Nicholas’s lips twitched, knowing this sounded far more like Julia than that “quiet solitude,” but he managed to stop himself from smiling.“I will bear your advice in mind.”
Amanda gave him a saucy grin.
Yes, Lady Amanda Styles was far less complicated than her rebellious cousin.A pity, then, that it was Julia who had long haunted Nicholas’s dreams and aroused his desire.
Dreams and a desire she obviously did not reciprocate.
CHAPTERTHREE
“I believe it is a full moon.”
Julia was startled by the sound of Nicholas Harding’s voice where it had no place being.A habit which seemed to be increasing in frequency this past twelve hours or so, when she had not so much as set eyes on him formonthsbefore this.
Julia was seated on the bench, admiring how the light and shadow moved across the four statues at the base of the large fountain in front of her.They were four male gods of Olympus, her grandmother had told her when she had asked about them as a child.
They were named Zeus, Poseidon, Apollo, and Ares, four of the twelve Olympians.The figures had been sculpted with loose clothing covering any intimate parts of their anatomy, but the parts revealed were all defined muscles, giving them an even more powerful appearance.
Julia turned from the statues to look up at Wolfingham in the light of that full moon.His hat covered much of his face, but what was visible was mostly harsh dips and hollows, and his eyes a dark glitter beneath lowered brows.His figure, even clothed, looked fully as powerfully muscled as the four statues of the Greek gods.
Which seemed particularly unfair when he lived a life of self-indulgence.
“What are you doing here?”Her tone was accusing.
He drew in a sharp breath, no doubt in response to Julia’s rudeness.Unfortunately, this man made her emotions feel positively violent whenever she saw him, completely eradicating any politeness she might otherwise have shown toward him.
“And how did you find your way through the maze in the dark?”she challenged before he could answer her first question.
“I grew up on the estate next door with my brothers,” he reminded.“Your grandparents were kind enough to allow the three of us to play in their woods and in the maze whenever we were at home.”
“But why are you here now?”Her tone was no less suspicious after hearing this explanation.
“I brought you this— I mean you no harm,” he soothed when Julia straightened her back at the feel of material falling about her shoulders.“It is only your own cloak, to keep you warm in the chill night air,” he insisted when she would have removed the garment.“It was given to me by Hutchings.”
For a moment, Julia had thought— But, of course, Wolfingham would not have removed his own jacket and then placed it about her shoulders.They were not friendly enough toward each other for him to want to do that for her.
“Thank you,” she accepted stiffly.“You may leave now,” she dismissed when he remained standing beside where she sat.
“Do you seriously have a headache or was that just a ruse?”he rasped.
She snorted.“Of course it was a ruse.One I made only because I had reached the end of my patience for this evening of even attempting to be polite to you— What on earth do you think you are doing!”she gasped as Wolfingham’s large hands grasped the tops of her arms and pulled her abruptly to her feet before turning her and holding her in front of him.
“Being asimpolite to you as you have been to me all evening,” he grated before removing his hat and allowing it to drop to the bench she had just vacated.
Julia only had time to look up and register the angry glitter in his dark eyes before his head lowered and his lips claimed hers in a kiss that was both punishing and possessive.
She wanted to fight him.
Of course she did.
Except her limbs refused to obey the voice of protest shouting loudly inside her head.
No, instead of fighting, Julia found her arms moving up so that her hands could grasp hold of Wolfingham’s wide shoulders.Not to push him away, she realized weakly, but to pull him closer still.
He kissed her without mercy.
Without consideration for her inexperience, his lips soft, but his kiss hard.
Devouring.
