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“You should see it during the day. Only, I’m afraid the flowers you see now would be closed. These begin to open only after sunset.” He led her over to another plant. “This one is a Gardenia gummifera, a gift from my good friend, Linnaeus. It’s called Nadihingu by the natives of India and is considered a gift from heaven for its many medicinal uses. You can’t see it now, but the blooms are a pale amber color.”
Leaning over, Victoria sniffed the flower he held up for her, inhaling a lush sweetness that she imagined would make a lovely perfume. “It is heavenly,” she sighed. All around her, exotic blooms released their silent messages into the night, casting an invisible net around her. She turned to ask her host a question about the plant and found him staring at her with a burning intensity that stole her words. It was another sort of silent message, one as clear and bright as day, even amid the moonlight and shadows.
Here, in this paradise far removed from the rest of the world, it seemed perfectly natural to tilt up her face as he bent to brush his lips against hers.
JULIUS TOOK ADVANTAGE, dipping in to taste her honeyed lips. On hearing her tremulous gasp, he clasped her about the waist and pulled her closer. Her lush curves molded against him, and he knew it was what he’d wanted from the moment he’d laid eyes on her.
She pressed into him, her body demanding, her breath becoming short. His own response was immediate. Hard and insistent, his cock strained against the cloth of his breeches. There was no way to conceal his lust from her. Any moment now…
Indeed, she stilled instantly upon coming up against that most conspicuous bulge, and her eyes grew wide.
All at once, Julius realized he’d let things go a bit too far. “I beg your forgiveness, my lady. My lack of self-control is inexcusa
ble. You are simply…” He shook his head. He’d been about to tell her she was more than a man could resist, but he knew it would come out sounding trite and insincere. “Again, I apologize, madam. It will not happen again. Please allow me to escort you back to the ballroom.”
She did not move. “Why did you kiss me?”
Her voice was thick, her gaze drowsy with passion. But there was innocent curiosity in her eyes as well. The directness of her question deserved an honest answer. “Because you are incredibly beautiful. And because for all of my breeding, I am no gentleman.” He could only hope she didn’t tell Richmond of this incident.
“Kiss me again.”
Startled, he hesitated only briefly before giving himself over to the pleasure of again plundering the treasury between her lips. His hands wandered, learning the shape of her body through the silk of her gown. She was delectable in every sense of the word.
In the back of his mind, pushed as far away as possible, the cold and unwelcome voice of reason whispered that he should not, could not, do this. He was a duke’s son, raised to understand intimately the concepts of duty and self-discipline, and far too civilized to take advantage of an inexperienced young lady’s curiosity no matter how much she thought she wanted it.
Her tongue darted out to touch his in a tentative exploration, and he shuddered with longing the likes of which he had not felt in over a decade.
Only one other woman had ever had this kind of effect on him. He’d been instantly smitten with Martha, the beautiful daughter of their village’s blacksmith in Derbyshire. Each kiss with Martha had been golden, every embrace a pleasure so acute that he’d thought to die of it. It had been impossible for him to keep away from her.
Everyone had turned a blind eye. After all, it was perfectly normal and healthy for a young gentleman to sow his oats. But despite being just seventeen, Julius had wanted far more than just a few nights’ pleasure. He’d begged his father to purchase a commission for him so that he could marry her. Refused summarily and given the choice of going to Oxford or being disowned, only his mother’s pleas had prevented him from turning his back on his home and family.
Filled with determination, he’d gone to Oxford as ordered—with every intention of secretly keeping in contact with his love. He vowed to make her his mistress as soon as he was able to support her, and thus keep her forever close.
Before he could enact this plan, however, he’d learned the truth about Martha.
Inclement weather had forced him to overnight at the village inn during a return visit home. On entering the common room, he’d seen her: Martha of the golden hair and winsome smile—his Martha—laughing in the arms of his brother’s best friend.
He knew her family had been handsomely compensated for the trouble he’d caused with her. She could have married a man from one of the neighboring villages and lived honestly—God knew she’d received enough offers after her father had dowered her. But she’d declined.
He’d thought it was for love of him that she’d done so. But now he knew. Some women had a taste for the upper crust, William had told him when asked about her. Martha had betrayed him and proven little better than a whore. The worst part was that, even knowing what she was, Julius had still wanted and even loved her.
It had taken years to get over her, to blur those memories and seal his heart against the pain they bore. And now he found himself inflamed by the same kind of maddening want all over again. Only this time, the object of his desire was no mere cottager’s get, but a duke’s daughter, which meant…
Marriage.
It seemed a logical conclusion, provided she felt likewise about it. But if such was his goal, then he must be less reckless in his approach. This was no village light skirt. Kissing her chastely was one thing, what he was doing now was another. Pulling back, he reluctantly ended their kiss.
Her eyes were dark and smoky, her ripe, glistening lips parted. With manful effort, he resisted the temptation to taste of them again. She leaned toward him, clearly impassioned beyond reason.
“We must not,” he told her, his voice coming out all rough. “It would be an unforgivable breach of conduct on my part to take advantage of you in such a manner, my lady. I’m afraid I have let desire overrule good sense. Please forgive me.”
Her siren’s smile faded, and her cheeks darkened as she blinked with embarrassment.
Julius was grateful for the deep shadows that concealed his shame. “Lady Victoria, please believe me when I say I had no dishonorable intentions when I brought you here. I swear it by all that is holy. I have behaved impetuously and I regret any distress it has caused you.”
He swallowed, wanting to leave it at that, but his mouth simply refused. “That said, my rash act cannot be undone—and in all honesty I would not wish it so, no matter how improper it may seem. By my very words, I indeed prove myself no gentleman, for none would speak so to a lady, and well I know it. I, however, prefer the truth above propriety. I enjoyed kissing you immensely, and though it blacken me further in your eyes to say it, I deem that you did as well.”
Her jaw dropped in surprise, and what came out next was completely unvarnished. “First you apologize for kissing me, and then you accuse me of being a wanton for kissing you back?”
