by Jo Beverley
But not one of them made him feel the way he did now with Charlotte.
A soft gasp escaped her lips and his kiss intensified at the sound. His hands moved up her back, along her elegant neck, and splayed into her golden hair, loosening it from the pins that held it in place. Just as it had done that morning, her hair cascaded around her in gentle waves and again she looked like a beautiful goddess.
A faint alarm bell rang in his head and he realized he had to stop now or he would end up with her flat on her back in bed. He cupped her face in his hands, and calling on every reserve of willpower he possessed, he withdrew from the kiss.
Her head fell against his chest and they both sought to catch their breaths. Her arms still around his neck, she held on for support and he cradled her in the circle of his arms. The length of her curvaceous body pressed so intimately against him that it strained his self-control close to the breaking point. Tenderly he kissed the top of her head and breathed in deeply.
Gavin remained standing on the balcony with Charlotte’s head resting against his chest, unsure how much time had passed while he held her like that. Both of them were loath to break their embrace.
“Charlotte,” he whispered finally, surprised by the hoarseness of his voice.
She did not move a muscle nor say a word.
He cleared his throat and said, “I should go now.”
She pulled away from him, her eyes downcast, and stepped backward into the doorway.
“Charlotte.” He reached out his hand for her.
She took his hand and gave it a squeeze before letting go. “Good night,” she murmured, before quickly retreating into her bedroom.
The double doors closed with a soft click.
Chapter 6
“Gavin, I believe your lips were a little closer to her cheek,” Doña Yvonne instructed. “Charlotte, tilt your head toward me. There you go. Perfecto! Now do not move.”
Once again, Charlotte found herself posed half naked in Gavin’s embrace. She had feared seeing him this morning after their passionate kiss on the balcony the night before, but there had been no reason to feel so. The endearing smile he gave her washed away any unease that lingered the moment their eyes met.
She was more relaxed this morning during the sitting. In fact, she enjoyed it more than she had yesterday. There was something special about being held in Gavin’s arms and now they had this lovely secret between them. Their kiss last night and this painting. No one but Doña Yvonne knew of their scandalous pose, for the artist kept her studio off limits. Once the painting was complete no one could deny her the pleasure of sitting for it.
And no one knew about their kiss. His kiss had been quite the surprise. A quite wonderful surprise.
She had spent most of the evening on the arm of Pedro Bautista-Martín. He was handsome and charming, no doubt. She had found him to be amusing, had enjoyed his company, and had been grateful for his attention, since Gavin had seemed to be happily partnered with the pretty Señorita Hernandez. The feeling of jealousy at seeing the Spanish woman’s hands on Gavin’s arm had made her uncomfortable. Although she had posed for an intimate painting with him, she had no claim upon Gavin Ellsworth whatsoever. She had held up her head and taken the advice Aunt Louisa had given her. She had tried to enjoy the evening and found herself laughing at Pedro’s silly jokes, but still she had felt Gavin’s eyes on her.
Later that night when he had knocked on the door to her bedroom, she had been stunned, because the look on his face caused her heart to somersault in her chest. He was jealous that his friend had wanted to kiss her. The thought thrilled her! Pedro had not tried to kiss her, nor would she have allowed him to. Yet when Gavin took her in his arms, she had no wish to deny him.
She had been craving his kiss since the moment she first saw him, all tan and golden. And that kiss …
Oh, that kiss!
Her stomach did a little flip at the memory of the sensations the kiss had awakened within her. She had assumed Gavin to be skilled in the art of kissing and she had not been disappointed. No, not at all. She had never wanted their kiss to end. But it had to end and she had been grateful for his self-control, if not quite at the time, then definitely later.
Now, she leaned back into his embrace, enjoying the feel of his bare and muscled arms holding her. The soft dawn light spilled around them, bathing them in its pale glow. She wished she could see Gavin’s eyes, but her back was to him and Doña Yvonne became agitated if her subjects moved position.
They remained very still until she felt Gavin’s hand, which was resting upon her breast, gently squeeze her through the thin silk. She held her breath while the tip of his finger slid ever so slightly over the tip of her nipple. Sheer pleasure washed over her. His breath was hot on her cheek and sent shivers of delight down her spine. She wished desperately that they were alone and he could touch her without the silk covering her skin.
Charlotte almost bolted off the marble bench at the outrageous thought. Only a few days in the south of Spain with her aunt, and she had lost all sense of decency! Good heavens! What had come over her?
“Spend the day with me,” he whispered in her ear.
“Yes, of course,” she murmured in return. At the moment he could ask her to do anything, anything, and she would agree to it.
“What are you two whispering about?” Doña Yvonne called out. “¿Qué es el secreto?”
“I was asking Charlotte to spend the day with me,” Gavin explained, turning his head toward their hostess.
“Do not move!” she scolded him, and Gavin resumed his position with his lips on Charlotte’s cheek. Then Doña Yvonne laughed. “And did the lovely Charlotte agree to go with you?”
Charlotte felt his lips and the heat of his breath as he responded, “Yes, she did.”
