“Tell me.” He moved them into the shadows, not stopping until they were tucked behind a large stone pillar, out of sight. Easing her into his arms, he held her close.
“There is nothing to tell, please release me.”
Looking down at her, he felt it again, the tightness inside his chest. She had become important to him. He just wasn’t sure how that had happened in such a short space of time, when once they had disliked each other intensely.
“Leave this alone, Leo.”
“So you admit something is upsetting you?”
“I do not.”
He could feel the tension in her body, making a lie of her words.
“Liar.” Cupping her jaw, Leo kissed her softly.
She did not resist; in fact she rose to her toes to get closer, and Leo placed a hand on her spine and held there. The feel of her body pressed to his was exquisite, and the taste of her lips bliss. In seconds he’d forgotten everything but Beth, and how much he wanted this woman.
As one kiss finished, another started, and soon her hands were on his shoulders holding him close.
A laugh carried to them on the breeze, and she pulled away from him.
“God help me, what is this madness?” she whispered.
“I am not going to apologize when kissing you was something we both enjoyed, Beth.”
“I wish for you to call off our betrothal.” She said the words slowly. “This must stop for both our sakes. It is not real and never will be.”
“No.”
“B-but why not?”
“Tell me what is bothering you.”
“Other than the fact that I am betrothed to a man I have no wish to wed?”
“Yes, other than that.”
“N-no, there is nothing else wrong.”
“You’re lying to me, Miss Whitlow. Something is wrong, but for now I will not push the matter. However, I will say again that should there be a time you need help, or you wish to tell me, then I am of course at your service.”
“This is silly, Leo. I don’t need you at my service.”
“Is something threatening you, Beth?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, why would someone threaten me?” She looked at his necktie now.
“Why indeed?”
“I’m returning to the readings, so please stop this nonsense and break the betrothal.”
“Not until the season has ended.”
She pushed his chest, so he had little option but to step away from her. He wondered, as he nudged her through the doorway before him, if he should talk to Nick about Beth. He needed to do something, because he knew when someone was scared, and Elizabeth Whitlow was terrified.
