Forbidden (19 page)

He bowed. "Miss Esther to see you." He
stepped to the side and allowed Essie entrance into the
library.

Cross watched with rapt attention as Essie
glided into the room, her cheeks pinking slightly as she met his
gaze.

Anna let out a chuckle that she tried to
cover with a cough.

Cross turned to glare at her quickly.

"Forgive me… I do believe I need some rest.
Yes. Wouldn't want to catch a chill." She coughed again.

Cross decided his sister had no talent for
the theater.

"I'm so sorry to abandon you, but I'm sure
Cross will be a gracious host." Anna smiled sweetly at Essie.

Essie's brow pinched as she regarded her
friend. "I do hope that you improve soon, I'd hate for you to miss
the Smithcote Route."

"I'm sure I'll be completely improved soon,"
Anna answered quickly, too quickly as far as Cross was concerned.
She must have thought so as well, for she immediately slumped her
shoulders slightly as if weakened. "But to insure that I'll be in
attendance, it is of the utmost importance that I rest. You
understand." Anna offered a weak smile.

Cross could help but simply watch the poor
performance unfold and hope that Essie somehow fell for it.

"Of course! I'll be sure to check on you
before I leave," Essie replied with a sympathetic tone.

"That would be lovely," Anna said and walked
to the door. As Essie turned to face Cross, Anna glanced back and
offered Cross a quick wink.

And closed the door.

Completely.

He would have to thank her later.

Profusely.

"Poor Anna! I do hope it's nothing serious."
Essie's expression was still concerned as she strode further into
the room.

"I'm absolutely certain she'll make a quick
recovery. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if she felt much better
this very afternoon," Cross replied, careful to keep his tone from
carrying the amusement he felt over the whole situation.

Yet the amusement faded as he watched Essie
walk over to the couch and run her hand over the back of the
cushion. She lifted her eyes to give him a quick smile, but it
didn't reach her eyes.

"Essie? Is… are you well? You seem
concerned…" Cross took a tentative step towards her.

"Oh, yes. I'm quite well, I just am… trying
to build up the courage, I need to make another request, you see.
And I'm afraid my request is far more… personal than my last." She
gave him a hopeful smile, but her gaze lowered to her gloved hands
as she picked at her dress.

Cross watched her, curious as to her request
and how it could possibly be
more
personal than her first.
How did one ask something more personal than courtship? Even if it
was asked under a pretense?

"Essie, I assure you that I will do anything
within my power to assist you in any way," Cross replied, concerned
that maybe something was truly wrong.

"As much as it pains me to have Anna feeling
unwell, it actually is a blessing. This would be decidedly far more
awkward if she were present." Essie gave an uncomfortable half
laugh as she glanced up to him, lowering her gaze once more.

Cross took another few steps toward her till
he was close enough to see the light blue flecks in her eyes as she
raised her gaze to meet his.

"Cross, I… that is…" She took a deep
breath.

The anticipation and worry was slowly killing
him.

"Will you kiss me?"

Cross simply stared. Replaying her request in
his mind, making sure that what he heard was indeed what she said.
Searching her earnest gaze, he tried to make sense of such a
request,
not
that he minded! He had the impulse to pinch
himself to see if he were a part of some erotic dream.

"Essie…" He whispered her name, tasting the
sweetness of it on his tongue as he watched her gaze darken and
travel his features till it landed on his lips.

When her gaze met his once more, there was a
question in her eyes. Cross took a final step forward, making them
close enough so that could feel the soft release of her breath.

He leaned forward slightly, watching as Essie
swayed towards him, the fragrance from her skin teasing him,
tempting him. He pressed his lips to hers, caressing them, tasting
them and savoring their sweetness. He drew back slightly, pleased
when she followed him. He took her lips once more, this time less
chaste, more of a seduction of the mouth as he traced the seam of
her lips with his tongue before retreating and pulling her lower
lip. She gasped, and he took shameless advantage of her open mouth
by pulling her lower lip between his teeth and nipping gently.

