As she waited for him to stop, she continued to meet his slow and brief kisses. But soon, the mood shifted, and the kisses grew urgent. His hands moved over her back, stroking her, and bringing more excitement into her body. He tilted his head and deepened the kiss again. This time, she copied his actions, using her tongue in ways she had never thought possible. The passion between them climbed higher and higher. She threw her arms around his neck, not wanting this moment to end.
“William Worthington? Are you in here?” An older woman’s voice rang through the empty kitchen.
Adrian’s body stilled. Bridget hitched a breath. And just like that, their passionate mood was shattered.
Bridget was breathing so hard she could hardly catch her breath. His lips moved to her ear, and the warmth from his mouth made her shiver.
“Shhh…” he whispered. “She must not find us in here.”
Who was the woman in the kitchen? Could she be the reason Adrian was in such a hurry to hide?
“William? Answer me. I know you came this way.”
A few earth-trembling seconds crept by before the older lady’s footsteps clicked on the kitchen floor, moving past the pantry, and she walked out of the kitchen further into the house.
Bridget didn’t dare move, let alone speak. Thankfully, Adrian kept silent as well. She tried to listen if the other woman might still be in the kitchen, but all that could be heard were her own quick breaths blending with Adrian’s.
Finally, he blew out a big breath as his body relaxed. “I wonder why she thought Lord William was in here?”
“Yes. Her actions were very curious, indeed.”
He turned away from Bridget, and she rested against the shelves. Her heart still raced from the steamy kisses, but now that she could think more clearly, she berated herself for allowing them in the first place. She knew better than to kiss a man she barely knew, especially in a dark pantry.
Guilt filled her, and she wished this moment had never happened. How could she think back on this time andnotconsider herself any better than a strumpet? And if her father ever found out…
Tears stung her eyes. No! She couldn’t let her parent know anything of the sort. She needed to walk out this pantry and the kitchen with her head held high and pray that nobody spotted her with Adrian. Also, she should never think of this moment again.
Slowly, Adrian opened the door and peeked into the kitchen. He motioned with his hand for her to follow, which she did on shaky legs. They tiptoed to the back door. He opened it and peeked outside and, once more, motioned for her to follow.
Once they were outside, he quietly closed the door and took her hand, leading her away from the manor toward the stables. The full moon gave enough light to see where they were headed, and they only stopped once they had rounded the corner of the stables, which blocked them from anyone’s view.
Adrian let out a sigh of relief, bending over and resting his palms on his knees. A second later, he started laughing. Bridget scowled. What was wrong with this man, anyway? Had he lost his mind? How could he think that this was a humorous moment, especially when she felt like finding a deep hole and burying herself in it? Apparently, he didn’t take this as seriously as she did. Then again, he was a scoundrel, and she was innocent.
She shook her head, correcting her thinking. Shehad beeninnocent, but no longer.
Straightening, Adrian met her stare. “Forgive me, Bridget, but the intensity of the moment had built up inside me, and I had to laugh in order to release it.”
She folded her arms. It was difficult not to blame him for this mess, even though she hadn’t tried to stop him. She wouldn’t dwell on that now. Later, she would find the time to let guilt make her miserable.
“Mr. Worthington, will you now tell me what that was all about?”
His smile disappeared. “Why aren’t you calling me Adrian, as I have asked?”
“Because I have realized the mistake in being so informal. However, now you must answer my question.”
He raked his fingers through his hair. “That older woman you heard was Aunt Beatrice. She is slowly losing her mind. I don’t believe she was really searching for Lord William, because she knows the man is away on business.”
“Then why would she call his name at all?”
“I believe she was looking for me. She saw me leaving the party and tried to get my attention.”
“And why did you not want to visit with your aunt?”
“That woman can talk one’s ears off. She doesn’t give anyone a chance to speak, and I didn’t want to take the time to listen to her jabbering. She is very domineering and tries to control everyone around her. I pray she never becomes chummy with you, my sweet Bridget. She’ll follow you around like a lost puppy, and she’ll want to tell you what to do and how to live and, especially, how to act.”
“That was why you were running and hiding?”
“The very reason, exactly.”
