Page 40 of Wagering for Miss Blake (Lords and Ladies in Love 4)

As she pulled away, he grabbed her hand and tugged her back. “If you don’t return for our waltz, I shall fetch you. Even in the retiring room.” His golden brown eyes bored into her. “No hiding allowed.”

…

Giles watched Suzanna as she hurried away from him, dodging couples and groups gathering in the quickly filling ballroom. Although he doubted his face was as red as Suzanna’s, since he’d had enough experience with intimacy, his insides were still churning at the short exchange they’d just had.

His words had brought back the feelings that had swamped him when he’d touched her silky skin after she’d slid from the tree branch. Thank goodness she had been raised to believe only “fast” women wore drawers. How he’d loved holding her in his arms, smelling the soft scent of her hair. He’d been delighted when she’d landed with her naked soft bottom right into his hands. He could not have planned it better.

He was still confident he would win her love, and her hand. He just needed to be patient and give her time to come to grips with the new feelings she was experiencing. Did she even know what she felt was passion? Desire?

Like most bachelors in the ton, he’d stayed far from innocents. That pathway was much too dangerous. A man could find himself leg-shackled to a woman he would despise within weeks. Since he felt quite strongly that a man—and a woman—should honor their marriage vows, he would never embarrass his wife by taking a mistress. Therefore, he intended to marry a woman who would keep him from regretting his vows.

Shortly after his dance with Miss Fenster, he spotted Suzanna standing along the wall, speaking with Lady Livingston. She had been the one who had met them with the carriage to transport Suzanna back to the house after the tree climbing debacle. Although he’d been concerned that the incident would be too juicy for Lady Livingston to not share, he’d heard nothing about it from any of the guests.

The lack of attention to Suzanna, and dearth of whispering behind fans when either of them appeared, told him Lady Livingston had honored her word.

As the strains of the first waltz of the evening began, he made his way across the ballroom. “Miss Blake. I believe this is my dance?”

She looked anything but pleased, but Lady Livingston offered him a smile. “You were quite the gentleman to assist Miss Blake.” She shook her head. “I hate to think of how some others might have taken advantage of the situation.”

“Mr. Templeton is ever the gentleman.” Suzanna smirked and accepted his hand.

He linked his fingers with hers. “I am happy I did not have to hunt you down.”

“A promise is a promise, Mr. Templeton.”

He took her in his arms. Here was precisely where he wanted Suzanna to be. The only better place was in his bed, and that would come. “Are you enjoying the ball?”

“I am, and in some ways, I’m looking forward to returning to London, and in other ways not.”

He cocked his head to look at her. “How so?”

“As I said before, I prefer the country. But I also enjoy a social life. I wish it could be a bit of both. The frenzy of the Season usually wears me down right about now, which is why I was so happy to attend the house party.”

Giles pulled her closer to avoid colliding with another couple. The feel of her soft breasts as they pressed against his chest increased his desire to have her alone, to kiss her plush lips and run his fingers through her softly scented hair.

He worked to tamp down his frustration—innocents were a breed different from his usual conquests. However, he’d never had a problem attracting women before and hadn’t thought it would take this long to win over the affections of the woman he intended to marry.

“I shall look forward to escorting you to the theater and on rides through the park.” He leaned close to her ear when she stiffened. “As I’ve said many times, I do not give up on something I want.”

…

Later that evening, Giles sat in bed, a candelabra next to him, attempting to read a book. After perusing the same paragraph four times and still not knowing what he’d read, he tossed it aside and admitted he was too frustrated to sleep.

The house had been quiet for a couple of hours. The shuffling and padding up and down the corridor had ended, and it appeared everyone had settled into their preferred beds.

Except him.

Visions arose of tapping gently on Suzanna’s door, then once she opened, pulling her to him, taking her lips in a searing kiss. He would scoop her up, walk them across the room, then climb into her bed, slowly unbutton her night rail, slide his fingers down her skin, circling her nipples with his fingertip before his mouth…

Egad, I am torturing myself.

A trip to the library for a bit of brandy was just what he needed. He stepped from the bed and pulled on a pair of breeches and a shirt. He doubted he would see anyone, so he left his shirt unbuttoned.

The corridor was dim, quiet. As he moved from the light of one wall sconce to another, mumbled words and quiet moans emanated from a few of the rooms he passed, strengthening his frustration. The idea of seeking out a woman upon his return to London quickly faded when he knew he would embarrass himself by failure to perform, since the only woman he wanted was Suzanna.

The library sat in darkened silence, shadows turning into objects as he passed them. He headed directly to the sideboard where the brandy and other liquors were held. After pouring himself a healthy four fingers, he wandered to the window that looked out on the garden and sipped his drink. A partial moon cast some light on the area.

A movement caught his eye, and a slow smile stretched his lips as the woman constantly in his thoughts pulled a wrapper snug around her body and passed by the window where he stood, not twenty-five feet away.