by Anna Macy
The butler whirled to leave, but not before giving Nicholas a scathing glance.
Robert raised a brow at Nicholas, who feigned innocence. “Did you just break into my house?”
“Define, breaking in?”
Robert laughed but stepped back, clapping his friend on the shoulder as he took him in. They hadn’t seen each other in weeks. They hadn’t had time to talk at William and Juliet’s wedding, but Robert had come away thinking that something was off with the usually jovial Nicholas.
Now it was apparent, his frame was always trim and wiry, but now he appeared as if he’d recently lost a large amount of weight, his clothing sagging against his body. Even his handsome face, usually full of mischief and sarcasm, looked a bit too grey for Robert’s liking.
He eyed his friend curiously. Robert wondered what could be plaguing the Duke’s grandson. Nick was not one to divulge details of his personal life lightly.
“If you define breaking in as ignoring propriety and dashing past your rather severe butler to see exactly how long it’d take him to catch me? Then yes, I did break-in. In my defense, you lot always leave your doors unlocked. Am I really to blame?”
Robert snorted, “You lot? Says the grandson of a Duke.”
“My Grandfather employees enough guards to warrant the unlocked doors. And as for me, I always bolt my door. Wouldn’t want any riffraff to catch me unprepared.”
“More likely, you are bolting the door to hide from one of your mistresses,” Robert said.
Nick’s face flickered with a quick smile, but his eyes were dark and humorless. Robert swallowed, shaking his head as he gestured to the seat across from his in the library. “You didn’t answer my question? It’s barely a week into the season, and you come dashing back? Do you miss me already? I’m flattered.”
Nicholas cringed. “I do usually try to avoid the first few weeks of the season. It’s far too much pressure on my old bachelor bones.” Robert rolled his eyes as Nicholas continued. “I’m here to do a favor for William. I just got off of that blasted coach a few hours ago, and I can still barely feel my lower half.”
Robert grinned, but still worry lurked in his mind.
“Your sister tells me there’s a new woman in your life?” Nick’s teasing tone was gone, and genuine interest filled his words.
Robert fidgeted in his chair. “There is.”
“Do I know her?” Again, Nick seemed tentative.
Robert crossed his hands across his midsection, taking a deep breath. “I’m not sure. I should’ve told you and William about her weeks ago, but with William honeymooning with Juliet, and you with your grandfather, it never felt like the right time.”
“Your secrecy has nothing to do with the fact that last time your future wife met one of your friends, she ended up marrying him instead, does it?” Nick calmly took a piece of toast from Robert’s place and began to smear butter across it.
Robert snorted. “Well, when you say it that way.”
Nick leaned forward, his face brightening. “So, my man, who is it?”
“It’s Georgiana Conni--,” Robert began softly.
“GEORGIANA CONNING! Have you lost your mind?” Nick burst out, his face flushing as his excitement rose and his toast went flying across the tabletop
“Nick, calm down.”
“I don’t want to. This is huge news!” Nick practically vibrated with energy, his knee tapping against the underside of the desk as he settled forward in his chair towards Robert.
“What’s she like? I’ve heard the chatter around town but have never met the girl.”
Robert’s brow furrowed. “Please, you first, what have you heard?”
Nick sat back, frowning at his friend’s lack of excitement. “She’s the youngest daughter of the floundering Conning family, who have very reputable breeding but historically seem to find themselves on the losing end of opportunity.” Nick glanced at his nails, drawing out the moment. “And I’ve heard she is quite lovely, while a bit quiet.”
“That’s it?” Robert glared at his friend. “I thought you were about to tell me something I don’t know.”
Nick raised his hands, palms up. “Sorry old man, just sharing what I know.”
Robert drew in a long breath, holding it as he tried to break down his relationship with Georgiana into the right words. “She’s….she is…” Still, Robert’s mind raced.
Nick smirked at him. “That good, eh?”
Robert shrugged sheepishly. “Maybe. What do you want to know?”
Nick glanced around them, then selected a piece of sausage off of Robert’s place. “Tell me everything.”
Robert leaned back, laughter filling his belly. “If you insist.” Sighing, Robert started his story with the night at the Grand Theater. When he finally finished and sat back, Nick observed him curiously. At some point during Robert’s tale, Nicholas had propped his feet unceremoniously up on the edge of the dining table.
“So you’re a taken man, and essentially, she’s an angel sent here to rule your heart.”
“Close enough,” Robert said with a smile.
“Only more question then.” Robert raised a brow at his friend’s smirking face.
“And that would be...”
“When can I meet her?”
Robert burst out laughing. Nick looked offended, crossing his arms across his chest as he waited for Robert to quiet.
“My Lord, a messenger, just delivered this,” a slender footman offered him a small note on a silver tray, then vanished out of the room, giving Nick a wide berth.