She was a quick study and began to mimic his
attentions, first by pressing into his frame and reaching up to
brace his shoulders. Cross guided her to tilt her head further so
that he could deepen the kiss and she willingly followed his lead.
Reaching around, he placed his hands on her waist, savoring the
tempting curve beneath his fingers. Pulling her in tighter, her
arms left his shoulders as she wound them around his neck. Cross
darted his tongue along her teeth, gently, coaxingly. Tentatively,
she tasted him with her own.

Two thoughts darted through his mind as he
savored the bliss of her kiss, the utter ecstasy of her touch.
First, that she was most certainly an innocent, which pleased him
far more than he dared to admit.

Second, she had never told him why she wanted
him to kiss her.

Now, that was a minor detail, but for some
reason it continued to tickle his mind. Because as he was pouring
himself into the kiss, savoring every hint of flavor from her lips
and mouth, memorizing the shape of her body pressed against his, he
grew acutely aware that perhaps… it wasn't real… for her.

With reluctance, he gradually ended the kiss,
leaned back and relishing the passion in her gaze as he whispered
her name. "Essie."

Her blue eyes were stormy and dark with
desire, freshly awakened.

"I had no idea…" Essie whispered. Slowly she
released her hold on his neck and glanced away, a deep blush
coloring her cheeks.

"I'll take that as a compliment." Cross
grinned, overly satisfied with himself.

"You would." Essie glanced back at him,
narrowing her eyes in a teasing manner.

"But if I may ask, for the reason for your
request?" Cross resisted the urge to loosen his cravat.

"I—that is…" Essie seemed to struggle. "I
thought that perhaps… you could teach me."

Cross felt his heart still, before thumping
painfully. Teach her? As if… as if his touch, his kiss were nothing
more than a textbook on Latin or French.

"Pardon?" He asked, knowing his hurt was
clear in his expression.

Essie had no idea
what to do, what to say, or how to wipe the horrified expression
from Cross' face. For pity's sake! Who kissed a woman like that and
then expected her to come up with a rational answer? She had
planned to use the whole 'teaching' idea as an excuse to ask for a
kiss, but he, well, didn't
need
an excuse, apparently.

When he'd kissed her, it was beyond anything
she could have ever imagined. It was the fireworks at Vuxhall
gardens, power, exploding and full of passion and life. She didn't
want it to end! Rather she wanted to kiss the hurt from his face,
make him forget her ill-timed words and the pathetic excuse that
they gave.

But she had no idea how… especially when he
turned his back on her and faced the fire.

Essie felt frozen, not knowing what to
do.

"I think…" Cross began.

Essie glanced up, hopefully.

"I think perhaps, you should leave, Miss
Esther." Cross' tone was dark. "In my current state, I find I'm far
more inclined to… teach you… as you put it, far more than
kissing."

Essie gasped silently.

He turned slightly, the fire illuminating his
gaze, making it cobalt fire.

"What if…" Essie swallowed and took a
tentative step forward. "What if I want you to?" she dared,
watching his brooding face make a slight shift to surprise before
settling back on his previous expression.

"You don't. You may think you do, but this is
all a game, is it not? We don't want to risk making it
irrevocable," Cross replied coolly, yet his expression was far from
indifferent. He appeared a man fiercely controlled, a man
guarded.

Why? His words were at war with his
actions—his very expression. But wasn't that how it was when they
waltzed? And then again at the park? It was almost as if… he were
protecting himself.

From her.

Understanding dawned, causing a mischievous
grin to tease her lips.

"I fail to see anything amusing about the
given situation or topic of conversation." Cross narrowed his eyes,
considering her with suspicion.

Biting her lip, she tried to control her joy
at the realization that all along, Cross had wanted her.

And she wanted him every bit as much.

In his kiss she found the truth—about him,
about herself. Yet as she gazed at him, she saw the distance
between them.

Just because
she
had discovered the
truth, didn't mean that he was aware.

