She waited several long breaths after she heard Ralston and Miss Dickson walking quietly back toward the house. She was just about to leave her shadowed arbor and make her way back to the path when a large, warm hand slipped around her waist from behind and pulled her back against a broad chest.
Instant panic had her drawing a quick breath before she caught a familiar scent and heard Phin’s voice, low and soothing at her temple.
“It’s me, sweetheart.”
She instantly relaxed into his arms. “My brother—”
“I saw. You couldn’t get to me, so I came to you.”
“Why are you here?” Her tone lowered, “Why amIhere?”
His arm curved around her waist, bringing her deeper into his embrace as his other hand found hers. He matched their palms and intertwined their fingers before bringing her hand up to his mouth. The press of his lips to the back of her hand was light and sweet, but it still sent tingling shivers of desire through her body.
When he turned his head to nuzzle his lips against her neck, justbelow her ear, she sighed, but then murmured, “This isn’t an answer.”
His chuckle was thick and warm. “I know. I’m just trying to find the right words.”
“All right,” she breathed. “I’ll wait.”
Eleanor dropped her head back against his shoulder and turned to lift her lips to his. Their mouths met so easily. Like gentle magnets pulling inexorably toward each other. The kiss started gently. A light pressure, then a brushing caress.
But when a soft moan slid from her throat, he answered with a husky sound of possession. Releasing her fingers, he brought his hand up to lightly encircle her throat. His thumb and forefinger found the corners of her jaw as he tipped her head back farther, forcing a slight arch to spine that pressed her buttocks more firmly to his groin.
Desire rolled like a wave through her, weighing down her limbs and trembling through her belly.
He was also not unaffected.
She heard the raw catch in his breath and felt the tension that made his muscles go taut. The hard, readiness of him.
Despite his obviously rising passions, his touch was strong but gentle. He seemed very conscious of leaving space for her to resist or deny him.
She wanted to do neither.
Turning within the circle of his arms, she wrapped her arms around him and pressed against him. Fitting her mouth to his, she parted her lips to slide her tongue into his mouth, flicking at the edge of his teeth. “Kiss me fully, Phin,” she commanded softly.
He did.
Opening his mouth, he thrust his tongue past her lips and took possession of her. Holding her head in his hand and gripping firmly around her waist, he devoured her with his kiss. Inhaling her catching sighs, swallowing her throaty moans.
She melted.
Her body tingled in its transformation from solid being to a formless essence of hunger and yearning and love for this man who had opened an entire world to her. Her hands fisted in the material of his coat. She was not going to let him go. Not now. Not ever.
She pulled her head back, just enough to break the kiss. He allowed it, but held her there, with their lips hovering close. His bright blue-green eyes opened to pierce her with fire and life.
Eleanor took a shaking breath and muttered the only thing she could think of to satisfy the need inside her. “Marry me.”
His entire body tensed. His arms tightened. His jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed to fierce slits in the darkness.
“Eleanor…” His voice was weighted and thick with desire and raw emotion.
She pressed herself closer to him as a panic unlike any she’d ever felt before began to spread from her core.
What if he didn’t want her?
What if she wasn’t enough?
What if she bared her soul and he left her anyway?
