Tiny prickles shot over her skin, and a faint buzzing sounded in her ears. “I...I...”
She was prevented from saying anything further when his lips rushed over hers in heated passion. She drew a ragged breath before he pulled her up against him and deepened his kiss.
Her arms went around his neck and her hands splayed over his back, gripping him to her, not wanting the kiss to end.
His tongue plunged within her mouth, swirling and dipping. She dragged in a ragged breath when he briefly took a breath of his own, then he claimed her lips again.
“I can’t get enough of you, Jenna. You have no idea what you do to me.”
“It can’t be more than your effect on me,” she whispered around his lips.
He groaned and crushed her to him once more. The hardness of his body encompassed her, swallowing her up, making the distinction of where she began and he ended an impossibility.
When he finally drew away, his eyes were a swirl of smoke. “I’ve wanted to do that since I walked in and saw you standing here.”
“Mr. Douglas,” Mrs. Drennan called from the door. “You had better come. There’s another child.”
Gray’s head jerked up. “Yes, of course, Mrs. Drennan.”
He strode out of the room and Jenna followed, her curiosity piqued. In the small front drawing room, a shabbily dressed little girl sat in an armchair, her feet dangling over the edge.
Her large blue eyes reflected fear...and loneliness. Jenna’s heart constricted, and she went immediately and knelt in front of the girl.
The girl smiled shyly at Jenna and ducked her head.
“What’s your name, little one?”
“Oi don’t know me real name, but oi likes the name Meg.”
Jenna smiled. “Meg is a beautiful name and Meg you should be.”
Jenna glanced over the dirty golden curls and the tattered oversized dress. The grime and soot from God knows what kind of living conditions. She looked back up at Gray to see the same emotion clouding his face. Standing back up, she took Meg’s hand in hers.
“Meg, this is Mr. Douglas. He owns this house. And this is Mrs. Drennan, the house mum. Would you like to go with her for a bath and a hot meal?”
“When you are done, you can meet the other children,” Gray spoke up. “I am sure they would love to share their toys with you.”
“Do they ‘ave a dolly?” she asked in awe. “Oi’ve always wanted a dolly.”
Jenna made a mental note right then and there to purchase the biggest, most beautiful doll she could find.
Meg hopped down from the chair and took Mrs. Drennan’s outstretched hand. As she walked along behind Mrs. Drennan, she stopped and looked back at Jenna. “Wot’s your name, miss?”
Jenna smiled and curtsied grandly before her. “Lady Jenna, but you may call me Jenna.”
Meg’s eyes grew big as saucers. “A lady!”
“Go now. I’ll be back to see you,” Jenna promised with a smile.
As she watched Meg disappear from the room, she turned back to Gray. “I meant what I said,” she said softly.
His eyes probed her questioningly. “About?”
“Wanting to help.”
“If you truly want to help, I certainly won’t say no. Mrs. Drennan could use all the help she can get. But it’s hard work.”
“You don’t think I’m capable of hard work?”
