Page 20 of Surrender

“I propose we meet at the croft in an hour, and you can demonstrate just how skilled you are when it comes to these incendiary, wicked kisses you claim will undo me.”

Genevieve lowered her voice, her fingers lightly caressing the back of his neck. As she smiled up at him, his piercing blue gaze studied her intently. Flustered by his look of assessment, she managed to stop the small shudder threatening to reveal the effect he was having on her. Theo shook his head.

“Since you have such a fondness for the croft, I’ll arrange for a more comfortable bed to be installed, and we can spend several days there after the wedding.” The amused mockery in his voice made Genevieve push herself away from him in a fierce movement.

“Unfortunately, that Rockwood stubbornness of yours will fail when it comes to making me your wife. I will not marry you,” she bit out between clenched teeth. With a defiant tilt of her chin upward, she eyed him with contempt. “If you’ll excuse me, I have better things to do with my time than trade salacious barbs with you. Good day, my lord.”

Furious at how his words and sinful voice had made her body ache for him, Genevieve shoved past him and headed toward the door. A low, primitive sound filled the air behind her as Theo’s hand caught her by the arm and pulled her around to face him. Before she could protest, his mouth captured hers in a fiery kiss that made her heart skip a beat, then pound a violent rhythm in her ears.

The moment his tongue slipped into her mouth, she moaned as the heat of him blotted out every thought in her head until all that remained was a searing need for there to be nothing between them except hot skin. Yesterday she’d believed their lovemaking had just been a carnal desire they’d shared, born of their mutual pain and grief. Now, as their tongues swirled and danced in a passionate imitation of something she both feared and craved, she was no longer sure what to think.

Banked embers ignited inside her, stirred to life by his hot, teasing kiss. She’d never experienced anything so primal and sensual all at the same time, and she clung to him with her arms wrapped around his neck. As a child, she’d blotted out the way men had used her body, and since her debut, she’d not kissed any man except Theo, even though many had tried.

But Theo made her feel things that alarmed and excited her at the same time. Every time he kissed or touched her, it only made her hunger for him grow. He aroused a voracious desire inside her that only grew as the sensual nature of his kiss stirred a response from her that confused and excited her.

Never had she experienced anything like this in her entire life. One passionate wave of sensation after another careened its way through her with the force of a wild storm. With every stroke of his tongue, flames engulfed her until she was burning from the inside out. Abruptly, Theo lifted his head, then stepped back from her.

Deprived of his embrace so suddenly, Genevieve murmured a protest. Swaying on her feet, she stared up at him in a daze. His features unreadable, Theo studied her in silence for a long moment. When she didn’t speak, he brushed his fingers across her cheek, his beautiful male mouth tight with what she thought was anger.

“Fight me all you want, Genevieve, but no matter how many battles you win, we both know you will lose the war,” he said softly. “Eventually, you will surrender. That I swear by the sword and blood of Angus Stewart.”

Collecting her wits, she swallowed hard as she met his resolute gaze. It wasn’t just his confidence or that he’d used the family oath to confirm his determination that alarmed her. It was what he made her feel deep inside that terrified her. Fear sped through her. What if he were right? What if she wasn’t strong enough to withstand any further assaults on her senses?

The reality of her situation came flying out at her from the dark recesses of her brain. Theo was wrong. She would never agree to marry him. She couldn’t. But the man was right about one thing, she wanted him. Yesterday, he’d aroused a hunger in her that was unlike anything she’d ever felt in her life. Surrendering to his touch was something she would do without hesitation. She simply couldn’t surrender to anything else where Theo was concerned.

Chapter 6

September 1913

Theo’s jaw tightened as he watched Count Ansbach whirl Genevieve around on the dance floor. Tonight was the first time any of the Rockwoods had attended a social event since Peter’s death more than five months ago.

Uncle Percy and Aunt Rhea were still in full-mourning. The remainder of the family had observed the standard three-month period the Marlborough Set deemed appropriate for grieving.

But grief wasn’t confined to a specific number of months. It ebbed and flowed with unexpected changes of undertows and currents. For not the first time this evening, Theo’s chest had tightened with pain at the knowledge Peter was no longer alive. He missed his friend, and he was in desperate need of his best friend’s counsel when it came to Genevieve. Peter was the only person who knew the two of them well enough to help Theo navigate this unfamiliar territory he was moving through.

The memory of making love to Genevieve flooded his mind. He knew he should regret having bedded her, but his only regret was his failure to persuade her to accept his offer of marriage. Now, while standing guard from a distance, he was forced to watch one man after another sweep Genevieve into their arms and onto the dance floor. Arms folded across his chest, he muttered an oath beneath his breath.

“You could always dance with her instead of scowling like a disgruntled guard dog.”

Jamie’s voice jolted Theo out of his thoughts as his cousin appeared at his side. Perplexed by the comment, Theo shot a side-eyed look at the man, his attention straying from Genevieve for only a second.

“Who?” His prevarication elicited a snort of laughter from his cousin. Theo darted another look at the other man to see Jamie bob his head toward the dance floor.

“Don’t be a horse’s ass. You know precisely who I’m talking about.”

Tension slid through Theo’s muscles as he met his cousin’s amused gaze. Christ Jesus, the man meant Genevieve. How in the hell had Jamie realized he was enamored with her? Not about to confirm or deny the other man’s suspicions, Theo rolled his shoulders in a nonchalant shrug, his focus once again on the couple circling the dance floor. Beside him, Jamie snorted again, this time with a distinct amount of annoyed disappointment.

“Do you honestly think no one in the family has noticed the way you look at Genevieve?”

Stiffening with alarm, Theo jerked his head toward Jamie, who was studying him with an assessing gaze. He wanted to ask Jamie who in the family his cousin was referring to, but didn’t. Asking meant he’d be confirming his interest in Genevieve, and Theo knew Jamie well. His cousin excelled at learning secrets just by asking innocent questions.

In an effort to look bored with their subject matter, Theo arched his eyebrows as if he found his cousin’s question ludicrous. He directed a look of annoyed disgust at Jamie before finding Genevieve and the count once more.

“I’m simply doing what Peter and I have always done. Rescue her from unwanted suitors. It’s simply become a full-time job with Peter no longer here to split duties.”

“Of course, duty,” Jamie said with a healthy dose of sarcasm. “Then explain the hunger in your eyes whenever you’re watching Ginny.”

Jaw tight with tension, Theo slowly turned his head toward his cousin. He eyed the other man coldly for a long moment before turning back toward the dance floor. With a disparaging grunt of irritation, Theo didn’t bother to address the troubling observation.