“It is,” I said softly.
My words drew his gaze. “And yet you sound so sad?”
I couldn’t make out from his words whether his question was born of concern or scorn but experience told me it was the latter.
“I know what you’re thinking: dumb, spoiled rich girl, doesn’t know she’s born,” I rushed out.
He dropped to the lounger next to me and placed his hand atop my own, cutting off my outburst. “Not at all! Christ, if anyone can understand what it’s like to be a part of this world yet feel utterly alone, it’s me.”
I eyed him as though seeing him properly for the first time, both inside and out, and the loneliness I felt inside combusted with the sudden heat of desire. I wanted him, right here and now. I wanted the complete abandonment and utter distraction of a wild sexual encounter. But I couldn’t. My mind was a mess and the alcohol was making it hard to think straight. I raised my eyes to his, about to say something but the heat I saw in his gaze stopped me. He wanted me just as much as I wanted him.
“You know, we could take this somewhere more private,” he suggested, his tone low.
I wanted to, I really did. But the sensible part of me, the part that realized alcohol wasn’t the best aid when it came to embarking on new friendships of any kind, was still with me.
Spying my hesitation, he picked up the bottle and poured us both a drink. “Or we can just drink up and enjoy the view?”
I nodded, relief sweeping through me. “For now,” I agreed, raising my glass to his and settling back into the bed.
He mirrored my position on his own lounger and we lay there watching the sunset, conversation flowing between us freely now that we were alone. I asked him about his training and he quizzed me on my riding. Knowing what made him tick made passing the time easy and as each drink flowed through me, the sexual awareness began to mount. By the time we had polished off the last of the decanter, my mind was made up.
“How about I get us another and we take it upstairs?” I said, propping myself up on my side so that I could lean toward him.
He copied my move, stopping with his mouth mere inches from my own, his heated gaze falling to my lips. “Sounds like a mighty fine idea.”
I knew he was going to kiss me, I could see the intent in his eyes and my nerve endings tingled in anticipation, eager for his touch. As he dropped his mouth to mine, I parted my lips willingly, waiting for the invasion of his own. And yet he hovered just above me, the move purposefully hesitant as he waited on my lead.
He needn’t have worried, yet his concern was sweet and destroyed any remaining hesitation I may have felt. Tilting my head back, my lips met with his and I moaned aloud at the contact.
The sound was all the encouragement he needed. Shifting his body onto my lounger, he pressed up against me, his mouth moving hungrily over mine. I matched him move for move, my leg hooking over his hips to allow his burgeoning erection to press against me. My hands moved roughly through his hair as my lower body began to rock against him in a fevered quest for satisfaction. His hands roamed over my front, desperately seeking access to my breasts, my nipples hardening at theprospect, the sensation almost painful at the prolonged wait as he struggled to navigate the jumpsuit.
“Blasted thing,” he cursed, shifting our entwined bodies so that he could take hold of the zip at my back.
What semblance of sanity I had left surfaced and I took hold of his hand. “Not here.”
He rested his head against my own, fighting for control. “You’re right,” he breathed eventually.
“Come on.” Moving off the sun lounger, I slipped on my shoes and pulled him with me. “We can stop at Daddy’s cellar on the way.”
The house was unusually quiet. I had expected to hear some sounds echoing through the halls from the dinner party but there was nothing.
We headed down a level, passing the kitchen and utility to pause before the door that led to the cellar.
“I’ll be back shortly, any preference for red or white?” I asked, turning to face him, excitement coursing through me as I took in his disheveled appearance at my hands, his eyes ablaze with a need I had generated. Tonight wasn’t going so bad after all.
“Whatever you fancy.”
I reached up on tiptoes and planted a lingering kiss on his lips before opening the door and heading down the steps.
It didn’t take long to realize that I wasn’t alone. The faint sound of music reached my ears along with the gentle hum of voices. The cellar consisted of a few rooms with a corridor running the length of them. Most rooms possessed viewing windows, a way forDaddy Dearestto observe his stores without having to disturb the inner temperatures or some such nonsense. The sounds were coming from the largest of the rooms, which housed a central stage with a table for his wine tasting demonstrations.
So this was why he hadn’t wanted me down here. Curiosity sufficiently aroused, I slipped off my shoes and crept to the window. The room was softly lit. Robert and James were lounging in one of the deep sofas that adorned the stonewalled room. My stepfather stood at the bar pouring drinks and at the heart of the room, leaning up against the table were Emma and Diana, enjoying what looked to be an intimate conversation. Even from this distance, I could sense the sudden closeness between them and I didn’t like it.
My stepfather moved from the bar and I leapt back for fear of being spotted. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears and I knew I should take a bottle and leave. But I couldn’t; this was no ordinary wine tasting session my stepfather was hosting, of that I was certain.
Risking another look, I watched him take up a seat with the other men, all three now with their backs to me, their attention fully on the stage. Diana passed Emma her half-finished wine glass and lifted herself to sit at the edge of the table. Taking up her own glass, Emma moved away to place their drinks on the other end of the table and when she turned back, the air left my lungs at the sultry look in her eye.
Slowly, she moved toward Diana, her hand trailing the edge of the table, her eyes fixed on the other woman as a slight smile played about her lips. She looked completely at home in this arrangement and I didn’t want or care to think about that right now.