But she was quite certain she could remedy
that.

She
would
remedy that, and
quickly.

"Cross?" Tilting her head she took a bold
step toward him, offering him what she hoped was a flirtatious
grin.

He backed up a step, misgiving thick in his
gaze.

His countenance changed from skeptical to
resolute, his gaze firming. "Essie." He spoke her name softly, as
if caressing it.

She paused.

He took a step towards her, bringing them
almost toe to toe. "When will you finally realize that you are
mine?" Immediately his lips crushed against hers, his arms pulling
her tightly against him, holding his firm body against her soft
curves.

Essie met his passion with her own, allowing
her fingers the delight of tugging his coal black hair. He groaned
against her mouth, pausing only a moment before his fervent kiss
continued, trailing along her lips and to her jaw. His shadow of a
beard gently chaffed against her sensitive skin as he lightly
nipped at the delicate flesh just below her ear. His kisses trailed
down her neck to her collar, where his tongue tasted her, as if
starving for her, he met her mouth once more.

She knew the hunger; she felt it within as
well. Her hands roamed his back, memorizing the hard lines of his
musculature; caressing his rounded, broad shoulders. His
well-formed shoulders bunched and coiled beneath her fingers, as he
pressed into her, walking her backwards as she clung to him, till
her knees hit the settee and she was guided into a recline.

His delicious weight was a welcome pleasure
as she continued to relish his ardent kisses. His teeth nipped her
ear before trailing kisses down her throat and nudging the edge of
her dress with his nose.

Essie was lost in the spell he had woven over
them, completely given over to the passionate haze of desire that
was thick like winter fog.

So thick, that she didn't hear the knock.

Or the sound of slippered feet on the wood
floors.

She
did
, however, hear the loud gasp,
which was like ice water on a roaring fire.

Shocking, but only enough to control the
flames.

Because when Cross broke their kiss and saw
his sister's face, Essie could only wish she'd leave once more so
that they could continue.

They
would
continue… but not now.

"I… that is… I'm leaving," Anna stuttered and
spun to leave, but turned back around. Raising her finger, she
opened her mouth a few times, finally speaking. "I—I am very happy
for you two." She grinned and left again, closing the door
firmly.

"I take it she's feeling better?" Essie
spoke, her voice foreign to her own ears as it was still thick with
desire.

Cross' gaze searched hers, his expression
triumphant and victorious. "I'd say yes… but she was never ill to
begin with." He winked as he lifted himself from his position over
her and, once standing, offered her his hand.

"She wasn't ill?" Essie asked, her heart
hammering as she watched Cross, his blue eyes watching her with a
possessive—dare are she hope—love?

"No… you see." He ran his hand through his
mussed hair, taming it slightly.

Essie chuckled as she looked at his
disheveled state.

"You're rather… ravished yourself." Cross
raised his eyebrows, his gaze raking her body possessively.

"You don't have to be so smug about it,"
Essie teased as she straightened her dress and patted her hair,
quickly realizing it was a lost cause.

That
would be difficult to
explain.

"I'm never smug." Cross pretended to be
offended.

Essie sniffed delicately, but then she
grinned.

"To answer your question, Anna was simply
pretending to be sick in order for us to have some privacy."

"Privacy?" Essie felt her brow furrow.

"Yes, Indeed. And I do believe we used it
effectively, don't you?" He smiled playfully.

She bit her lip, remembering all too well the
satiny texture of his lips pressed against hers.

Wanting that sensation, hungering for it.

"I don't understand… how I never saw it.
Rather, how I never saw
you."
Essie spoke softly, searching
his face, tracing the outline of his body and memorizing every cut
and angle.

"I'm quite certain I can imagine all sorts of
ways you can make up for your ignorance." Cross winked as he
reached out and pulled her into an embrace.

"I can imagine quite a few ways of my own…"
she murmured as she reached up and kissed his lips softly.

He groaned. "How can something so wonderful
be so torturous?" he mumbled against her lips just before he kissed
her hungrily.