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He released a heavy breath and put the picnic basket down before turning toward her and sweeping her up into his arms. Evelina knew she ought to protest, that it was the lady-like thing to do. However, she felt an unbelievable sense of safety in his arms.
He began walking quickly then, but to Evelina’s dismay, in the bridge’s direction.
“No, please Ryan, take me home.”
“We won’t make it.”
“I must insist you take me home right this minute.”
He ignored her and continued walking briskly for the bridge. Her insides began growing with alarming unease.
“Please.”
He had merely a moment to glance at her briefly before the skies completely opened up and rain began pelting them horribly. Unbelievably, he broke into a fast run, heedless of the fact he was carrying her in his arms and covered the remaining distance in no time. Once in front of the sanctuary of the stone bridge, he lowered her to her feet and ushered her underneath.
“All right, wait here and I’ll go fetch the carriage.”
He turned to leave but she reached out and grasped the sleeve of his coat. “No, don’t leave me here.”
He shot her a befuddled glance. “I thought you wanted to go home?”
Her bottom lip trembled terribly and it wasn’t from the fact she was now soaking wet. “You can’t–I mean I can’t–this won’t do–”
“Okay, calm down. I’ll be right back.”
Evelina could hear the terror in her own voice and see the exasperated look on his face and wished she didn’t have to feel this way. But the combination of thunder, lightning and the sound of rain hammering the stone bridge overhead had her pulse beating at an unprecedented speed. In a flash, recollections of twelve years ago resurfaced. Memories she had worked hard years ago to keep at bay in fear of this very feeling resurfacing.
“You’ll be safe here—”
“No!” She shrieked then collected herself. “No, I won’t! You don’t understand. I can’t stay here—”
The moment she uttered this last sentence she wished she could take it back. A look of bafflement crossed his features as he stared at her as if she had horns growing out of the side of her head. The man already thought her a lunatic with her fear of crowds, the outdoors, stairwells, and now the rain. He would surely think she ought to be committed with her countless phobias.
He stood just outside the shelter staring down at her with a heavy crease forming between his brows. His eyes bore into hers as if searching for something within their depths. Rain pelted his bent head and cascaded down his well-defined cheekbones causing them to appear more prominent than usual. He was breathing hard, almost as heavy as Evelina. However, whereas she was reacting to an anxiety attack, his was from carrying a woman soaking wet in layers of heavy garment across the park lawn.
“Dammit.” He unexpectedly cursed, and then before she could react, he reached out, grabbed her by the waist, and yanked her out from under the shelter and against his chest.
“Consider yourself warned,” he muttered just before he covered her mouth with his own.
Evelina blinked, completely stunned. Somewhere in the back of her distraught mind, she thought she ought to demand him to stop. To be horribly insulted. To protest, push him away, even slap his face in indignation.
However, all she could do was lay limp against his chest as an unexpected warmth swiftly made its way throughout her body, causing her to melt into his embrace. She felt the rain gushing down her face, felt it run over her lips onto his as they crushed her mouth with force. Without realizing it, she leaned toward him causing the kiss to deepen. His hands, which had been resting on her hips, slid around her midriff and pulled her close. A tiny moan escaped Evelina’s throat while her arms snaked up and around Ryan’s neck.
It was then that he broke the kiss, pulling away from her to look down into her upturned face with bewilderment. Evelina had no idea how wanting and enticing she appeared.
His eyes flickered with confusion, scattering raindrops off his eyelashes and revealing a warm desire within their blue depths. Then he blinked harder several times and took a step back, dropping his arms and letting her go.
“I’ll be right back,” he muttered, then was gone before she could stop him.
Chapter 9
Ryan made a dash for where he had left the carriage, his thoughts in turmoil. He couldn’t profess to be a real experienced ladies’ man, only having kissed a handful of women before in his life. However, he did not recall any of them being that incredible.
Admittedly, he had been battling an inner urge to kiss her ever since their first meeting, however, he had no inkling it would ever leave him so staggered. She must think him green under the thumb the way he went all googly-eyed. Not that she too hadn’t also been affected. He clearly saw the infatuation oozing out of her eyes after the kiss. No doubt, it was her first. And he had serious concerns that she had mistaken the rather brass move on his part as a sure sign of his adulation toward her. The besotted look in his eyes afterward probably didn’t help.
But that was a dangerous road to tre
ad. Ryan had no intention of following up on any schoolboy infatuations. It was his mission to fulfill his goal of sailing up the St. Lawrence to the Atlantic Ocean. He had gained a new perspective on life after that fateful day when he received word Jay had been diagnosed with a brain tumor. There was no guarantees in life. And it wasn’t as long as one may think. However, more importantly, it could be snatched from you in a blink of an eye.
