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“Indeed,” he concurred. “It was nearly the same reaction with Lord Blakely and Calliope. And from what I hear, the Duke of Gravesend was instantly smitten with your youngest sister, Olivia.”
Isadora gave a thoughtful sigh. “I wonder if my father ever felt the same way about our mothers. I have begun to wonder, in recent years, if he was actually struck by love, or just infatuation.” She shrugged. “Then again, I suppose it could be just my intuitive nature. I learned he was to marry again a few months before his death, but it was for mutual benefit. The lady suffered fromdelusions, and he was looking for companionship in his advanced years.”
“I don’t see that there is anything wrong with that,” the marquess noted.
“I suppose not,” she concurred. “But it does make me and my sisters wonder if he actually loved our mothers with the deep abiding affection that he claimed.”
He frowned. “I admit it would be difficult to believe that he did, but what do we know about love and how it works? I know I’ve never held such strong feelings for anyone.”
Except for you.
Remington nearly made a fatal error and voiced that thought, but thankfully, he stopped himself in time. He did note, however, that she merely nodded, but didn’t voice the same opinion. It instantly made him burn with curiosity.Hadshe been in love, and that was the reason she had eschewed marriage for all time?
He instantly wanted to know who the man was and why he’d dared to reject her rather than offer to lay the world at her feet. If she would only give him the chance to prove himself, Rem would do whatever was in his power to get her to change her mind about matrimony. He respected her determination to succeed as an independent woman of means, and he would give her free reign to continue whatever charitable or business dealings she wished to explore. In truth, he thought they would make a remarkable team. He didn’t want to take anything from her. The one thing he would ever ask in return was to share her bedchamber every night, but even then, he would ensure her needs were met.
He knew he wouldn’t be able to get her to confide in him. At least, not yet. But with patience and calm persistence, he hoped she would look upon him favorably in time. If not, then hesupposed he would be forced to look elsewhere for a bride. But there wasn’t anyone who had come close to fascinating him as Lady Isadora.
A flash of light, followed by a slight rumble caused Rem to glance outside. “I think the storm has nearly passed.”
“It’s amazing how quickly fear can dissolve when your thoughts are occupied with other matters.”
His gaze shifted back to her, and he saw a decided twinkle in her gray eyes. Suddenly, it occurred to him what she’d done. “You distracted me on purpose.”
She shrugged. “It wasn’t just for you. I have an aversion when it comes to storms as well.”
He leaned back against the seat and crossed his arms. He adopted a lazy grin. “I daresay it’s a shame that women aren’t allowed to hold a seat in Parliament. You would make a fine diplomat.”
She inclined her head. “With any luck, perhaps I shall have the opportunity to do so someday.”
Rem had just decided he was quite comfortable with their easy conversation when the carriage decided to lurch heavily to the side. No doubt the rain had caused the roads to become a bit treacherous.
He held on to the strap overhead to keep his balance, but Lady Isadora wasn’t so fortunate. With a gasp, she was uprooted from her position across from him, and flung toward him like a rag doll. He caught her about the waist to keep her from being tossed around anymore.
But that’s when disaster struck in an entirely different way.
She was practically sprawled across his lap, her breasts pressed intimately against his chest, her face just inches from his own. Her eyes immediately widened and her lips parted in surprise. It was too much temptation for Rem to resist. After whetting his appetite that fateful day at the castle ruins, he had been craving another taste of her delectable lips.
He didn’t know how she would react. All he knew was that this time, she couldn’t run away from him.
He lifted his head and pressed his mouth against hers.
Like the storm that had just rumbled by, the moment their lips touched, sparks of lightning passed between them. He could feel her stiffen in his arms, but then she slowly melted into him with a breathy sigh. He released the strap above him and dared to cup her cheek in his palm, shoving his fingers into her upswept hair.
His cock started to pulse with life, but he ignored the demands of his body and focused on easing her wariness with his kiss. His movements were slow and sensual, teasing and caressing with a silent entreaty. He thrilled when she responded by parting her lips so that he could slip his tongue inside of her mouth. When he met hers, it was as if everything around them faded away.Thiswould have been the best way to ignore the storm, by creating one of their own.
The hand at her waist slowly crept upward until it cradled her ribcage. His thumb brushed the underside of her breast and she moaned gently. It was the most glorious sound he’d ever heard.
He dared to lift his hips and press his aching manhood against her core, and even though layers of clothes separated them, she ground her hips down on him. He groaned deep in his throat, finding the sensation almost too good to be true. If it was this wondrous between them fully clothed, he could only imagine what it would be like if they were skin to skin.
Rem was about to test his limits with her, but abruptly, the carriage came to a halt, the coachman shouting to the team of horses.
Isadora pulled back with a shocked gasp and attempted to scramble back to her side of the seat. She managed it just as the door opened and it was announced that they had reached their next destination.
Rem clenched his jaw and uttered a curse under his breath. What blasted, dreadful timing.
He glanced across at Isadora, but her head was fixated firmly on the landscape outside. She had shut him out as effectively as if she had slammed a mental door.
Chapter Eleven
