside of him. This woman was more dangerous to him than anyone before her. A nuisance he had no idea how to silence.
“His connection is no greater than any other lords,” Killian replied. “Why do you ask?”
Aubriella tapped on the side of the carriage with her hands. She opened a curtain on the side and peered outside. Sitting there in silence was driving him crazy. Why hadn’t she answered him? He had to find out what she knew and how she’d come by that information. After several heartbeats, she finally turned to him and met his gaze. “Are you always this vague when answering a question?”
“No more than you are,” he retorted. “I feel like finding out anything about you is impossible.”
They were a fine pair, the two of them. Both had something to hide and were determined to keep it to themselves. He wanted to uncover every last detail regarding her, and by the end of this trip he hoped he’d have all of those answers. Until then, he could be patient while he figured her out.
“I suppose that’s fair.” She folded her hands in her lap and smiled s
oftly. “However, I do believe I’ve told you far more than you have shared with me.”
“Semantics,” he said flippantly. “You act as if you know the answers before I give them. Perhaps it is I who has asked the wrong questions. What’s your interest in my family?”
He couldn’t say exactly what bothered him about her. Something about her was damned eerie though. When she smiled, he wasn’t sure if he should yank her into his lap and kiss her senseless or prepare to be flayed. She was certainly dangerous to his sanity.
“I find it fascinating.” Aubriella shrugged lightly. “I always have.”
What the hell could be so appealing about his family? Perhaps he didn’t see the appeal because it was his life. She might not either if she had to deal with the stigma of being a bastard. He didn’t belong where he was, and it bothered him more than it should.
“I fail to understand,” he said. “Would you care to tell me what it is you find so bloody interesting?”
She brought her hand up and wiggled a finger at him back and forth, chastising him. “Tsk, Tsk, My Lord,” she said almost teasingly. “It’s unseemly to curse in front of a lady.”
“Are you?”
“What?” she asked lifting a brow.
“A lady,” he replied. Most ladies wouldn’t act as she had. He had doubts she truly was one. Her manners couldn’t be faulted, but she did the oddest things at times.
“I suppose you might not consider me one,” she said softly. “I am a mere miss, after all. My father wasn’t high born, and perhaps I’m reaching by even being in your prestigious company.”
Hell, he’d gone and offended her now. “I apologize,” he said. “I shouldn’t have made you feel less than you are.”
“Think nothing of it,” she said. The carriage hit a bump in the road and bounced the carriage. Aubriella fell forward and landed in his lap. On instinct, he reached for her and pulled her into his arms. She stared at him. “I…” She licked her lips and continued to look up at him. Killian groaned and held onto her as if his life depended on it. He had to kiss her…
He leaned down and touched his lips to hers. Fire shot down his spine and he lost all train of thought. Aubriella moaned and brought her arms around his neck. The kiss started out innocent and quickly turned toward an all-consuming passion. Aubriella sighed, parting her lips for him. He took full advantage and slid his tongue into her mouth. She sucked on it greedily. This woman had experience kissing, and he couldn’t help wondering how far that skill went. At the moment, he didn’t really care. Killian couldn’t imagine being anywhere else than in the carriage kissing Aubriella.
Killian slid his hand down her back and stopped at the curve of her waist. The urge to yank her skirts up and touch her intimately was hard to resist. He did his best to keep his wits about him, but she’d damn near reduced him to a blubbering fool with each kiss. He lifted his lips from hers and started to trail kisses over her cheek, chin and then her neck. With each touch soft moans filled the carriage, driving him over the edge.
He had to stop this before he went past the point of no return. As much as he was enjoying it, he couldn’t have her. With a groan, he lifted her and set her on the bench opposite of him once again. It was the hardest thing he’d ever done in his life.
“Why did you stop?” she asked breathlessly.
“It’s the right thing to do,” he replied. Damn his morals… “Besides, as fun as it sounds, the carriage isn’t all that comfortable for tupping.”
Her cheeks blushed a pretty pink. Perhaps she wasn’t as experienced as he’d started to believe. Kissing was one thing, giving herself to a man would be another altogether. She wouldn’t be the first woman to experiment a little bit before finding herself tied to one man for the rest of her life. Some women didn’t even let that stop them.
“It wouldn’t have gone that far,” she said defiantly.
“Wouldn’t it have?” he mocked. “I was quite close to lifting your skirts and pushing myself inside of you.” Killian winked. “What’s more, you would have loved it.” If possible her cheeks pinkened even more at his taunt. He hadn’t read the signs wrong. This woman wanted him as much as he desired her. If he were a less honorable man he’d be currently in the throes of enjoying her charms. His cock was hard and ready to push the point, but he wouldn’t do that. “Rest. We’ll be in the carriage awhile, and we won’t stop often.”
