Mistletoe and Mayhem: A Regency Holiday Romance Anthology, page 79
“She’s looking for you.”
Lost in thought, Tobias flinched at the sound of his brother’s voice. “Pardon me?” He turned to look at Phineas and found him cutting his way in-between the leafless trees surrounding them. After seeing Anne almost kissed by Lord Gillingham for a second time that day, Tobias had walked off, his thoughts in need of peace and quiet.
Still, Louisa’s words continued to echo in his head.
Yes, she was right. He needed to speak to Anne. But how? What ought he to say? Tobias shook his head, for whenever he thought of addressing her, his mind went blank as though all words had tumbled out of his ears. It was a strange sickness indeed! Did all men suffer from it when they lost their hearts? Or was it only him?
In truth, Tobias could not imagine his brother ever at a loss.
“Anne is looking for you,” Phineas elaborated, the look in his gaze watchful.
“I thought she’d gone inside with Lady Leonora.”
Phineas shrugged. “Well, since she’s free to come and go as she pleases…” His voice trailed off and his brows rose into arches as he looked at Tobias. “Can we focus on what’s truly important here? Anne is looking for you and,” he looked Tobias up and down, “she looks about as nervous as you do.” The usual chuckle followed that observation.
Tobias tried to ignore the somersault his heart performed in that moment. “Where is she?”
“Near the maze,” Phineas told him. “You should go and find her.”
Indeed, he should. But what then?
“And you should hurry.”
Tobias tensed. “Why?”
Grinning, his brother leaned a shoulder against a tall tree trunk. “Because I saw Lord Gillingham move toward her when I stepped away, and we all know what his intentions are, do we not?” His brows wiggled meaningfully.
Tobias wanted to slap that smug smile off his brother’s face. Instead, however, he cursed under his breath and rushed past him. His feet moved with a swiftness he would not have thought possible, and his gaze darted past the lake the moment he stepped out of the grove. The tall-growing hedges on the other side of the large house were easy enough to spot, people rushing in and out, shrieking and laughing as snowballs flew in all directions.
Quickening his steps, Tobias crossed the snow-covered lawn before his eyes fell on Anne standing on a small slope near the maze with none other than Lord Gillingham. Tobias could have groaned as a physical pain shot through his middle and then reached up to squeeze his heart, holding it in a painful grip as another breath struggled past his lips.
While Lord Gillingham seemed to edge closer, Anne was all but leaning away from him. Her chin rose and she squared her shoulders in a way that made Tobias smile and sent a sense of pride through him. She was indeed beautiful and breathtaking, but also brave and bold and−
His heart faltered in his chest when Anne took a step back but was immediately pursued by Lord Gillingham. The man’s face looked tense, and he appeared more than a bit reluctant to respect Anne’s demand for more distance.
Gritting his teeth, Tobias suddenly felt a snowball whir past him. His head flew around, his eyes sweeping over the many guests still playfully engaged in a wintry war before they returned to Anne.
Then he stilled, and a dark smile came to his face as he sank down and scooped snow into his hands, packing it tightly into a hard, unyielding ball.
By now, Tobias was no more than a few dozen feet away, and while he certainly could have called out or simply rushed over, in that moment he chose option three.
Pulling back his arm, he took aim and then sent the snowball flying.
Of course, years had passed since he’d last hurled such a missile; however, it seemed Fortune smiled on him that day. His aim was true, and the snowball hit Lord Gillingham square on the cheek, knocking him off his feet.
Anne looked momentarily taken aback. However, when her gaze found his, such a luminous smile spread over her face that Tobias wanted to kiss her then and there.
Instead, he rushed up to her, held out his hand and said, “Come with me.”
Without a single glance at the man on the ground, Anne grasped his hand and then followed him into the maze, laughter spilling from their mouths as they hurried through the snow.
Away from Gillingham.
Away from Phineas.
Away from Lady Louisa.
Away.
