Page 19 of An Alluring Lady's Christmas Wish

He looked surprised. “Of course you can trust me. We are talking privately, milady. I would never betray your confidence in me.” He hesitated. “I know that we do not know each other very well, but you have my word.”

Evelina’s eyes glistened with tears. “Thank you,” she whispered. “That means so much to me.”

Suddenly, she noticed a long scar on his right forearm. Without thinking, she reached for it, tracing the line of it with one hand.

“What is this?” she asked. “How did you get it?”

He stiffened. She could feel the tension in his body, as taut as an arrow.

“I do not know,” he said, in a soft, husky voice. “It has been there as long as I can remember. It happened before I arrived at the orphanage. They told me I had the scar when they took me in.”

Evelina kept tracing the scar with her fingers. She truly felt like weeping now, thinking of the small child he had been abandoned by his family, not even knowing how he had received this scar. All the stories of his life were unknown to him.

“It is so sad,” she whispered, looking up at him, through tear misted eyes. “So very sad.”

A single tear trickled down her face.

He looked amazed. “Do not cry, milady,” he whispered. “You should not cry for me.” His hand reached up, caressing the side of her face. “I do not want to make you sad.”

Evelina was transfixed as he kept caressing her face. His touch was beautiful; soft and silky. She felt electrified. Something was happening in the pit of her stomach again. A stirring unlike anything she had ever felt before.

Before she could think any further, they were suddenly in each other’s arms. He kissed her face feverishly before finding her lips, tilting her face up to his.

Evelina was so stunned she couldn’t do anything for a moment. His lips. She had never been kissed like this by a man. She had never realised how wonderful it was. She had never realised what she was missing.

The yearning was like a snake uncoiling inside of her. She didn’t want this to stop. Sheneverwanted this to stop. It was as if she were slipping into a dream.

But suddenly, she realised what she was doing. The fact was that she was kissing a servant in the gardens where they could be seen by anyone. With a cry, Evelina broke the contact, running into the house.

The tears were streaming down her face now. The shock of it. What was happening to her?

Chapter 11

Jude entered the kitchen, walking straight to the fire, his heart pounding hard. People were milling around, cleaning up and sweeping, but most were ready to retire for the evening. He barely looked at them. All he could think about was Lady Evelina and the kiss they had just shared.

He still couldn’t believe it had actually happened.

He sat down on one of the seats near the fire, staring into the flickering flames. His heart slowed down just a little, but he could still taste her on his lips. It was such a sweet taste that it was almost unbearable, and he was so aroused that it was embarrassing. He was in agony. He crossed his legs, taking a deep breath.

He didn’t know what to think yet. She had broken the embrace and fled back into the house. He hadn’t had a chance to speak to her about it. His face flushed deeply, and he knew it wasn’t from the heat of the fire.

Lenny walked over, sitting down beside him, spreading his big hands towards the fire.

“Jude,” said the giant man, grinning widely. “You look weary, my friend. Big day?”

“You could say that, Lenny,” said Jude, through gritted teeth. “If only you knew the half of it.”

The man frowned slightly. “Has something happened?”

Jude hesitated. He really liked Lenny, and they got along well. But he barely knew the man yet, and he did not know how he would react if he told him he had just kissed the lady of the house. He didn’t want to lose the one friend and ally he had made at Bosworth Manor.

He took a deep breath. But‌he really needed some sage advice about this sticky situation he seemed to be in with Lady Evelina. It was a situation he had never envisaged and was trying his best to manage.

But‌he didn’t know how to do that. He didn’t know how to manage it, nor how to proceed after what had just passed between them. And Lenny was kind, wise and might just have a solution. At the very least, he would feel unburdened by sharing it.

He glanced quickly around the kitchen. No one was close and could overhear, especially if he talked in a low voice. He took another deep breath, making up his mind.

Jude ran a hand through his hair, leaning closer to the gardener. “I am in a bit of a pickle,” he said in a low voice. “I never intended it.” He exhaled slowly, lowering his voice to just above a whisper. “But I just kissed the Lady Evelina.”

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