Aubriella turned away from him and stared once again out the window. She could remain silent as long as she wanted. He knew the truth. At some point in their acquaintance, they’d end up naked together.
Aubriella had been in the carriage with him for two days now. He hadn’t lied when he said they wouldn’t stop much. She’d had to beg him to stop at the last town so she could stretch her legs. Killian hadn’t kissed her again either. She wasn’t sure if she was disappointed or relieved.
“How long until we get there,” she whined and hated herself for the tone in her voice. She really disliked traveling by carriage. Why had she ever thought this would be romantic? “I’m tired of sitting. I need to walk.”
“You walked this morning,” he said absentmindedly.
“That was eight hours ago,” she exclaimed. “Won’t you need to change the horses again soon?”
The jerk grew up traveling by carriage and probably didn’t think anything of this inhuman travel method. She was seriously starting to miss her nice car back home. They’d have arrived in Manchester the same day if they had it. Stupid horses and carriage—the seats were damn near as hard as a rock at this point. No matter what position she sat in she couldn’t find any comfort. She’d kill for a nice soft bed and a solid eight hours of sleep.
“There is a town coming up soon,” he said. “Surely you can wait another hour before we stop again.”
“Hour!” He had to be joking.
“That’s not long,” he said dryly. “You act as if you’ve never traveled by carriage before.”
Aubriella almost snorted. If only he knew… What would he do if she spat out the truth. Probably detour to the nearest insane asylum and admit her. He didn’t seem open to the possibility of anything out of the ordinary. If she told him about her gifts, he’d think her even crazier.
She hadn’t attempted to read him in a while. Unless he was feeling the emotion strongly, she didn’t notice it. One of the first things she’d learned was how to shield the emotions of others. Otherwise, she would have truly lost her mind a long time ago. Aubriella closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
She expected to be hit with boredom. He was far from being in the fits of ennui though. No, this man was struggling with desire—for her. Well, wasn’t that interesting… If he wanted her, why hadn’t he tried to kiss her again? Were his remarks about sex in a carriage what held him back? It couldn’t be that bad? Oh, hell, she was feeding off his emotions. She clenched her hands at her side. His building lust washed over her in waves and almost brought her to the edge of her own need.
Damn it. She shouldn’t have started this little inquiry. It was going to come back to haunt her. A moan escaped from inside of her before she could repress it.
“What are you doing over there?” he asked warily.
“I’m trying to find my center,” she said. “You know peace, love, and tranquility.”
His bark of laughter filled the carriage. “I’m not sure those are at your core, lass.”
She opened her eyes and met his gaze. His lips were tilted upward into a knowing smile. “Well, they better be. I have to find something to help me survive the rest of this journey.”
“Relax,” he told her. “The town will be upon us before you realize it.”
“You could distract me,” she offered.
“With what?”
He hadn’t answered her questions about his father to her liking, but that didn’t matter yet. When the time arrived, she’d get him to tell her about all of it willingly. He was already too suspicious of her. “Tell me a story.”
“
That’s not exactly my strong suit,” he said. “I lack the appropriate imagination.”
“I think you’re selling yourself short,” she retorted. “With the proper incentive, I believe you could be quite creative.”
He might not be able to weave a tale of adventure and enchantment, but she’d be willing to bet his hands and mouth would be magical in the bedroom—or out of it if the need be. She had to find something else to think about other than him licking every inch of her.
“Aye,” he said. “If the moment is right, I suppose I could be.”
Can he read her mind? No, he couldn’t. At least she hoped not. “What would the right moment be?” she couldn’t stop herself from asking.
“Not this one,” he replied with a hint of disappointment in his tone. His expression said more than that though. His jaw was set into a firm line and left little to argue. He wasn’t about to budge on the decision he’d already made.
“You’re not fun,” she said and pouted.
The carriage rolled to a stop. She’d been so engrossed in her conversation with Killian she hadn’t realized the time flew by. That, or he’d lied about how close they were to the town.
“You’re in luck,” he said. “It appears your wish has been granted and we’ll be able to take a break here. Don’t wander far. I don’t mind leaving you behind once it’s time to leave. Changing the horses doesn’t take long.”
She stuck her tongue out. “I’ll be back in a quarter hour. Don’t leave without me, or you will regret it.”
“I live in fear of your retribution,” he deadpanned. “Lord save me from your wrath.”
Amusement flooded her so strongly it almost knocked her to the ground. It was a nice feeling, and it looked good on Killian. He’d been so broody since she met him. She’d done this for him. This moment was worth every ounce of pain she’d endured thus far.
“Now you’re making fun of me,” she accused him, holding back a grin.