Chapter Fourteen ~ Mine to Kiss
Anne thought her heart would pound out of her chest as she followed Tobias through the deep snow. The hem of her skirts was soaked and her feet felt chilled, but she didn’t care. All she cared about was her hand in his, warm and safe.
With each step, the rest of the world fell away as the sounds of laughter and shrieking dimmed. The tall, snow-covered hedges hid them, wrapping them in a place of their own as though no one else existed but them.
Still, they moved onward until they reached the center of the maze, a stone bench flanked by two oak trees, standing like sentinels on each side. The snow on the ground looked untouched, their footprints the first to leave their marks. Stillness lingered as soft flakes began to drift downward from the heavens. Only a few: one here, one there, dancing in the chilled air.
And then Tobias stopped and turned to look at her, his hand still holding hers. She could see his warm breath like a puff of smoke as it mingled with the icy air around them, his cheeks flushed red. His eyes looked darker than they usually did, the clear, bright snow putting them into a stark contrast. Still, the same familiar warmth lingered in his gaze as he looked at her. “Is it true?” he asked then, and his hand tugged on hers, urging her a step closer.
Anne swallowed, noting the change in the way he was looking at her. “Is what true?”
He inhaled a deep breath, and the pad of his thumb brushed over her knuckles, sending another one of those teasing, tingling shivers down her back. “Do you love me?”
Anne’s heart stilled in shock. “But, of course, I do,” she laughed, afraid to be the first to say it out loud. “How can you not know that? I’ve loved you all my life.”
Tobias’s lips thinned, but the right corner of his mouth quirked slightly, telling her that he understood without a doubt what she was doing. That she was afraid. “I meant,” he began, once again urging her a step closer, “are you in love with me?”
Anne could not help but wish the ground would open and swallow her whole. Instead, heat rushed to her cheeks as mortification burnt through her. Please, do not let him laugh at me!
A smile teased his lips. “Your cousin suggested that…”
Curse Louisa! “She simply meant that I care for you greatly as I always have.”
Slowly, Tobias shook his head. “That is not what it sounded like. Indeed, she made it unmistakably clear that you−”
In a near panic, Anne withdrew her hand from his and took a few steps backward. “I do believe a more pressing question is why you attacked Lord Gillingham with such viciousness. The poor man was knocked off his feet!” Anne knew very well that she didn’t care about Lord Gillingham. Nor was she concerned with Tobias’s anger toward him. What Anne did know was that while Tobias had inquired after her feelings, he had yet to confess his own.
If indeed they existed!
Tobias’s gaze narrowed and his eyes darkened. The warm chocolate-brown disappeared, replaced by a menacing black that made Anne wish she’d not said a word. Still, there was no turning back. At least, now, they were speaking about something other than her affections toward him. “You’ve always been such a kind and respectful man. Why were you so aggressive toward Lord Gillingham?”
His jaw tensed. “Because of you.”
“Me?” Anne all but stammered, her gaze locked on his as he began to move toward her.
“You,” Tobias confirmed, following her step by step as she retreated. “I loathe that man because whenever I see him, he’s near you, asking you to dance or escorting you to supper or taking you for a stroll around the gardens.” The words shot out of his mouth like bullets fired, their impact almost deafening. His gaze was sharp, harsh even, reminding her of a wolf stalking its prey. “Twice today, he tried to kiss you,” he growled out, “and from the way he was looking at you just now, he−”
Anne shrank back for never in her life had she seen Tobias like this. He frightened her, but he also gave her hope. “What is it to you?” she demanded, daring him to answer. “Why would you care who kisses me?”
Tobias surged toward her, his hands gripping her upper arms as her back collided with one of the oak tree’s unyielding trunk. “Because you’re mine to kiss,” he whispered against her lips, his eyes holding hers, open and honest, and yet, searching.
Anne drew in a shuddering breath. “Am I?” she asked as her heart began to dance in her chest. She felt a small tug on her lips and noted Tobias’s hard gaze soften when he saw it.
