Once Upon a Temptingly Ruinous Kiss: #2 The Whickertons in Love, page 31
Again, that smile tugged on her lips, and a soft sigh drifted to his ears. “I enjoy kissing you as well.”
At her words, Drake felt himself relax, that last shred of tension falling away. He wanted her to feel at ease with him, could not imagine ever drawing near without not only her permission, but also her desire to have him close. “May I?”
In answer, he felt her hands reach up and gently grasp his face. Then she pushed herself onto her toes and kissed him.
It was a kiss that was unlike any other in every way. Shy one moment, daring the next. She had so many facets about her that Drake wondered if he would ever tire of learning them all. He wanted a lifetime of trying to. A lifetime of gathering her close.
He wanted a lifetime with her.
It was as simple as that.
“Will you marry me then?” he asked as he pulled away, reluctant but also eager.
An odd expression came to her face, a mix of a frown and a smile that Drake did not quite know what to do with it. “You said there was another reason. One you have yet to tell me about.” A mischievous twinkle came to her eyes.
Drake smiled at her, loving the way she always spoke her mind. “Very well,” he said, suddenly feeling oddly at ease. “I want to marry you because…” Where would he ever find the right words? Would they not always seem insufficient? “Because I never want to find myself wondering if and when you will return here again. Because I simply don’t want you to leave at the end of the day. Because I never tire of looking at you and speaking to you. Because without you, this place is just a house, but with you it would be a home. Because you make me laugh and smile and look forward to the next day. Because you make me feel stronger than I ever have before, and yet, weaker at the same time. Because…I never thought I could be happy.”
A gentle smile came to her face, and she cupped a hand to his cheek. “I never thought I could be happy again, either.”
Drake held her tightly, wanting her to know how deeply he felt for her. “You are everything to me, and on some level, you have been since the day we met. When I looked at you, I knew I needed to know you. I knew I would regret it for the rest of my life if I did not. I knew I needed to keep you close. I wanted to keep you close.”
Tears trailed down Leonora’s cheeks, and yet, the smile upon her face told him that he had not made a mess of things as he had feared. “I love you as well,” Leonora whispered, reaching up to brush away the tears. “I love you for all you’ve done for me, but mostly for all you are. You understood me from the first moment we met, and even before...that night, I’ve never felt quite at ease with anyone else the way I do with you. You understand me, and you let me be who I am.” She inhaled a deep breath, that smile once more fighting to curl up the corners of her mouth. “So, yes, I will marry you if—” She lifted a hand to stop him as he leaned down to kiss her, overjoyed with her answer. “I will marry you if you are certain that that is what you want. Remember that after last night, society will—”
Sweeping her back into his arms, Drake kissed her, for once not asking permission. He simply kissed her to silence her. He kissed her because he could. He kissed her because he wanted to. He kissed her because deep down he knew that she wanted him to.
And she kissed him back.
Their paths had crossed in a fairly unusual way. Yet, Drake could not imagine anyone more perfect for him. They complemented one another. They understood one another. They were alike in many ways and knew to appreciate each other’s differences.
Drake found himself wondering what would have happened if he had not gone to Lord Archibald’s Christmas house party. He would never have met Leonora, and it would have been the greatest regret of his life.
But he had gone, and he had met her, and now he would never let her go again.
Epilogue
London, Early summer 1803 (or a variation thereof)
A few weeks later
After only ever sneaking into Drake’s house through the side entrance and then immediately heading to the study, Leonora was looking forward to finally exploring the rest of the house as the new Marchioness of Pemberton.
“You’re positively glowing,” her mother beamed as she pulled Leonora into her arms. “You are a beautiful bride, and I am so happy that you two found each other.” She looked over her shoulder at her husband, sharing one of those looks that always whispered of their connection. Finally, Leonora understood what that felt like. She cast a glance across the room to where Phineas was congratulating Drake upon their nuptials. Their eyes met, and Leonora could all but feel a spark, as though lightning had struck the air around them.
Judging from the look in his eyes, Drake felt it, too, and Leonora wondered if that feeling would ever go away. She looked at her mother and father and simply knew that it would not, for they still looked at one another in that same all-consuming, deeply absorbed way that meant that for a moment, nothing and no one else existed but that other person.
The one they loved.
After the scandal she had caused that night, Leonora had never expected to ever find herself received outside her immediate family, much less invited anywhere else. Yet, strangely enough, it did not matter. Particularly not on her wedding day.
With her family at her side, Leonora knew she would forever be happy with Drake. He was all she needed. Nevertheless, she had found herself surprised to see that her family had indeed invited close friends and an acquaintance here and there. Leonora had been even more surprised when most of them had, in fact, shown up that morning to join in the celebration. Some eyed her curiously, and she could see a hint of apprehension in others. While Sarah, their former neighbor, was overjoyed to be invited and quickly fell into easy conversation with Christina and Harriet, her mother, Lady Hartmore, seemed on the fence. Her own reputation, due to her husband’s gambling debts, was strained as it was, and she no doubt figured that by associating with the Wicked Whickertons—as some in the ton now called them—she would only hurt her daughter’s prospects and thus herself.
