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Chapter 14
Annalise entered her room and stopped in the middle. Blake slowly came up behind her and placed his hands on her waist. The heat from his hands traveled throughout her body, dulling all the other senses but the awareness of him. He softly kissed her ear, then her neck. Annalise tilted her head to give him better access, and he kissed her open-mouthed before grazing her skin with his teeth and sending shivers down her body.
He slowly turned her to face him and looked at her as if mesmerized. He then proceeded to take the pins out of her coiffure. He ran his hands through her hair when he was done, spreading it about her shoulders.
“You are beautiful,” he whispered.
Annalise lowered her eyes.
“Are you certain you want to do this?” he asked.
Annalise took a deep breath. She wasn’t certain. She still shook slightly from their interlude in the carriage. Her mind was reeling with excitement. She wanted more. But she was also scared out of her wits. Scared of what? Trusting Blake again or falling in love with him again? If she continued down this path, would she ever be able to leave him?
She smiled shyly and looked into his eyes. “I think so.”
“I want you to be certain, darling.”
“I don’t know if I can be certain of anything right now.”
Blake returned her smile and brushed the lock of hair from her shoulder. “We don’t have to do anything more tonight, then. I’d rather you be certain.”
Was he about to leave? Panic gripped her at the thought. Yes, she wasn’t certain whether she wanted him or not, but she was certain she didn’t want to be alone.
Lavinia’s words rang through her mind.
All I know is that if I were given two months to spend worry-free in blissful happiness with Kensington, if I was told he’d marry and I’d be miserable after, but I’d have the memories of these two months… I would take it.
And you could end up with a babe,her heart whispered. Having made the decision, Annalise took his hands and tugged him closer.
Blake placed a soft kiss on her forehead. He was about to move away, but Annalise tipped her head and captured his mouth with hers.
Annalise kissed him deeply, desperately. She ran her hands up his hard chest until she encountered his cravat. She untied it with Blake’s help and threw it to the floor. Next went his waistcoat.
“Annalise,” he whispered, trying to take hold of her hands to slow her down.
“No, Blake. I am certain. Please, do not stop me.”
Blake nodded and removed his hands. Annalise unbuttoned his shirt and ran her hands over his hard, naked chest, feeling his warmth. She ran her fingers through his coarse hairs, his muscles bunching under her touch. She placed her hands over his heart, feeling the wild beating inside. Something metallic got caught under her palm, so she took it in her hand and raised it to her face. A locket.
Could it be? She raised her gaze to his but had trouble reading his expression in the dark room. Annalise went to the bedside table and lit a candle. Blake followed her close behind.
Annalise perched on the edge of the bed and tugged Blake to stand before her. She took the locket and rubbed it slowly.
“You kept this all this time,” she whispered.
“Kept it?” Blake huffed. “It’s the only thing that kept me sane.”
She opened the locket, peered into her miniature, and smiled.
“It’s a good likeness. I looked at it so many times during the past year and a half that I think it is engraved under my eyelids by now,” he said quietly. “It is nothing compared to reality, though.”
Annalise didn’t take her eyes off the locket. She swallowed before speaking. “I didn’t think you still had it,” she said, matching his quiet tone of voice.
Blake put two fingers under Annalise’s chin and lifted her face so she would meet his eyes. “You saved my life. I looked at that locket every day, and I swore I wouldn’t die without seeing you again.”
Annalise’s heart made a curious jolt while her eyes filled with tears. Blake slowly lowered his head and kissed her. Annalise’s hand went up to the nape of his head, and she pulled him closer, locket still in her hand, trapped between their bodies. She kissed him hungrily, enthusiastically, clinging to him and shaping her body to his.
With a groan, Blake lowered his torso and swept Annalise off the bed. He sat on the bed and gently lowered her to his lap.
