He touched her shoulder with his other hand. “It’s a good theory, and now I must find out if it works or not. I lost both my parents, my uncle, my aunt, and my cousin to a disease that ravaged our county.” He swallowed. “Haven’t been the same since.”
She lifted her hands and grabbed his forearms. “No. You can’t mean that. All of them?”
“All of them,” he answered. When had he shared this with anyone? He wasn’t even certain he’d told Rose.
“I’m so sorry.” Suddenly, Holly’s arms were about his neck and she pulled him close, her lovely, lush frame pressing to his. Desire pulsed inside him, but something even warmer filled his insides. Gratitude for such comfort. He wrapped his arms about her, pulling her close. Without intending to, he buried his face into the crook of her neck.
“Thank you,” he murmured, suddenly wondering about her plan. Would love really cure what ailed him?
She loosened her hold on his neck. “You’re welcome.”
He lifted his face. “How do you plan on finding this love that will cure all of your ills?”
She nibbled at her bottom lip as she looked up at him, the red in her cheeks accented by the color of her cloak. Everything about her shone brightly despite the grey sky and the flakes of snow now falling about her. “That’s the part I’m less sure of,” she answered. “I don’t have much experience, but I’m certain I could learn. Perhaps Aunt Winnifred can take us to London for the upcoming season or—”
“No.” The single word pushed violently through his lips as something dark growled deep in his belly. The men in London were a pile of scum and they’d only ruin something as beautiful as Holly.
Her eyebrows shot up. “Excuse me, my lord?”
“Jack,” he replied, his brow furrowing.
She straightened. “You’re too familiar, Lord Tidemore.” Then without warning, she pulled from his arms. He could have held her but she was likely right. It was better that he let her go.
Except for that as she stepped back, he heard a cracking noise.
“Look out,” a man called from on the ice. “That’s spring fed over there.”
He reached for Holly, grabbing her arm, just as the ice broke under one of her feet. He pulled, as he heard a slosh of water. In an instant, he had her out and braced her to his chest once again.
Chapter Six
Holly gasped in a breath as her foot sunk down into ice cold water. How far would it go?
But as suddenly as her foot had gone in, she was out again and pressed up against a warm, hard body.
“Bloody hell,” Jack gritted out between his teeth. “Are you hurt?”
Cold started seeping up from her foot to the rest of her body. “I am normally a very coordinated person. I never fall.” The cold travelled up her body making her teeth chatter and her hair hurt. “What is it about you that makes me act the fool?”
He gave a small chuckle as he pulled her even closer.
“Is she all right?” He turned to see an older gentleman huffing his way toward them. “That’s a little side pond there, fed by springs so it doesn’t freeze as solid.”
“My foot go-go-got wet,” she answered, shrinking into Jack’s hard, muscled heat.
“I’ve got a pony just over there.” The man pointed to the trees. “Take her back to the village.”
Jack gave a quick nod. “Thank you. I’ll return in just a few minutes with your animal.”
“No need.” The man waved his hand. “I’ll follow on foot. Just tie her up in front of the inn.”
Jack didn’t argue as he lifted her off her feet and began sprinting toward the pony. “I’ll get you home and out of these wet clothes just as quick as I can.”
“We-we didn’t even say thank you,” she said, her toes feeling quite numb.
They reached the horse and swung her onto the animal’s back. The cold air hit her like a slap, but in a second, he was behind her, pressing his warmth against her back. “I’ll see that he is properly thanked after I get you home.”
He wrapped an arm about her waist and kicked the horse forward. “Thank you,” she murmured. “If you hadn’t been there I might have tumbled my whole self in.”
“If I hadn’t been there, you would have never gone in at all.” He tightened his grip.
She winced. “It’s my fault too. I promised myself I wouldn’t allow you to…” Her words trailed off as she looked down at his arm wrapped about her body.
“Wouldn’t allow me to what?” he’d curled down around her, his lips pressing to her ear.
She swallowed. “You seem to slip past my defenses and make me react to you. I don’t understand why.”
His fingers spread out on her belly, as his cheek pressed to her ear. “You’re attracted to me.” His warm breath tickled the skin of her cheek. “Just as I am to you.”
Oh, that was…exciting. Disconcerting. Exhilarating. It was difficult to tell, cold as she was. “I can’t be attracted to you. I am on a mission to find my one true love.” He was right, she wanted him with a fire she didn’t understand, but she could not succumb.
His thighs gripped the horse, the muscles of his legs working against the back of hers. She found the motion to be incredibly erotic, starting a pulse of pleasure between her legs. Her heart raced as his fingers dug into her waist.
“I’m sorry to tell you that I am firmly in the way of your goal.” He snuggled her closer. “And I’m not certain I want to get out of it.”
“I won’t let you,” she answered, even as her hand covered his, holding it tighter to her middle. The trees gave way once again, the village square just up ahead.
He pulled on the pony’s reins, stopping the animal just in front of her aunt’s home. “It’s been some time since anyone has stopped me from a goal that I’ve set forth. Granted, if anyone can do it, it’s a woman such as yourself. But still, I think I might enjoy the challenge.”
