AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Meredith bestowed a smile on Ravencroft. “That sounds like a lovely idea. Enjoy yourselves.”
Dracott stood and held out his hand to help Maggie rise. Once again, a shy smile graced her lips. They followed Ravencroft and Noel out into the warm night. The weather had grown warmer as the evening passed.
“Mina looked like an angel in your arms. You have a way with children,” Maggie said.
“She is a sweet child,” Crispin replied.
“Do you want children of your own?” Maggie asked.
He had never pondered the thought before. If someone had ever asked him, he would’ve answered with a resounding denial. He refused to bring a child into the threat of uncertainty always hanging over him. However, the thought of Maggie being pregnant with their child stirred something in Crispin. The image of her holding their child only made the emotion more intense, and his answer was simple to make.
“Yes.” He stopped walking and turned to her. “Do you?”
Maggie nodded, too choked up to give him an answer.
He returned her nod, understanding the emotion their questions sparked.
They resumed their walk again and stopped near the fountain. Ravencroft and Noel had settled on the bench with their heads bent close together. He tried not to stare, but his brother’s behavior astounded him.
“It is sickening to watch.” Maggie groaned. “Their behavior is so sappy.”
“Is it now?” He tugged Maggie behind the fountain for some privacy.
Before Maggie could answer, Crispin pulled her into his embrace and swallowed her comment with his kiss.
When he let her up for air, her adorable, amused expression caused him to question, “Too sappy?” before pressing his lips against hers again. Only this time, he drew out the kiss with agonizing slowness.
He lifted his head and swiped his thumb across her lips. “Personally, I enjoy sappy. But if you do not?”
Maggie darted her tongue out, surprising Crispin. He wasn’t the only one capable of teasing. “If only your kiss was sappy enough.”
Crispin’s eyes darkened. Her sass only increased his desire to make love to her. Her tongue continued to trace over his thumb, drawing it deeper into her mouth. She enticed him into her web.
“I cannot allow any rumors to spread that I cannot fulfill your requirements for sappiness.”
His thumb pulled her lip down as he lowered his head. His tongue struck out inside her mouth, showing Maggie the many depths he wished to possess her and draw her into his soul. He left her with no doubt of his intention going forth. She whimpered into their kiss and then met him stroke for stroke. His hand cupped her cheek, drawing her lips under his while he ravished her with one kiss after another.
He forgot his whereabouts when someone behind them cleared their throat. Not once, but again with increasing annoyance. He wanted to swat at the disturbance, but the forceful grip on his shoulder brought him to his senses. With reluctance, he pulled his lips away from Maggie’s and dropped his hands. Someone had caught them. He only hoped whoever gripped his shoulder wasn’t the one who would take away what he most desired.
Maggie came out of her fog to see her sister wearing a smirk and Lord Ravencroft with a firm grip on Crispin’s shoulder. The earl’s expression confused her. His frown held disapproval and a bit of anger. Why should he care if Crispin kissed her? He wasn’t her brother, nor did they share a bond for him to feel as if he had to protect her. She still couldn’t bring herself to call him Gregory, and his behavior only proved she had her reasons not to trust him. The kisses she shared with Crispin were none of his concern.
However, before Maggie could voice her opinion, Noel grabbed her hand and led them back to the house. She glanced over her shoulder to see Crispin growling at Ravencroft and twisting away from the earl’s grasp. She tried to dig in her heels, but Noel kept them moving, muttering about Maggie’s foolishness. Now Ravencroft and Crispin were arguing. Both of them thrashed their hands through the air in anger. They appeared to have the same mannerisms with each gesture they made. Which was ridiculous because they had never met until the Sinclair Ball.
Noel tsked. “You were lucky it was only Ravencroft and me who saw you two kissing.”
Maggie rolled her eyes. “Please stop.”
Noel continued with her lecture. “For shame, to kiss in such wanton disregard where Mama, Reese, or Graham might have come upon you.”
Maggie latched onto a pole holding a lantern and forced them to a halt. She ripped herself out of her sister’s grasp.
Noel tumbled forward but steadied herself before falling on her face. She turned around with her hands on her hips. “Was that necessary?”
Maggie growled. “As necessary as you found it to drag me away.”
Noel shook her head. “Ravencroft thought it would be best to separate your embrace. Now come along, the gentlemen will return shortly. I am to make an excuse they are smoking cigars.” Noel shuddered and then rattled on as usual, refusing to allow Maggie to defend herself. “I absolutely abhor those vile crutches, but Ravencroft enjoys them so. He has promised to only smoke them when I am not around. I’ll make an exception this evening because we must cover up your foolishness.”
Noel presented herself as an addlebrained twit who held no common sense. However Noel might portray herself falsely to society, Maggie knew her sister better than most. She wondered if Ravencroft realized her sister’s true character yet or not. Maggie shook her head to clear out her thoughts about her sister. Another aspect her sister was excellent at, distracting one’s thoughts from what they needed to focus on.