“Yes, you are,” he replied with a smile, the look in his eyes whispering of the same overwhelming emotions Anne felt course through her own veins. “You’ve always been.”
“And yet,” she pointed out, savoring the way he held her close, “you’ve never kissed me before today.”
His gaze drifted to her lips before returning to meet her eyes. “I’ve been a fool,” he whispered, and his left hand brushed along the line of her jaw and then slipped into her hair. “I, too, have loved you for as long as I can remember, but…” He sighed. “Something changed that night at the ball.”
Without asking, Anne knew which ball he meant. “For me as well.”
A relieved breath whispered past his lips. “Is it true then?” Tobias asked, deepest longing in his gaze. “Do you love me?”
Anne smiled, no longer afraid. “I’ve always loved you, but lately…”
“Lately?” His breath came fast as he looked down at her.
Feeling bold and daring, Anne pushed herself up onto her toes and pressed a kiss on Tobias’s lips. It was no more than a soft pressure of mouth on mouth until he pulled her deeper into his embrace, his hand angling her head. He returned her kiss then, gentle and tentative, as they took the first steps away from the friendship that had connected them for as long as they could remember.
It was a daring leap, filled with uncertainty, but it also whispered of promises.
His lips teased hers apart as his hands slid under her cloak, touching her in a way a friend never would. She felt his caresses through the thick fabric of her woolen gown as his hands brushed up her back, then down and to the front, running over her ribcage before settling on her waist. He held her close, their warmth mingling, as he deepened the kiss, taking it far beyond what they had shared earlier that morning in the library.
It felt as though a lifetime had passed since then.
Eager for more, Anne trailed her hands upward, sliding her palms over his broad chest and up to his shoulders. Her fingertips danced along the side of his neck, feeling warm skin as well as a pulse that beat as fast as her own. Her hands slipped into his hair as she pulled herself closer. In answer, his arms wrapped around her, holding her tightly, promising to never let her go again.
When they finally pulled apart, they were both out of breath, but the joy they saw on each other’s faces was palpable. Never had Anne seen Tobias’s eyes as bright nor his smile as radiant as they were in that moment.
And it was for her.
Because of her.
As hers was because of him.
“Promise me,” Tobias began, a smile on his face, but his voice heavy with emotion, “that you’ll never let that man anywhere near you ever again.” He said it lightly, and yet, Anne understood the depth of his fears.
The thought that she could be lost to him.
Brushing a hand over his cheek, she smiled up at the man she loved, the man who’d been her friend all her life. “I never cared for him. Surely, you must know that.” She felt his chest rise and then fall as a deep breath rushed from his lungs. “Besides, I can think of a fairly simple way to ensure that he’ll never come near me again.” Her brows rose teasingly, and Tobias laughed.
“Would you consent to marry me then, Friend?” he teased as he lowered his head, leaning his forehead against hers. “So, I may call you Wife? Darling? Beloved?”
Anne could have sighed hearing these endearments from his lips. “I must say you make marriage sound so very tempting.” Her eyes held his for she needed him to hear her, to truly hear her. “But the reason I agree is simply because I happen to be in love with you.”
His heart skipped a beat−she could feel it against the palm of her hand−before his lips claimed hers in a quick, but lingering kiss. “I love you as well,” Tobias whispered, his breath uneven. “I love you like a man loves a woman, and I want you now and forever.”
“Now and forever,” Anne echoed before she sank into Tobias’s arms once more. The world around them disappeared as thousands of snowflakes began to dance around the tall, unyielding oak as though in celebration of their love.
Attending Lord Archibald’s house party had been a wise choice indeed.
Epilogue
Barrington House, England, Spring 1802 (or a variation thereof)
Anne’s hand felt warm and soft within his own as Tobias tugged her through the door and then pushed it closed with a kick of his boot.