Holly turned back to look at him. She understood little of that statement. What challenge? What type of woman? Why would he want to get in her way?
But before she could ask any of the questions, their gazes locked as she looked over her shoulder. His full lips were so close to hers, she barely need breathe and their mouths would press together.
He leaned down just the smallest bit but instead of kissing her, he rubbed the tip of his nose against hers. Then he was gone, swinging down from the horse, and pulling her off as well. He didn’t bother to set her on the ground, just carried her to the back door. “How did you know where to find the door?”
He didn’t answer at first, wrenching open the knob and carrying her into the warm kitchen. The heat made her gasp as he shut the door firmly behind them.
“I saw you cross the square this morning.”
“Holly?” Eve asked, turning from the stove. “What happened?”
Jack set her in a chair and knelt before her, flipping up her skirts. “She stepped into the water.”
Eve cried out even as he yanked off his gloves and began untying her boot with deft fingers. She hardly felt the boot come off, her foot was so numb and then suddenly, he gave a tug and her stocking ripped away. Without a word, he began rubbing her foot between his hands.
“Ouch,” she cried out. “That stings.”
“Good, he answered. “Can you pour hot water into a bucket?” He looked at Eve. “We need to get her foot warm.”
Eve nodded and then disappeared, heading to pump the water. He paused in his ministrations, holding her foot in his hands. “You’ve the prettiest toes I’ve ever seen.”
“What?” She was tempted to pull her foot from his grasp but his hands were so warm and the feeling was only just coming back to the flesh. She held still as he raised her leg up and then softly placed a kiss on her instep.
“I’ve got the water,” Eve called, reappearing in the kitchen. “It will only take me a few minutes to heat.”
“You’re in good hands then,” he said and gently set her foot back down. Then he partially stoo
d, leaning over to whisper in her ear. “Meet me in the grove of little pines at noon tomorrow.”
With that, he turned and left the kitchen.
“Who was that?” Eve asked, staring after him. “Wait. I saw him with the Marquess of Merriweather.” She set the bucket of cold water onto the cast iron pan on top of the wood stove. “The better question is what are you doing with him?”
Holly stared at the kitchen door he’d just exited. “I haven’t a clue,” she answered honestly. He’d said that he was in her way of finding love. That was most definitely true. What she didn’t understand yet was how she was going to get around him.
* * *
Jack stood in the pine trees, peeking through the branches to see if Holly was coming. He’d spent the entire night asking himself just what the bloody hell he was doing.
She was an innocent woman looking for love. He might be the last man in all of England to give that to her. And yet, he didn’t want to walk away either. Selfish, he knew. That was the thing about having no family. He’d forgotten how to give to other people.
Holly appeared with a dark-haired woman as they crossed the square together. His fist clenched with dissatisfaction. He’d wanted to see her alone. But even as he thought the words, the Duke of Dashlington, his friend Dash, stepped out and took the other woman’s hand.
Holly, checking both ways, lifted the front of her skirt and scurried toward him in his hiding place in the pines.
A grin pulled at his lips as he reached out a hand and grabbed hers just as she reached the little glen, pulling her inside.
“I’m not even certain why I came,” she said, her voice breathless in a way that heated his blood.
He pulled her close. “You can’t stay away?”
She tried to tug back out of his grip. “I can.”
He softened, realizing she didn’t want to want him. “You want to thank me for saving you yesterday.”
“I do,” she said, ceasing her struggle.
He pulled her closer still. Her body fit against his in the nicest way. Damn, a man could get used to the feel of a woman like this. A man could also get used to her honesty. She’d been completely upfront with him in a way Rose had never been. “In that case, I know how you can repay my kindness.”
She quirked a brow. “How is that?”
He leaned down, brushing his nose to hers once again. “You can kiss me.”
“No.” The single word was uttered even as she began to struggle against him once again. He liked her struggling.
“Shhh,” he whispered close to her ear. “I know, you’re intent upon avoiding my advances because you’re on a quest for true love and I am a rogue. But this is one tiny kiss as a thank you. And besides. You’ll only gain experience.”
Holly ceased her struggle. Her hands coming to his chest. “Drat,” she said as much to herself as him, her brow furrowing as her fingers clutched at his jacket. “I did come out here to say thank you, though I know allowing you such liberties is a mistake.”
It had been so long since he’d engaged in the chase, he’d forgotten how much fun it was. “One kiss will hardly hurt anything.” He was already leaning down toward her mouth.
“This is why I should avoid you. I owe you for what you did but you use that boon for ill rather than good.” He was so close, he could smell the subtle hints of vanilla on her breath.
“You’ve been eating shortbread again.”
She blinked up at him. “How did you know?”
But he didn’t answer. Instead he lightly pressed his mouth to her open lips. She tasted like sugar and vanilla as well, her lips so soft a man might lose himself in their touch. Slowly, he lifted his head. “I can smell it. Taste it. Delicious.”
Her hands slid up to his neck. “You can?”
He nodded and then leaned in again, taking another small taste. He let his hand trail down the small of her back. Despite her supple curves, her back was lean and strong and he wished he could see her naked and draw her curves. He stopped his hands before they wandered further. His fingers itched to cup her behind.
