“Mr. Fortescue.” She felt she must say something.
He raised his head from her knuckles for a moment.
“Giles,” he corrected her.
Giles. She thrilled even more at his first name than at the kissing of her hand. Such intimacy. And now he was nibbling on her fingers. Kissing and biting lightly at the pads of each of her fingertips.
“Giles,” she said and tried to withdraw her hand. He held her wrist for a moment as she tugged. Then he let go.
He looked at her. His eyes now revealed some hurt, some pain. He was wounded in some way.
“I ...” She did not know what to say. “I am delighted to make your acquaintance.”
The hurt look in his eyes dissipated, and he suddenly laughed.
“I see,” he said. “Yes, and I yours, Miss Lovelock. I am overwhelmed with pleasure that you accepted my invitation. Shall we stroll around the park?” He offered her his arm.
Arabella bit her lip.
“Oh,” he said, nodding. “Yes, I understand. Others will see you have no chaperone. Well,” he leaned against a tree next to her, “shall we stay then in this grove of trees, where no one can see us?”
“Yes,” Arabella breathed.
He crossed his arms. She felt his gaze rake over her from the top of her head down to where her slippers peeped out from her dress. Was that why they called some young men rakes? she wondered irrelevantly even as she grew warmer still and felt a peculiar tightness in her breasts, near the tips.
“Yes,” he said and he paused, his mouth open slightly. “Yes, I’m right.”
“What are you right about, Mr. Fortes—Giles?”
“Youarethe most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.”
She tried to laugh but it came out strangled. “I am too short,” she said, shaking her head.
“No, in fact, you may be a bit too tall,” he said. “But otherwise, you are everything that is alluring. To me.”
She could feel herself blushing again.
“We have not met before. I mean, I have not seen you before,” she said and gulped. “Giles.”
He smiled. “I do not go to the theater much. Even last night, I scarcely counted that I was there since I paid so little attention to the stage. There were far greater delights to be had by observing the contents of the box on my right.”
Hehadbeen looking at her all night.
“But during the Season, I saw you at no balls this past spring and summer?”
He sighed and ran his fingers through his long, dark locks. “Although I receive many invitations, I am not often in London. I am much occupied by other affairs. My estate, for one.”
And then the hurt and the pain came back into his eyes. How she longed to banish that look.
“I am so glad you did go to the theater last night, Giles.”
“And were you glad of my note to you?”
“I would not be here if I were not.”
His arms had been crossed over his chest as he leaned on the tree, but now he reached forward with his arms, almost lunging at her, and pulled her to him and bent his head down and found her mouth with his.
Her first kiss.
