Page 93 of Waiting for Love

“He…he slipped getting out of his carriage earlier this afternoon. He said he didn’t want to talk about it. Don’t bring it up.”

“Well, how silly.”

“Don’t bring it up.”

“I won’t. But it’s silly to get angry at Alice for noticing. It’s not like him.”

He shrugged but didn’t agree or disagree.

“Should we wait for them to catch up?” she asked.

He didn’t answer. They walked past the narrow path, staying on the safe one. But they came to a fork, two paths. One appeared to circle back and the other led on. Benjamin steered her toward the longer path. Shortly, they were out of sight of Hazard and Alice. Benjamin’s stride lengthened and she walked faster.

“I don’t know what kind of trees these are,” she said.

“I don’t either.”

She saw another narrow break off to the left. Overgrown. Dark. She wasn’t sure it was even a path. But their footsteps veered left. Olivia looked back and saw no one. Benjamin stopped at the entrance to the path which appeared to merely be a trampled foot track. He looked down at her. Studied her. She nodded. He took her by the hand and led her in.

It was quite overgrown. Benjamin held aside overhanging branches. Leaves and sticks crackled underfoot.

“I’m glad I am wearing my boots,” she said to say something.

He gave her a tight smile.

And then the foliage before them became too dense to go farther. A little moonlight filtered in from above and a dim glow from a faraway lamp kept the dark at bay. Benjamin turned to face her. They were hemmed in. Very hemmed in. Alone in their tiny world.

He took hold of her elbows. She listened to her heart beating wildly and waited. Then he let go and settled his hands on her shoulders. When she didn’t move, he slowly trailed his fingers back to her elbows, his touch skimming lightly over the fabric of her sleeves, then her arms.

“Like silk,” he murmured.

“It is silk.” She tried not to giggle. This was not the moment for giggling.

He smiled and repeated the caress. This time, his touch was firmer, lighting her arms on fire. She held very still. His hands went to her waist. Then up to cup her breasts. His breathing sounded ragged. After a several moments, he curled his hands and brushed his knuckles over the front of her bosom. It sent a shock through her. Indescribable. Indescribably wonderful.

“Benjamin,” she gasped, looking up into his eyes. “Do that again.”

His eyes went very dark. She watched him unbutton the cuff of his right glove, then he stripped it off. He hooked his left index finger into the neckline of her dress and pulled it down just far enough to slip his thumb, his naked thumb, under her chemise. He circled it around, making her shiver.

“Benjamin,” she whispered.

His mouth crashed down upon hers. This was what it was like to have him truly kiss her. She didn’t understand what he was doing—and then it all made sense as she mimicked him and felt what he must be feeling. There was so much more to kissing than she’d thought.

He gripped her hips and pulled her against him. His hands kneaded her buttocks. It was so very tempting to do the same, but she didn’t dare. Instead she dug her fingers into his hair, holding him so that they might never stop kissing.

But he did stop.

“I love you.” He groaned the words against her ear. “You know I do. But this has to stop.”

“No. It can’t. Kiss me, Benjamin.”

He let go of her and stepped back.

“I’m not going to take you against a tree. My God, Olivia.”

She blinked. And remembered where they were. “No. No, you’re right. Of course, you’re right.” Her head swam. She tried to think, to say the appropriate thing, even though nothing could be appropriate after that. “Not here. But…you will?”

His expression was both angry and pitying. “No. I won’t. I can’t.”