“Holly,” he groaned out, giving her another, firmer press of his mouth. “You might be driving me mad.”
“I’m driving you mad?” she gasped against his mouth. “You’re the one that keeps pulling me back in. Following me about.”
He lifted his head. That was true. Why did he keep doing that? “I can’t seem to stay away from you.”
“Neither can I.” She was still pressed to him, her body soft even as her brow furrowed. “Stay away from you, that is.”
Those words sounded far better than he’d anticipated and he let out a satisfied rumble deep in his throat. “What do we do next?”
She shrugged. “You’ll leave soon. And I’ll be here. At least through the winter. If I can convince my aunt to take us to London for the season, perhaps we’ll see each other again.”
“So I can watch you attempt to find the love of your life? I don’t think so.” He reached up and slid the back of his hand across his cheek. “I’m not that charitable.”
She shook her head. “Well, that doesn’t leave us with much then.” She grabbed his hand and turning her face, pressed her lips to his palm. “But I enjoyed meeting you. I can say that. You make me crazy and you won’t leave me be, but this has been…”
“Fun?” he asked. It had been. In fact it was the most entertained he’d been in ages. Even more, he felt alive, engaged, emotionally active.
“Fun,” she repeated but she frowned. “Rakes are nothing if not fun, aren’t they?”
He dropped his hand. He was a rake and proud of it. But the word on her lips filled him with anger and he wished to deny the charge.
In the dead of the night last night, it occurred to him that with no family, he’d have to marry eventually and provide an heir for his earldom. Why this hadn’t occurred to him before, he couldn’t say, except that he’d never anticipated being the earl until it had happened. “Perhaps we should marry,” he whispered against her lips. He hated the idea of her attending a season in London, he’d fulfill his obligations and that lush little figure would be in his bed nightly. He hadn’t really planned on proposing but now that he’d done so, he was happy with the decision. If he’d thought about it beforehand, he might have been wracked with worry. He’d been refused once after all.
“Marry?” she asked, her body getting stiff in his arms. Which was his first indicator this hadn’t been a good plan after all.
“Yes. You want a husband. You said so. And I need an heir. We could—”
“Stop,” she said, her hands gripping his cheeks. “I told you what I wanted was love. A chance to heal my family. Is that what you are offering me? Love?”
For the first time since Jack had met her, he pulled away from her. He’d never love again. But he was about to have his second marriage proposal rejected. And that hurt more than he could ever say. “I offered marriage. But I rescind.”
She wrapped her arms about her waist. “I see. That does make it easier then.”
“I thought so. I told you yesterday that a girl like you had the power to stop me and so you do. I will not allow another woman to hurt me like that again. So, you’ve won, Holly. Congratulations. I am out of your way.”
Then he turned on his heel and left.
Chapter Seven
Hurt and anger she hadn’t expected twisted in her gut. He’d rescinded his offer? It wasn’t every day that a man offered a girl marriage, and then to pull that offer away just seemed cruel.
Then again, she’d been about to say no. Holly pressed her fingers into her eyes. Part of her had wanted to say yes. He stole her breath and scrambled her mind every time he touched her, and she longed to lose herself in that feeling.
It would be so easy as his wife to slip into a haze of lust. But what would happen to her family? Love was what they’d lost, and only love would put them back together.
She scrubbed her hands down her face, turning to leave the grov
e. Her heart was heavy in her chest as she made her way across the square. What had Jack meant when he’d said that he wouldn’t allow a woman to hurt him again?
But her feet stopped in the snow. Another woman had surely broken his heart. A hand covered her mouth. Had she added to that hurt just now?
It pained her to think of hurting him. Then she remembered he was the rake. The one feeding her cookies in a grove of pine trees. How could a woman have hurt him?
She started walking again, but her feet just didn’t want to carry her home. She thought of what had happened to his family. One death had nearly torn her, her sisters, and her father apart. How could he have coped with the loss of everyone he loved?
Just thinking of her sisters dying made her knees weak.
And then her breath caught. He needed love to heal too. He’d said as much. And rather than giving it to him, she’d rejected him. It was all so clear.
Love would heal, but she was the one who needed to give more.
Turning about, she started for the inn once again. She asked the innkeeper but Jack hadn’t returned. Leaving, she went home wondering what to do next.
The house was quiet and she stared out the window. Where had he gone? She wished she’d responded better to his proposal. Hours passed as she turned the thoughts over in her mind and dinner time approached, but she was no closer to answers, and she hadn’t caught sight of Jack even once. How was she going to check on him again without arousing the suspicion of the entire town? But the answer came by way of burning food. The smell permeated her room, only her nose didn’t curl. Instead, she gave a smile. This was the perfect excuse to return to the inn.
Walking arm in arm with her sisters, Holly’s stomach fluttered with excitement. She hadn’t a clue what she’d say to him but this time she amended to lead the conversation with her heart, rather than her fear, and see where it took them.
My Yuletide Earl: A Wallflower’s Christmas Wish Page 4