“What?” she said, her word more of a quiet gasp. “You don’t think they’ll want me?”
He looked at her horrified expression and cursed himself for an idiot. Then before she could run, he took her hands and squeezed her fingers. She hadn’t yet put on her gloves, so he could touch her skin to skin, and he once again marveled at how soft she was. How dewy fresh and innocent she seemed, even in that scandalous dress.
“Didn’t you hear me, Mellie? I said you’re beautiful. I wanted to find you a quiet man of science. But it’ll be damned hard for such a person to get to your side now. Darling, you will be surrounded ten deep in men.”
She flushed, the pink of her cheek nicely accented by the dark green and black feathers. “But we’re engaged, Trevor. The men won’t flock to me. I’m already taken.”
She didn’t understand theton. “The decent men will respect that, Mellie. It’s the indecent ones that I’m worried about it.”
“Oh.”
Oh indeed. He looked at her, seeing the anxiety in her expression though she tried to hide it under a nearly placid expression. How had he ever thought her uninteresting? He found every nuance in her expression fascinating. And right now, he saw a myriad of emotions in her eyes. Or perhaps that was merely a reflection of the jumping, contradictory feelings inside his brain. Either way, there was only one way to stop such destructive thinking. A simple thing, but he had been aching for two weeks now to do it.
He stepped forward and kissed her. He did it badly. On some level he knew that. A girl such as Mellie should be approached with reverence and care. She was green in the ways of the body, and yet he had none of his usual skill with her.
He simply kissed her because she was there, and they both seemed to want it. She didn’t seem surprised. Her mouth parted on a sigh, and she stepped into his embrace in the same motion that he used to pull her tight.
The feathers were smooth, letting his hands glide sweetly down her back to her bottom. But her lips were silkier, her taste more delightful, and best of all was the sound she made as he thrust inside. No cricket chirp, but a soft, delighted sigh. He would make it a moan, he swore. A needful cry when he thrust into her, and then a keening moan as she came around him. It would happen. He needed it to happen, so he deepened the kiss and allowed his hips to thrust shallowly against her.
Easy now, deeper later, until—
“None of that now! You’ll crush the feathers.”
He leaped back, or at least he meant to. All he did was jolt backward a bit while keeping one hand firmly planted on Mellie’s hip. She, on the other hand, jumped like a startled colt. And even though she didn’t move far from him, he could feel the anxiety rippling in the muscles beneath his hand.
Meanwhile, the duchess stood in the doorway looking like a living flame in a gown of orange red silk. Her arms were folded, but her eyes were dancing with laughter.
“I’m not one to stop an engaged couple’s fun, but Mr. Anaedsley, that dress took forever to stitch. I’ll not have you crushing it before Melinda’s big moment.”
She was right. Trevor knew it, and so he slowly withdrew his hand. Especially since they weren’t truly an engaged couple, and what he had been planning to do wasn’t considered gentlemanly, even if they had been ready for the altar. Some things were meant for a marriage bed, but damn…
“She’s too beautiful, duchess. This gown is too…too…” Damn it, now was not the time to lose his words! “She cannot be so beautiful,” he repeated, knowing how ridiculous his words sounded. “She’s a wealthy woman. When she looks like this…” He shook his head. “I won’t be able to keep her safe.”
“Which is why you have friends, Mr. Anaedsley. And even if you didn’t, Miss Smithson has become very dear to me. No one will harm her.”
“Certainly not,” inserted Eleanor as she stepped into the parlor. “She’s my charge. Everyone will treat her with the utmost respect or risk my displeasure.”
He shot a look at his childhood friend. Did she truly believe her dislike would have any impact on a randy man? Apparently, she did, so he said nothing. Fortunately, the duke chose that moment to appear in the doorway a half step behind Eleanor. Trevor met his calm expression with a desperate one of his own. Only to have the man burst into laughter.
“In love with a beautiful woman? Nervous whenever she appears in public?” the man taunted. “It’s a trial we lucky few must learn to bear.” He said the words to Trevor, but his eyes were on his wife. She visibly preened as his gaze took in her body. The two flowed toward one another, as if gravity simply pulled them close. They were about to kiss when Eleanor snorted.
“Good heavens, must you do that everywhere? We’ve no time for it especially since Trevor is behind schedule.”
Trevor frowned at her. “I was here at five of the clock. Exactly as you said. It was you—”
“Not that, you dolt. You are behind time with Miss Smithson.”
“What?” He looked at Mellie who seemed equally baffled.
Then Eleanor held up Mellie’s green gloves, which she’d brought into the room. “For an engaged woman, her hand is distinctly bare.”
Now he remembered. It wasn’t that he’d forgotten exactly, but he hadn’t wanted to do this with an audience. “Eleanor—”
“Hurry up, Trevor. It’s not as if this is asignificantgesture.”
No, it wasn’t. Because this was not a real engagement. Still, the matter required delicacy. Especially since…
“It’s all right,” Mellie said, her voice soft, but so easily riveting his attention. “If you haven’t got one with you—”