Leonora was about to excuse herself to seek out her new husband when her gaze fell on a slightly familiar face. For a moment, Leonora could not place him. Yet, she knew she had definitely seen him before. However, it was not until she saw Christina’s disapproving frown, followed by a hastened exit from the drawing room, that Leonora felt the penny drop.
Mr. Sharpe.
The man Christina loathed beyond all others because he was the very one Lady Hartmore was currently considering as her daughter’s future husband. “Did you invite Mr. Sharpe?” she asked, turning to her parents, surprised to see him here in such an intimate assembly.
“Mr. Sharpe?” her father asked, a slight frown upon his face as he turned in the direction Leonora indicated. “I’m afraid I’ve never met the man. Who is he?”
Leonora sighed. “That is hard to explain,” she mumbled when her gaze fell on Grandma Edie as she sat in her armchair, her pale blue eyes wide open and watchful, but with a scheming sparkle in them. “Will you excuse me?”
Quick footsteps carried her across the room to her grandmother’s side. “What did you do?”
Her grandma looked up at her, an innocent smile coming to her face. “Whatever do you mean, my dear?”
Leonora could not say what made her think her grandmother had something to do with Mr. Sharpe’s invitation. Perhaps it had been years of being acquainted with her. “Did you invite Mr. Sharpe?”
Her grandmother looked past her at the young man. “I find him a most delightful fellow,” her grandmother replied, that innocent look still upon her face.
“That is not an answer!”
Grandma Edie smiled at her. “Have you not recently been married? Have you already grown tired of your new husband?” A mischievous glimmer lingered in her grandmother’s eyes as she urged Leonora toward Drake.
Considering that this was her wedding day, Leonora did not care to argue with her grandmother. “Very well, but the last word has not been spoken on this. I want to know what you’re planning.”
A slight chuckle followed her as she made her way across the room to her husband’s side. Drake had a bit of a frown upon his face, his eyes searching hers. “Is something wrong?” He glanced behind her at her grandmother.
Leonora shrugged. “That, I cannot say. Although I have the feeling that my grandmother is up to something, and from experience I can tell you that is never good.”
A warm chuckle rumbled in Drake’s throat. “Are you certain? Honestly, if it hadn’t been for her, I’m not certain how everything between us would’ve played out.”
Leonora frowned at him. “What do you mean?”
“Although you might not have noticed, I have spoken to your grandmother on a few occasions. Or rather she spoke to me.” He reached for her hands, holding them gently within his own. “She all but urged me to look at you and see more than someone to protect. She helped me realize what it was I felt whenever you were near.” He shrugged, his gaze once more drifting to her grandmother. “She has a way of seeing things others do not or are afraid to realize.”
Leonora smiled. “She did the same for Louisa and Phineas. Although, I suppose, at the time they were rather annoyed with her meddling.”
“I admit, as was I,” Drake replied honestly. “Now, however, I am glad she did what she did. What do you think she’s up to now?”
Leonora shrugged, then stilled when she found her grandmother’s armchair suddenly empty. “Where did she go?” She craned her neck, trying to discover her whereabouts. After all, the woman walked with a cane. She could not have gone far, could she?
However, upon searching the room, Leonora realized something else. Something equally unsettling. Not only her grandmother seemed to have disappeared, but so did Mr. Sharpe.
“Why would she invite him?” Drake wondered as they retreated to a quieter corner, trying not to alert the other guests to their suspicions. “I did not know they were acquainted.”
Leonora did not know what to think. “Neither did I.”
“He spoke to me the night of…” Drake’s voice trailed off and he wiggled his brows in that delightfully new way that Leonora was coming to treasure. Despite his often-serious demeanor, he had a bit of a whimsical side to him, hidden behind all those layers of repressed hopes and dreams. “He said you were an exceptional woman and asked me when I would ask you to marry me.”
Leonora stared at her husband. “He did? Why would he do so? The two of you were not acquainted thus far, were you?”
Drake shook his head.
“That still does not explain why he is here or why my grandmother would invite him,” Leonora mumbled, trying to make sense of things.
Still reading her thoughts, Drake once more reached for her hands. “You do not need to understand everything, especially not right away, especially not today.”
Leonora smiled up at her husband. “You’re right. I cannot wait for our lives to begin.” She glanced around at her new home. “You don’t mind if we make some changes to the furnishings, do you?”
“Not at all,” Drake assured her with a sigh. “In fact, I insist we make changes. When we are finished, I want this to be our place, our home, for our family.”
“I want that to.” Allowing her husband to pull her into his arms, Leonora rested her head upon his shoulder. She looked around and saw all the people she loved, and she felt fortunate to be one of them. Life could have gone very differently, but it had not. It had led her through obstacles, but it had led her to Drake.
And that was something she would never regret.
Unfortunately, what Leonora would come to regret was not going after her grandmother immediately because only moments later Christina would be found in a most compromising situation together with none other than…
...Mr. Sharpe!
Judging from that mischievous twinkle in her grandmother’s eye upon their discovery, Leonora strongly believed that the old lady had had something to do with it.
