For God’s sake, she made him feel like himself, like his old self, like he had before he’d made a giant mess out of his life. And she made him want things he’d never thought he’d want again.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before she seemed to realize what she’d done, and she released her hold on him. Greg, however, did not release his hold on her. After all, letting her go was the last thing in the world he wanted to do. Instead, he stared down at her, in his arms, his gaze drifting to her lips. If he could just kiss her again…
Before he could think the better of it, he slid one hand from her waist to gently cup the side of her face. And then Greg pressed his lips to hers. She melted against him; and Greg deepened their kiss, tangling his tongue with hers and reveling in the feel of her, the sweet taste of her lips and the soft little mewls that escaped her.
“Oh, Greg,” she whispered as her fingers grazed the back of his neck, sending frissons of need washing through him.
Good God, if she drove him this mad, fully clothed in his sister’s sitting room, he could only imagine what it would be like to have Bella naked and in his bed. He would never leave it and he’d make certain she never wanted to.
After a moment, he lifted his head and stared down at her once more. God in heaven, there was no one like her in the world. Her breaths came out in little puffs and her silvery eyes had a dewy look about them, and he wanted to kiss her again and again and never stop.
“Did we need to convince someone?” she whispered as though they had an audience behind them.
“No.” Greg couldn’t help himself, he laughed. She, clearly, had no idea how she affected him. He tucked one of her arrant dark curls behind her ear and said, “I’ve wanted to do that for a very long time, Bella. Nearly every moment I’m with you, in fact.” He just generally had better control of himself. But when she’d thrown herself into his arms, it was as though a floodgate had opened within him. And the last thing he wanted to do was go back to who he’d been before she’d done so.
* * *
Bella could only stareup at him after that admission. Did she dare hope he’d let himself fall even the tiniest bit in love with her? Was that why he’d made certain Grandmama’s earbobs were returned to her? Was that why he’d tried to reason with Elliott on her behalf, because he actually cared for her? Everything he’d done went well beyond him pretending to be her betrothed. At least she thought it did. And she hoped it meant so much more than that.
“Say something,” he said after a moment.
But what was she to say? That she’d fallen in love with him almost that first day? She wasn’t brazen enough to say something like that. He hadn’t, after all, said anything of the like to her. Just that he wanted to kiss her and she did want that too. So she very softly said, “Kiss me again, Greg.”
And without a moment’s hesitation, he dipped his head lower and brushed his lips against hers. Bella’s eyes fluttered closed and she reveled in the feel of his arms around her, of his sandalwood scent invading her senses, and of the pulsing that began to pound deep within her core.
Greg groaned slightly against her as his hands trailed down her back to cup her bottom. Goodness! No one had ever touched her like that, and the pulsing within her grew stronger, more insistent. And then he kissed a trail to her jaw and then down to her neck and…
Oh! Nothing had ever felt so amazing in her life. “Greg,” she breathed out as his lips trailed from her neck to the top of her décolletage. But then…
But then something foreign seemed to crash into the back of Bella’s legs. She gasped and pushed out of Greg’s embrace.
“Bella?” he began, not at all sounding like himself.
But something had definitely touched her. She spun around to find his tiny nephew standing right behind her, clutching her skirts in his hands. And Greg’s sister stood just inside the doorway, wearing the most peculiar expression. Goodness, what must Cordie think of her?
Bella’s cheeks burned from embarrassment. She couldn’t even meet Greg’s gaze. How could she ever do so again after her actions?
The countess gestured to the settee a few feet away. “Julian left his soldier. Sorry to interrupt.”
Greg took a step away from Bella and plucked a little wooden solider from the settee. Then he handed it to his young nephew. “There you go.” He patted the top of the little boy’s blond head and then he turned his attention to his sister. “We’ll have a conversation later, you and me.”
Cordie nodded in agreement. “Oh, I’m looking forward to it.” Then she scooped her son and his toy solider up into her arms and made a hasty retreat.
Bella dropped onto the settee in complete mortification. “She thinks I’m a wanton.”
A soft chuckle escaped Greg as he slid into the spot beside her. “I promise you she doesn’t.”
But Bella had no doubts. “Did you see the look on her face?” she asked as she cringed. “I never should have—”
“That expression was one of triumph, my dear.”
“Triumph?” Bella echoed, finally meeting his green gaze once more. What was there to be triumphant about?
“I get the feeling,” he said, taking her hand in his and brushing his thumb over her knuckles, “that my sister had more than a pretend betrothal in mind when she set this whole thing up.”
“But she couldn’t have.” Lissy had dragged Bella to Clayworth House that first day, hoping for assistance. Cordie hadn’t even known Bella existed before then, not in any real way.
“One should never underestimate my sister.” Greg breathed out a sigh. “After what she just witnessed, she’ll expect nothing less than a grand wedding at St. George’s. I can assure you of that”