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“Are you absolutely certain you aren't thinking of your heartfelt invitations to Lord Bessington?” he scoffed, unable to stop himself. When he saw the way she flinched at his words, he instantly wished he could take them back. The last thing he had ever wanted to do was hurt her.
“I … I have never written to Lord Bessington directly,” she stammered, looking as if she were close to tears once more. “Theonlyperson I have written to in months is you. Lord Bessington visits my father and sometimes asks me to accompany him for walks as he is a widow and does not often enjoy company!”
“Is that what he tells you?” Philip snapped, laughing harshly once more. “Lady Daisy, I thought you were more intelligent than that.”
“How dare you!” Lady Daisy snarled back at him, and at that moment, she raised her hand to him. Too quick for her, Philip lashed out in return and grabbed hold of her wrist moments before her palm could connect with his face.
Feeling the warmth of her skin even through her glove, Philip couldn't help himself. Wrenching her wrist away from his face, he pulled her by the arm into his embrace as he forced her back against the wall. Her exclamation of protest was swallowed as his lips landed upon hers.
All the anger and frustration of the last few weeks were roiling around inside him now, leaving him unable to control himself. His hands cupped Lady Daisy's face, and he kissed her as if he had never kissed her before, hoping to heal all the wounds between them.
Still, he had no idea what had happened between them, but at that moment, he was adamant that he had to fix it. He could not leave that garden until he had soothed the aching deep in his soul, and only she could help him do that.
He was most surprised when she kissed him in return. Her fingers began to claw at his clothing, her hands tightening in his waistcoat for several minutes before they snaked up over his shoulders and into the hair at the back of his head.
The tension between them only increased as his hands travelled down over her waist, cupping around her rear.
“Philip,” she whispered against his lips moments before deepening the kiss even further. At that moment, he felt like he was hearing his name for the first time, and he longed to hear it again with such desire. Hooking his fingers in the skirts of her gown, he hungrily pulled them up, feeling beneath the material for her body.
When he felt the soft nakedness of her thigh beneath his fingertips, he slid them between her legs and found her utterly bare beneath his touch save for a small amount of coarse hair. The feel of that hair growing moist beneath his fingers made his manhood harden beyond belief, and he knew there was only one way this would end.
Stroking excitedly at her soft sex, he enjoyed the sound of her muffled exclamations as she buried her face in his shoulder. In the darkness, he sensed more than saw her bite the lapel of his jacket and knew without a doubt that she was struggling to contain herself as much as he was.
It wasn't until he felt her hand slipping down between their bodies, reaching for his manhood, that reality hit him like a ton of stone.
This can't happen!he told himself, beginning to pull away.I can't allow this to happen. Not like this.
“Philip!” she gasped once more, the exclamation muffled against his shoulder as she angled her pelvis towards him, inviting him to play with her further.
As if she sensed him trying to pull away, she grabbed his wrist and pulled his fingers firmly back into place as she pulled her face back to look at him and her expression said,what is the matter?
“Daisy, this is wrong,” he sighed, a battle going on deep in his soul as he realised he wanted nothing more than to bury his member deep inside her, to claim her as his own as if they were merely two animals out in the wilderness.No, she is a lady, and I will treat her as one!he snapped at himself as he watched her face fall with disappointment.
“Philip, you do not need to worry,” she told him, hooking a hand around the back of his neck and drawing him back to her for another kiss. Though he kissed her back, he was more reluctant this time, trying to hold himself apart from her so that he would not lose himself in the fantasy of being with her.
“No, Daisy, not like this,” he said firmly. Feeling the pain of rejection coming off of her in waves, Philip gripped hold of her face firmly in both his palms and held her there, gazing deep into her beautiful eyes, feeling as though he could see right into her soul and she into his. “I promise we shall have each other but not like this.”
The silver moon seemed to peek out from the clouds at that moment, allowing Philip to see a fresh tear rolling down Lady Daisy's rouged cheek. The pain that was so visible in her gaze threatened to make Philip forget all he had just said to her. He would have liked nothing more than to take her right then and there, but his reason remained with him.
“My Lady, if we are to do this, then we shall do it properly,” he told her firmly, and feeling the desire to remain closer to her, he leaned his forehead against hers, feeling her breath caress his lips. He closed his eyes and squeezed her face gently between his palms before lifting his face to hers to kiss her again. Then he announced decidedly, “I will go to your father.”
When he felt Lady Daisy stiffen against him, he lifted his face from hers and pulled back just enough to look at her. Her palms were pressed against his chest now as if she were trying to melt right into him, and Philip knew exactly how she felt. He did not wish to leave her either.
She was looking at him with a quizzical expression and a gaze that said she needed to hear him say the words aloud.
“Lady Daisy Lockhart, if you will have me, I will go to your father and ask for your hand in marriage,” he announced. Unable to bear the thought that she might reject him, he quickly pulled away, determined to leave before she could do so. “Until then, we ought to return to the ball before our absence is noticed.”
He discreetly stepped away and gestured for Lady Daisy to take the lead. She hesitated, remaining in the shadows, and Philip had to fight the urge not to take hold of her once more. Every moment he spent in her presence now was dangerous. He had made his decision, and no matter her feelings, he had to follow through with his plan.
“Reject my offer if you wish,” he said firmly, unable to look her in the eye for fear that she might do just that. “But first, I will at least make my intentions clear to your father. No man shall ever say I am not a gentleman.”
With that, and with questions still fizzing through his mind, Philip turned and began to walk away. For several steps, he fought the urge to turn back, and for several more, he hoped that Lady Daisy would call him back.
Just as he reached the bottom of the patio steps, preparing himself for the knowledge that she would not do so, Lady Daisy finally hissed loudly under her breath, “Philip!”
Just hearing the way she said his name told Philip all he needed to know. He did not even need to turn around and see the hopeful look on her face. He could hear the desire dripping from her voice. “Do not leave me here like this.”
Clenching his jaw, Philip turned back to her and forced himself to walk calmly back to her, knowing that at least he was in full view of the ballroom doors. The moment he stepped back into the shadows before her, he gripped hold of her face and gazed into her beautiful, big round eyes, holding her face up to his as he assured her, “After tonight, we shall never be parted again.”