Of course, that was nothing out of the ordinary.
THE END
Thank you for reading Once Upon a Temptingly Ruinous Kiss!
If you want to read more about the Whickerton family, make sure to check out Once Upon a Devilishly Enchanting Kiss (Louisa’s story) and Once Upon a Kiss Gone Horribly Wrong (Anne’s story).
Christina’s and Mr. Sharpe’s story will be coming soon in Once Upon an Irritatingly Magical Kiss! Click here to pre-order your copy!
In the meantime, have you checked out other novels by Bree Wolf?
Read on to find an excerpt of first installment of the Love’s Second Chance Series: Highland Tales: Tamed & Unleashed – The Highlander’s Vivacious Wife!
Claudia Davenport sets out to find her child, only to receive unexpected aid in her quest from a handsome stranger. A man who seems more familiar than he ought to be. A man she has met before. If only she could remember him!
Get your own copy of Tamed & Unleashed and fall in love with this emotionally gripping quest! Or read on for a sneak-peek!
PROLOGUE
Gretna Green, Scotland, Summer 1808 (or a variation thereof)
Upon waking, Claudia Davenport, sister to Viscount Ashwood, found her head throbbing with such intensity that she feared it would split in two. Groaning, she rolled onto her side, her hands reaching up to cover her face in a futile attempt to shield her from the blinding sun penetrating even her closed lids. Had the world gone mad?
Never in her life had Claudia awoken to such pain. Never had the sun been her enemy. Never had she felt sick to her stomach.
Not quite like this.
Pinching her eyes shut, Claudia buried her face in the pillow, slowly forcing one deep breath after another down her throat and into her lungs. To her relief, she found that holding her head still eased the pain somewhat, and so she simply lay there for a long while, breathing in and out.
After a small eternity, her ears began to pick up on various sounds drifting in through the closed windows as well as the door to her room. The sounds of people going about their business. And yet, the sounds were not quite as she remembered them.
As they ought to be.
Something was different, and a frown emerged on her face.
Slowly, she cracked open an eye and peered at her surroundings.
A moment later, Claudia bolted upright in bed.
Instantly, her head rebelled at such treatment, sending jolts of pain through her being that would have brought her to her knees had she been standing. Her hands flew up, pressing hard onto her temples in the hopes of easing the pain. Still, it took a long while before she dared open her eyes again.
Squinting, Claudia took in the small chamber, the simple and sparse furnishings, the lack of luxury. “What happened?” she whispered to herself. “Where am I?”
For this was definitely not her bedchamber back at Farnworth Manor.
This was a room she had never seen before.
Swallowing the panic that began to rise, Claudia closed her eyes once more, trying to remember how on earth she had ended up in this place. The last thing she could recall was attending Lord Campton’s ball.
Once more, she heard the soft notes of the music drifting through the large rooms. Again, she found herself standing with the other young debutantes, eyes gliding over the gentlemen in attendance until−
“William,” Claudia gasped as his face took form before her inner eye. “We danced. We laughed. We−” Again, a gasp tore from her throat, and one hand fell from her temple covering her mouth in shock. “We ran off.”
Trying to swallow the lump in her throat, Claudia once more glanced about the room as though William might have been hiding somewhere in plain sight all along. But he was not. She was alone.
Careful not to move too much, Claudia inhaled a few deep breaths, allowing her mind to wander back to the night before. Slowly, images returned of her taking William’s hand and following him outside into the dark night. She remembered him helping her into his carriage, the way he had held her in his arms as the horses had pulled them toward their destination, his assurances that all would be well.
“We eloped,” Claudia mumbled, her eyes drifting around the room. “This is…this is an inn…in Gretna Green. It must be.” The breath caught in her throat, and she slowly turned her head to the left, her eyes focusing on the other side of the bed.
It was empty, and yet, someone had lain there. There was an unmistakable indentation, and…a warmth lingered that sent a shiver down her back. “What have I done?” Slowly, she pulled back the thin blanket and her heart slammed to a momentary halt.
In the bright morning sun, a few droplets of blood shone on the white linen like rubies.
The air rushed from Claudia’s lungs, and the nausea in her stomach sent her flying from the bed. Her body tensed, revolted, and she sank to her knees, one arm reaching for the chamber pot. Then her insides contracted expelling last night’s dinner−and drink! −into the small bowl.
When it was over, she sank down, head resting against the side of the bed, her mind momentarily focused on drawing fresh air into her body. Her hand pushed the chamber pot away as the stench of its contents threatened to overwhelm her delicate hold on her body once more.
In her weakened state, Claudia felt numb and strangely detached. Her mind moved slowly as though it did not have the strength to provide her with what she sought: answers.
Still, despite an almost desperate desire to curl up into a ball and hide in a corner, Claudia knew that she could not pretend this had not happened − whatever this was!
Had she married William? Had they arrived in Gretna Green, sought out an anvil priest and−?
Claudia froze as an image drifted to the front of her mind, an image of William hanging his head in defeat, his eyes downcast and apologetic…as he had stepped away from her…and followed his elder brother, Viscount Crowemore, to their waiting carriage.
