Page 49 of Beguiling the Baron

Chapter 31

As he confessed his feelings to Tia, Hal inwardly begged Mary’s forgiveness. It seemed—if no obstacle were to be found—he could now progress with his life. He could marry Tia, she would be a mother to Polly, and Mary’s shade would drift back into the darkness, where it belonged. But not until he had completed his homage to her. Which he had no expectation of doing yet.

Tia’s soft voice penetrated his musings. “It might please Polly if you were to join us. She’d be proud to present her Papa to her new friends.”

He turned toward her and laid a hand on each shoulder, bringing his head close to hers. Her flesh welcomed his fingers, and her lips turned up to his, full of invitation.

“Tia.” Their faces were so close he could smell the lavender scent of her hair. “You’re always trying to push me too far. You know by now of the uncertainness of my temperament, that I can be as quick to condemn as I am to praise. You also know, with but little provocation, I will do unimaginably sinful things to your body. Have you no idea the power you exert on me? Why, even now, when we are talking about the most normal of things, I want to seize you in my arms and kiss you until you beg for mercy. Or expire, for lack of air.”

She quivered in his grasp. He shook his head violently and retreated. “I’ve revealed too much. I’ve frightened you.” He was infuriated at himself.

“I’m not afraid, Hal.”

“Why were you trembling, then?” He hated the idea he might have made her fear him.

“I tremble for you. From . . . desire.”

Oh, sweet, hesitant innocent.

What an extraordinary woman she was, so frank and open. Completely the opposite to himself. But nothing could have prepared him for what came next.

“I don’t have a great deal of experience of such matters.” Her voice was so quiet he had to lean in to hear her. “But the basic fact is I enjoyed my . . . our . . . lovemaking and was curious to attempt it again.”

Dear God.

He dared not come any closer, nor attempt to touch her. If ever there was a moment when a man should be kissing a woman, this was it. But he wasn’t just any man.

“We’ll talk about this further,” he managed. “It was heaven, but we can’t simply launch into some torrid affair. There’s too much to think about. I long to take you, my darling, if you’re foolish enough to take me, but it must be done in my own way, in my own time. Now, forgive me—I must return to the folly. Shall I walk you back inside?”

Was it his imagination, or did she give a sigh of disappointment? And was she swaying slightly? He moved forward swiftly and took her by the elbows.

“Tia, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing, nothing. I may have drunk too much claret with supper, that’s all. I felt light-headed for a moment. It will pass.”

“I’m not taking any chances.” Wrapping an arm about her waist, he pulled her against his side. “I’ll carry you in if need be. It’s hot and sultry tonight, and perhaps you’re too tightly laced. I would offer to loosen your corsets if I could trust myself to do nothing more.”

“Is that so? I suppose it might be best if you didn’t. Mama would wonder how I came to be unlaced.”

Hal’s fingers stroked the slender curve of her waist, relishing the touch of Tia’s body pressed against his. “She wouldn’t suspect me, surely? She’d come up with some purely innocent explanation.”

“I doubt she’d suspect you. She still thinks of you as a distant, slightly menacing figure, with ice in his veins, not blood.”

“But we both know differently, don’t we?” He slid his hand down to her hip. Oh, why was he doing this to himself? It was sweet torture. He needed to escort her back into the house before his defenses crumbled, and he threw her down on the lawn to ravish her.

Without waiting for her response, he took firm hold of her shoulder and walked her rapidly through the cloisters, holding her lantern in his free hand.

The shadows swayed and diminished as the light struck them. “Are you happy to return this way? I assume it’s the way you came. Don’t worry. I shall watch you to ensure the demons and gargoyles don’t spring to life and pounce upon you.”

“Hal, I do believe you’re trying to tease me. It demonstrates a considerable improvement in your state of mind.”

“How thoughtful of you to point it out.”

“Sarcasm, too. Why, you are becoming almost human.” Tia was taunting him now. She must be recovering.

“Little witch.” He swept her into in his arms, and she melted into his embrace like a wilting rose. His mouth covered hers as he succumbed to her spell, and her lips parted to welcome him, drugging him with their heady taste. Her fingers dug into the fine wool of his jacket as she clung to him, raising herself on tiptoe to increase the pressure of their kiss.

His arms wound about her waist, pressing her firmly against his body as he plundered her mouth, hungrily, inexorably. At her invitation, he thrust in his tongue to meet hers, teasingly withdrawing, then pushing in again until her jaw went slack and she surrendered all control to him.