Robert ran his fingers across the heavily embossed paper, noticing the distinct Conning seal. Nick leaned forward to see what it is, his inquisitive nature, unable to stand the unusual silence.
“It’s from the Connings,” worry laced Robert’s every word. His heart thundered in his chest. He’d known something was wrong yesterday; perhaps this would finally put him out of his misery. Yet now that he held the potential answer at his fingertips, he found himself resisting the urge to open it.
He didn’t want to know what it said. Clearing his throat, Robert tried to smile at Nick. “Will you open it?”
“Are you serious?” Nick laughed at first, then noticed how serious Robert’s face was. Dropping his feet to the floor, Nick squared his shoulders and swiped the card from Robert’s limp fingers.
Sitting back, Nick popped open the note and read it quickly, his usual laughter-filled eyes dimming as the words whipped through his mind. Robert’s stomach dropped. No jokes, in this case, meant bad news.
“What is it? What does it say,” Robert gritted out, dread filling his whole body.
Nick wiped his hand across his face. “I’m sorry, Robert, it’s not good.”
Robert snatched the card with a growl, going to stand by the window, letting the soft grey light filtering in illuminate the words he had dreaded most.
Dearest Robert,
While I appreciate everything you said last night with my family, I realized what wrong our marriage would be. I’m sorry, but I am declining down your proposal of marriage. I wish you and your family all the best in your future endeavors.
Sincerely,
Georgiana Conning
Robert, suddenly he felt like his chest was too tight, and he couldn’t breathe. He bent at the hips, still clutching the note in his fist.
Nick’s hand fell onto his shoulders, a steady, heavy pressure there. “It’s alright, Rob. We’ve got you.
TWELVE
A sharp knock drew Robert’s attention from the stack of drawings in front of him.
“Yes?” He called out. Glancing at the clock behind him, Robert wondered who would be looking for him this late in the workday.
“Sir, there’s a lady here for you. A fancy one.” it was the voice of his foreman, his voice hushed as if he was feeling unsure of himself. Robert bolted from the chair, throwing the door wide. The heavyset foreman was blushing bright red as he looked between his master and the slender brunet
te standing behind him.
Georgiana stood straight and calm, her deep violet dress faintly shimmering in the last of the afternoon sun. A jaunty lace-edged hat sat upon her curls, and her eyes stared back at him with apprehension.
“Thank you, Marcus, you can go,” Robert told his foreman, who practically ran away from the pair.
Wordlessly, Robert opened the door for the woman he had begged to marry just the day before. It hardly felt real now.
“Do you mean to defy me by continuing to come down here unescorted?” Robert growled, his temper flaring. He had exposed everything about himself, pouring out his soul, his hopes and dreams. And she had fallen back into the same excuse that had kept their families apart all these years. And above all, she sank back into her role of letting her happiness wait on the pleasure of her family.
Her earlier denial of his offer stole his breath even now. His heart pounded as she moved into the room.
“I don’t understand how you can continue to put yourself in danger every chance you get.”
Georgiana twisted, her face drawn. “I needed to see you.”
“Did you now? Say, like the other day, when I came to your house and begged for your hand.” Robert stood over her, his body fighting the urge to be closer.
“You received my letter then?” Georgiana swallowed loudly.
Robert snorted, leaning back against his desk, his arms across his chest. “I did. Quite unforgettable.”
She huffed loudly. “I came here to explain Robert, please don’t be so condescending.”
“Condescending? And yet, you’re going to explain to me how you kissed me, begged me for more, but the moment after I ask your father and brother for permission to marry you, you decide you don’t want me. I cannot wait to hear this.”
Robert knew he was acting like a sullen child, but the torment of the past few days was crashing over him like a tidal wave, and he had no choice except to let the words fall out. It had taken him by surprise, this longing, and passion. Even more so when she had responded the same way, he had felt so strongly for her, so quickly.
Now he simply felt stupid.
Her light footsteps carried her to him, all the way until she stood between his thighs as he leaned back onto the heavy desk. Miraculously her hands dropped to his thighs, her fingers still pink from the winter’s chill. Robert waited, watching as her hands drew shallow, almost timid designs up his legs.
Finally, he pushed them away. Her passion, her sharp tongue, it was everything that drew her to him. Even now, his body was responding to her delicate touches, stiffening, and growing under her heavy gaze.
“You’re wrong,” she said her voice like silk. He raised his head, meeting her stare with his own. Deep in those soft, doe eyes, the embers of that fiery woman lay.
“Am I?” He drawled. “What about specifically?” His temper was dying fast, even as he could see hers stirring. It heated his blood, that appraising look she gave him.
“I want you. Very badly, in fact.” The words sounded casual. She might have been asking for an additional lump of sugar for her tea.