“Maravilloso!” Doña Yvonne exclaimed with undisguised amusement. “Just a few more moments of the light and then you shall be free to go.”
Only a few more moments! The morning had slipped by far too quickly for Charlotte.
Before she knew it she was dressed in a sweet gown of pale lemon muslin with a wide straw sun hat draped with matching yellow ribbons and on her way to the shore with Gavin. Because they had risen so much earlier than the others, they slipped away before anyone knew they were gone, although Charlotte left a note for Aunt Louisa. Even though her aunt had given her carte blanche to do as she wished, Charlotte did not wish to worry Aunt Louisa over her whereabouts.
One of the coachmen from the villa drove them in an open carriage down to the shore. The warm sun shone brilliantly above and only a few puffy clouds dotted the sky. The scent of the sea invigorated her. Charlotte felt decidedly wicked being with Gavin without a chaperone, something that never would have been sanctioned had she been home in England. Once they reached the shore, Gavin instructed the coachman to wait for them. The beach was empty except for a few fishermen here and there. After assisting her from the carriage, Gavin took her hand in his and together they walked along the sand. How odd that holding his hand now seemed a more intimate gesture than posing for the portrait!
“You are not at all what I expected,” Gavin said to her, over the sound of the rolling waves and screeching seabirds.
“Whatever do you mean?”
“You are taking this all very calmly.”
“This?”
“The painting and the posing. Most well-brought-up ladies such as yourself would be too mortified to pose in such a manner.”
“Do you think less of me then?” she questioned.
He turned to look at her, his lustrous hazel eyes intense. “No, of course not.”
“Then why would you say something like that?”
“Because you are more than I expected.”
Charlotte remained quiet at that remark, not sure how she should take it.
“Why did you agree to pose for the portrait, Charlotte?”
“When Doña Yvonne asked to paint us, I had no idea it would be so … Grecian,” she
said for lack of a better word, “and then once I realized what she meant to do, it seemed rude to refuse.”
Gavin chuckled. “So you are draped in nothing but silk with my hands on your body merely to be polite?”
Charlotte stopped walking and faced him. His blond hair glinted in the sun. “Why are you posing?”
“Because I was ready to accept any excuse to be near you.”
He had agreed to sit for a portrait in order to spend time with her. She wanted to believe him, although he probably said such pretty words to every girl. Gavin was outrageous in the things he said to her. But she could not resist the thought that he really meant them. That this handsome, sweet, charming man truly wanted to be near her. She reached one lacy-gloved hand up to touch his cheek. Would she allow herself to believe, just this one time? Just for this summer. Just with him. That his words were true. That his kisses were true. It would be so terribly easy….
She stood on tiptoe and placed a soft kiss on his cheek, near the dimple that so distracted her.
He smiled, revealing the said dimple on the side of his mouth. “What did I do to deserve such a sweet kiss?”
Suddenly feeling shy, she lowered her hand and turned, continuing to walk. He fell into pace quickly beside her, still holding her other hand in his.
“You always smell pretty, like flowers,” he said.
“It’s lily of the valley.”
“I like it.”
Charlotte smiled. They walked in comfortable silence, the waves crashing along the shore.
“Where do you go to school?” she asked.
“Nowhere at present.” He cast her a sheepish glance. “I was just tossed out of Oxford last term.”
“I see.” She had suspected this about him from the start. “Dare I ask what you did to warrant such an action?”
“It was a little scheme that Pedro and I concocted. Foolish, but funny. I got caught and he did not. I shall spare you the grim details.”
“What will you do now?”
He gave a slight shrug. “I suppose my father is trying his damnedest to find another university willing to take me on.”
“Is it so difficult to just do as you ought?” she asked softly. “Wouldn’t that be easier than having to hide in shame for the summer?”
“I’m not ashamed,” he barked. “And I am not hiding.”
For once, Charlotte bit her tongue, feeling his hand tense. “What I meant was, wouldn’t it be less trouble to simply follow the rules and get on with it?”
“With my education, you mean?” Gavin’s sardonic laughter echoed on the sea breeze. “What do I need an education for? I’ll inherit my father’s title and lands. I’ll become the Earl of Breckinridge, marry well, produce an heir, retire to the country, and become old and fat. What difference does it make if I get an education or not? My future has been preordained.”
She paused before responding. “If you don’t wish to further your education for the sake of not playing the fool while you sit in the House of Lords someday, fine. But do you have any idea how many men would give all they have for the chance to attend university and never will?”
He remained silent but looked properly chagrined by her words.
“You should not squander such an opportunity, Gavin. It may not come again.” Her aunt’s sentiment to her the day before echoed in her mind.
“Point taken.” He held up a hand in mock surrender and flashed his grin.
“My brother attends Cambridge,” she added.
“Have you a brother?” He seemed intrigued.
“I have five brothers. One older and four younger.”
“No sisters?”
“No, but I wish I had at least one.”
“It must be great fun to be a part of a large family,” Gavin said.
“Yes and no.”
“No? All those men in the house must treat you like a princess!”
