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“Papa,” Thomas said, “I’ll do my best to honor your legacy. I’m ready. But damn it, I miss you.”
He jerked when he felt a light tap on his upper arm.
He turned to face his brother-in-law’s sister, Lady Patricia Price-Adams.
Young and beautiful, she would no doubt be the belle of the season. The season he would not be attending.
He’d first met Patricia when she was but fifteen years old, and even then she was a beauty—coal-black hair, dark-blue eyes, skin like fresh milk with a rosy blush, and lips the color of sweet raspberries.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to startle you, my lord.”
“Is there something I can help you with, Lady Patricia?” he asked.
“No. I just…” Patricia gazed down at the mound of dirt under which Thomas’s father was buried. “I want to tell you how sorry I am. I didn’t get to speak to you at the party—er…reception, I mean. It’s hardly a party after someone… Well, you know.”
“Didn’t we speak?” Thomas asked. “It seems I spoke to everyone else there.”
But even in the mechanical state in which he received his condolences, Thomas knew that he would have remembered speaking to Patricia. It was impossible not to notice her.
Patricia silently shook her head.
Thomas looked around the cemetery. “You shouldn’t be out here. It’s much too chilly. You’ll catch cold.”
Indeed, Patricia’s nose was already red in the brisk air.
“I’ll be fine.” Patricia took a handful of the elegant gown she was wearing and lifted it an inch. Thomas forced himself not to look at the small glimmer of flesh on her lower leg she exposed in her action. “This gown is dreadfully heavy. I was just underfoot inside anyway. I wish I knew what to say to Rose. I wish I knew what to say to you. I… You know I lost my own father when I was quite young. I can’t begin to imagine what you’re feeling, but I suppose I can be a little more empathetic than someone who hasn’t been there.”
Her frown betrayed a hint of discomfort. Was it due to something he said? He hadn’t meant to upset her.
“I should probably head back now,” she said. “And perhaps you should too, my lord. Your mother is wondering where you are.”
Ah, that was the real reason she was here. His mother must have sent her. But why send a young lady out in the cold when a servant could have done the job?
“It’s fine. I’ll tell her I just needed a moment,” Thomas replied. “She’ll understand.”
But would his mother really understand? With his father gone, all of her strength now rested on Thomas’s shoulders. He had to be there for her.
Patricia curtsied politely. “If you’ll excuse me then.” She turned.
“Wait,” Thomas said.
The scent of her perfume—a floral and citrus blend that brought to mind a sunlit garden—lingered in the air as she turned, her eyebrows raised. “Yes, my lord?”
“I’ll walk back with you,” he offered. “I need to check on my mother anyway.”
“That’s very kind of you. Thank you.”
Thomas held out his arm and she placed her delicate hand on his elbow. In that small touch, a mix of emotions stirred within him. Gratitude for her warmth in the brisk chill, guilt for involving her in his family matters, and an unexplainable third feeling that he couldn’t quite place.
He froze when a primal urge surged through his body. Without hesitation, he lunged forward and grabbed her, crushing her against him with a fierce grip. His mouth crashed onto hers as he stole a kiss that was not his for the taking.
What was he doing? The question echoed in his mind, but he couldn’t stop himself.
He moved his lips against hers, tasting her with eager hunger. With gentle insistence, he pressed the tip of his tongue against the seam of her lips, urging them to part to allow him deeper access.
She resisted, keeping her lips tightly sealed, but he persisted with an unwavering determination to claim her.
When her soft lips parted, he dived in with his tongue. Their mouths collided in a fierce and all-consuming kiss as a blazing inferno of desire engulfed him. He couldn’t resist the wild urge to pull her closer, their bodies melting into one another as they devoured each other with desperation. His body was on fire with need. Her soft curves pressed against him overwhelmed his senses.