“We will be miss−” she objected before he pulled her into his arms, sealing her lips with a deep kiss. His hands slid over her gown, feeling her tempting curves beneath, wishing the day had already come and gone. “You’re making it very hard for me to keep my wits about me,” she sighed when he trailed kisses down her throat.
Tobias chuckled, nipping gently at her skin, “I’ve waited long enough for this day.”
“As have I,” Anne replied as she pushed him back, her deep blue eyes finding his. “But this is our wedding day. What will our families think when we simply disappear from our wedding breakfast?”
A wicked grin came to his face.
Laughing, Anne slapped his shoulder. “I never knew you possessed such roguish tendencies, Mr. Hawke,” she chided him. “I must say I’m discovering all new sides to you now that I’m your wife.”
“Are you disappointed?”
A slow smile spread over her lovely face. “I didn’t say that, now did I?”
Impatience burnt in Tobias’s veins as he pulled her into another deep kiss, overwhelmed by how life had changed in the past few months. While Anne was still his friend and they continued to tease and laugh as they always had, she was now so much more than that as well. There was a deeper understanding, a bond that went beyond what they’d previously shared. Every day, they discovered something new about one another and, every night, he fell asleep with a deliriously happy smile upon his lips.
“Ah! There you are!”
Cursing Anne’s meddlesome cousin, Tobias reluctantly released his vice-like hold upon his wife and took a step back. He hadn’t even heard Louisa approach, let alone enter the room; however, judging from the disapproving look on Anne’s face, his wife had been equally oblivious.
“What are you doing here?” Anne asked her cousin, her hands quickly moving to right the wrinkles Tobias’s hands had left upon her gown.
“Looking for you,” Louisa replied with a self-evident look in her eyes. “After all, it is your wedding day, and you cannot simply disappear without it being noted.”
Anne cast him a meaningful look.
“Very well,” Tobias relented, offering his wife his arm. “We’ll return to share in the festivities.”
“I think that is advisable,” Louisa remarked as she stepped closer and tucked a loose strand behind Anne’s left ear, a knowing grin upon her face. “I do love to see you two so happy,” she told them then, her blue eyes moving from Anne to him before returning to his wife. “You must admit you’re quite fortunate to have me as your family. After all, without my assistance, I doubt we’d be here today celebrating your union.” Her brows rose meaningfully.
Tobias laughed, “Are you fishing for a compliment, dear cousin?”
Louisa smiled at him. “A thank-you will do, dearest Tobias.”
Sighing, Tobias offered her a formal bow. “I’m offering you my deepest gratitude for your wisdom in urging us to recognize the bond between us.” He smiled at Anne as she squeezed his arm, her eyes warm and glowing. “Your determination and selfless sacrifice shall never be forgotten.”
Rolling her eyes at him, Louisa sighed, “I must say that is a very unbecoming quality,” she miffed, her nose slightly wrinkled. “You sound just like your awful brother.”
“That reminds me,” Anne said as a slow, somewhat wicked smile came to her lips. “You have yet to fulfill your end of our bargain.”
For a second, Tobias frowned before he remembered what Anne had told him about everything Louisa had done during their visit to Windmere Park to make the two of them see what was truly between them. Not only had she tackled Anne to the ground and given Tobias a good talking-to, but she’d also promised to kiss Phineas if Anne and Tobias ever were to tie the knot.
Now, they had.
“Will you forfeit?” Anne dared her.
Louisa’s gaze hardened, and her jaw set in determination. “Never.”
As though on cue, footsteps echoed to their ears from down the hall, and a moment later, Phineas poked his head into the room. “What are you all doing in here?” he asked, looking from one to the other.
Louisa groaned and turned back to glare at Anne. “You did this on purpose!” she hissed.
Anne merely shrugged, an innocent smile upon her face.
Tobias tried his utmost not to laugh.
Huffing out an annoyed breath, Louisa spun on her heel and marched up to a rather bewildered-looking Phineas. “Don’t read anything into this,” she told him before her hands seized his face and pulled him into a kiss.