“Not exactly.” Charlotte shook her head ruefully. “My older brother is away at school most of the time and my little brothers, well, let’s just say they are very energetic. My mother and stepfather have their hands full with raising them.”
“I always wished for a sibling.”
“I did too. Then my mother remarried after my father died and before I knew it I had a stepbrother and four little half brothers!”
“Poor Charlotte,” Gavin said softly, but not at all condescendingly. “You’re lost in the shuffle of your new family, aren’t you?”
She had never actually put that thought into words before, but she supposed there was a grain of truth in what he said. Since her marriage, Charlotte’s mother had not had as much time for her, so consumed was she with raising her sons. Oh, Charlotte loved her younger brothers and helped her mother as much as she could. Still, it was difficult to share her mother when it had been just the two of them for so long. Over the years she told herself it did not matter, but inside she felt a bit of a castoff. Odd that someone like Gavin would pick up on something so insignificant.
He continued, “Still, I wanted a sibling. Brother or sister, it didn’t matter. Just someone to take some of the attention and pressure off of me.”
Charlotte said teasingly, “I would think you enjoyed getting all the attention.”
“That depends on the kind of attention I’m getting.”
“And just what would that be?” she glanced up at him.
He stopped walking this time. “Any attention that I get from you.” He leaned down and kissed her cheek.
Flustered by his impetuous kiss, she smiled at him. He had the power to send her heart tripping….
“We should head back to the carriage,” he suggested. Giving her hand a light squeeze, he turned them around.
Just then a large wave washed ashore farther than they expected. With a startled shriek, Charlotte tried to run so as not to ruin her slippers, but in one swift movement, Gavin swept her up in his arms just as the water rushed in around them. She held on tightly to his shoulders, delighting in being so close to him. She rested her head on his chest as he trudged back through the wet sand carrying her effortlessly.
It was such a sweet and thoughtful gesture that she felt her barriers against him completely disappearing.
Their days fell into an easy pattern. Gavin and Charlotte spent their mornings posing for Doña Yvonne and their afternoons alone together exploring the countryside. Each evening they dined with all the guests at the villa, and everyone was aware that Gavin was openly courting Charlotte. Both Pedro Bautista-Martín and Isabella Hernandez withdrew their attentions, for it was obvious that Charlotte and Gavin only had eyes for each other.
Charlotte knew that it wouldn’t last. That it was just for the summer. She knew that Gavin did not truly care for her and was aware that he would lose interest and grow bored with the novelty of her. She prepared herself for that eventuality. In the meantime she tried to figure out, to pinpoint exactly what it was about him that so intrigued her. That drew her to him. The answer never really presented itself. All she could do was let herself be swept up in the giddy feelings that washed over her whenever she was with him.
Chapter 7
“Voilà!”
Neither Gavin nor Charlotte moved. As the last of the morning light faded, they remained in their reclining posture on the marble bench, draped in pale silk.
“El retrato está completo!” Doña Yvonne exclaimed from the other side of the canvas. “It is finished!”
It had been nearly two weeks since they began this unusual little venture in Doña Yvonne’s art studio. During that time it seemed that Charlotte and Gavin existed only for each other and their days revolved around their intimate sessions together. In the studio they were not Gavin or Charlotte. No. They were not themselves. He was a powerful Greek god and she was a splendid Greek goddess. They lived another life in that studio. There were no limits. They were bare to each other with only a bit of filmy fabric between them …
And now it was over. As was her time in Spa
in.
They still did not move.
“Oh, it is beautiful. Beautiful! Perfecto. But you cannot see it just yet. I will surprise you with it. Go and dress now, my dears.”
Gavin slowly slid his hands from Charlotte’s body, lingering as he did so. Just as reluctantly she moved from his embrace. Is he sad too? Does he feel as bereft as I do? As Doña Yvonne chattered away and busied herself with her paints, Charlotte dared a glance at Gavin’s handsome face. His hazel eyes were full of longing and the blatant desire that flamed within their depths took her breath away. A burning blush crept up her cheeks and she suddenly stood, clutching the silk tightly against her chest.
When Charlotte returned from the dressing room, Gavin was waiting for her. As was their routine, they had their walk on the beach and a drive through the surrounding countryside. By the time they dined that evening, Charlotte could hardly believe her last day in Spain was over.
And she still had not told Gavin that she was leaving for Italy in the morning.
Aunt Louisa had received a letter from her friend in Italy who was ill and she wished to travel to her as quickly as possible, so they were cutting their stay in Spain a little short and moving on to Venice in the morning. Charlotte did not know if Gavin had heard the news from someone else or not, but she had not mentioned it to him. For some reason, she felt it would break the spell they were under if they spoke of the end of their time together in Spain. She had no expectations from him of what would become of them after.
Gavin took her in his arms and kissed her on the balcony outside her bedroom, as he had done every night since the first time he had kissed her and she had melted into him. Their kisses had grown more and more passionate each night, their hands venturing farther and farther beyond where they should. But as always he stopped before they became too carried away, even though she longed for more, ached for more.
“Good night, my beautiful Charlotte,” he whispered in her ear. “I’ll see you in the morning.”