Yet they sent desire coursing through his veins, the blood pounding in his ears. He didn’t move a muscle, too afraid that if he did, it would end this strange and wonderful dream he’d been thrown into.
Reaching shaking hands up, the only clue to whatever nerves she must be feeling, she gripped the ribbons at her throat that held her fur-lined cloak against her body. Letting it fall to the floor, she slid her hands up his chest, her hands slipping down his chest until she reached the tiny buttons across his vest.
His body shook with the effort it took to remain still. Robert’s mind screamed for him to leap forward, to pull her back flush against him so she could feel the effects she had on him. But he waited, painfully invested in whatever this woman wanted from him.
***
Her fingers were steady, her breath anything but. Georgiana carefully began to unbutton the front of his vest and below to the white linen shirt he wore under. As soon as the satin fabric came loose, curious fingers slid under to spread across the flat plane of his belly. Dragging her fingertips north, she pushed his shirt apart as she explored.
“Georgiana.” Her voice on his lips was somewhere between a prayer and a warning. Her heart raced as she wrangled this power over him, watching the thick line of his throat as he swallowed several times in a row.
Wetting her lips, Georgiana stepped into his arms again. Eyes locked on hers, Robert leaned forward, letting her hands push the fabric off of his shoulders. Dimly Georgiana heard the heavy fabric land on his desk, sending a small package to charcoal pencils scattering to the floor.
Drawing herself up to his body, she couldn’t stop watching his lips as they parted softly. “Show me?”
Something akin to distraction crossed Robert’s face, a rich vein in the side of his temple throbbing as his eyes bore into hers. One of his hands slowly moved to cup her cheek, so impossibly gentle for his size. Georgiana let her head fall into his palm, her eyelids fluttering as she prayed that after all the time, she hadn’t ruined the one good thing that had come to her in so long.
Slowly Robert tilted his head down, a smirking smile on his lips as he held himself a breath away from her mouth. “Are you sure you know what you want?”
He smelled like cinnamon candies and sawdust. Her mind spun, filled to the top with everything that was Robert. She nodded, brushing her nose across his, teasing his control once again.
“Absolutely.”
The word was barely free in the air before Robert sprung for her, one hand sinking deep into her hair, the other wrapping around her waist to yank her closer. Her breasts strained at the fabric of her dress, teasing the aching nipples underneath. Robert adjusted the slant of his mouth, drawing her attention back to the careful ministrations of his lips, his tongue, as they danced with hers.
Fire raced down her fingertips, straight to her heart, and then much lower, igniting that dark need that always seemed to grow when he was around. This was no glowing spark but a bonfire of need that drove her to pull at him, her nails digging into the flesh of his back. For the briefest instant, she was nervous she had hurt him.
But instead, her soft-spoken Robert had growled into her mouth, his hips grinding against hers. From her position slightly over him on the desk, the heavy length of him was rubbing against her in such a way that sparks lit up her closed eyelids. After a moment, she pulled from, gasping, her head falling back as he dropped his lips to her neck.
A moment later, a silken blaze of fire, his tongue, dragged down the column of her neck, straight for the crevasse between her breasts, where he nuzzled in, lips gently fumbling along the edge of her dress.
“More,” the passion thick voice was hers, but it was barely recognizable. She felt his smile and then his teeth against her skin. She tugged playfully at his hair, making sure he heard the desperation of the order.
“Hold on.” Georgiana barely registered the comment that rumbled from Robert’s chest. She felt his arms shift, and suddenly she was airborne, the powerful shoulders that she had left scratches across now flexed as he spirited them both across the room.
Soft laughter spilled from her lips as she clung to him.
Tilting her head down, she caught him staring at her, his face flushed with pleasure. Her cheeks burned from the joy that split her face. Unable to last a minute more, she dropped her mouth to his, kissing away that hesitation that she had seen.
No matter what happened, she would never regret a moment with this man. With a sigh, she felt him find the plush sofa that took up almost one entire wall across and fall back into it. Her thighs settled on either side of him, the weight of her skirts pillowing her body against him. Groaning with frustration, she tugged at the fabric.
“Let me help.” Robert’s hands reached around her, nimble fingers finding the laces and ribbons that helped to hold her dress in place. After a few mumbled curses, he finally loosened the garments enough
that he could stand and help her out of them.
Standing suddenly bare before him, Georgiana resisted the urge to cross her arms across her chest. His gaze devoured her, hunger turning the blue of his eyes dark as the winter night. She shivered at the intensity there.
This man had swept into her life and stolen her heart. Now she was here to steal something else altogether. Georgiana shivered again.
Robert’s soft voice broke her train of thoughts. He trailed his hands lightly down her arms, “Are you cold?”
“No, not really?” Georgiana scolded herself mentally. She shoved all thoughts of the future out of her mind. Tonight she would pretend that Robert was hers. If she only got tonight, she was going to relish every moment.