One Night Of Passion
Prologue
Kate felt him grab her arm from behind her and yank her into the hallway. She offered no resistance. She did not even care if anyone had seen them. He led her down the dark hallway to the back of the house towards the east wing. He said nothing as he walked with angry force along the hardwood floors. His large black boots echoed throughout the empty space as they struck the floor.
The glass double doors to the conservatory creaked loudly when he opened them. Moonlight flooded the room filled with exotic vegetation, casting shadows all around them.
He whipped her body around to face him as he shoved her against the wall. His gaze was fierce and his body shook from frustration.
Kate felt herself grow breathless. In all the years she has known him, she had never seen him this angry before. Looking back on it now, she may have pushed him too far this time. He looked crazy.
He took a step towards her and placed his hands on either side of her head on the stone wall. Kate flinched slightly. He leaned in closer and starred at her with an intensity that struck to her core. At this moment she knew her plan may have been a bad idea.
His breath was labored like a bull ready for battle. It blew Kate's dark chestnut hair around her face as it tickled her cheek. She did not dare give it attention; she did not dare move her gaze from his.
The light green of his eyes looked so animal like in the moonlight or maybe it was the glare coming from them at her. They stood out against the black of his hair that was hanging in his face. He didn't blink. He didn't move. He just stood over her and stared at her, almost daring her to turn away from him.
His bare exposed chest rose and fell before her. The white shirt he wore had been ripped open. Kate saw a drop of blood strike it as it fell from his forehead.
"I-I think you may have miss understood what-" Kate's words trailed silent when his hands balled into fists on either side of her head.
This was beginning to make her uncomfortable. She wished he would just start yelling at her already and get it over with. The way he was looking at her was unlike him.
He never professed his love for me to anyone including myself. Am I to wait until he is fit to tell me and miss out on fun or meeting new people? So I danced with the one man he hates more than my brother. I do not see what all the fuss is about. Who is he to tell me who I am to accept a dance from? He never offered himself. I had told him last month I was not going to wait forever and he had said don't, and now he has the gull to become cross with me for listening to him. I have had about enough of this!
"Are you going to say something?" Kate asked. He didn't move. "I am not a mind reader you know." She searched his gaze for any change. "I will not allow you to treat me in this manner."
He leaned in closer to her face. "Oh no?" He finally said with a deep tone.
"No," Kate said. She narrowed her blue eyes at him.
"I think you will allow me to do what I please with you Katie." He glanced down at her lips. His body moved nearer to her. She could not push herself against the wall any further. The tense anger coming off of him was paralyzing. She needed to look away. His gaze burned into her, through her and left her fighting for a steady breath.
He slid his hands up the wall and rested on his elbows at her head. With the rise of her breath her chest grazed against his. He leaned a little closer. "So you like to flirt because that is what you were doing with Beckum, Katie." He watched her eyes closely.
"I most certainly was not!" Kate shouted.
"You were and you knew what you were doing!" He roared at her. Her lips parted at what he said. "You knew I was watching you too. You knew how I would react to it, but I suppose that's what you wanted to begin with, isn't Katie?"
She remained silent and gazed down at the floor. He wanted answers damn it.
"You like to play games and flirt. Ok then." He pulled her chin up to face him. "Then flirt with me. Come on Katie, tease me."
They were now almost nose to nose. He saw her tense at his closeness, but more than that he felt her quiver from his words to her. He had never before drawn this near to her, well not in this way. She glanced to his chest for a moment. He was doing exactly what he promised himself and her brother he would not do...give her false hope.
You have no idea what you are doing to me Katie. I could have killed a man tonight because of you. Why him? Because it was the easiest way to get my attention away from Martha Stonewell. Damn it Katie!
Kate gazed back up into his eyes. She said softly, "I'm sorry. Please forgive me-"
He leaned in and kissed her without another thought. She slid her hands up his bare chest and wrapped them around his neck. He didn't move. His hands remained on the wall behind her. He knew if they came off the wall they would explore every inch of her. It was insurance that it would not go any further than the kiss. He heard her let out a little whimper of his name. He knew she was trying very hard to make it seem like she knew what she was doing. It was apparent to him she had never kissed a man before., not like this.
Kate mumbled through the kiss. "Please touch me. Hold me tight against you." Her voice was a soft panting.
He felt his right arm leave the safety of the wall behind her and find its way to her waist. Within moments it found its way up her back into her thick her. He pulled it tilting her head to the side, gazing at her briefly, and then deepened the kiss. Kate's hands squeezed his hair into her fingers and pushed her body upon him further.
Do not ruin her. What the hell am I doing? This has to stop now! She is-
He felt Kate's hands run down the sides of his ribs to his waist. She slowly began to pull his shirt out. Once his shirt was free she unbuttoned what was left of them on his shirt. He felt the naked bare skin of her hands on his chest. She had removed her gloves and tossed them to the floor.
The grunt of a moan that came out of him did not sound like him. Her touch did not feel like any other woman's touch. His body burned for it, called for it, and was getting to the point of demanding it...her. God she was all he fantasized about for years and now it was real.
Kate whispered, "It has to be you. It has always been you and no other." She reached up behind her head and undid her light blue satin dress. Kate slowly pushed it down her body as she watched him watch her. It soon found the floor at her feet. Kate's under garment found the same fate until she stood before him naked in the moonlight.
"If you will not consider me for marriage than at least give me this. I know you will never tell me what you feel for me, so I am asking you to show me," Kate said.
She reached forward and slid his shirt from his body trailing it down his arms. Her hands were trembling. He took her hand in his and gazed into her eyes. "You do understand what you are asking of me Katie? You will never see me again after this night if we do this."
Kate fought the tears in the corner of her eyes from surfacing further. "You are to leave anyways are you not? I am not scared. I want it to be you-
He scooped her up into his arms and kissed her passionately. Kate suddenly felt dizzy from the force of his passion for her. She felt it in his kiss. Kate understood at that moment why he had not kissed her before. He loved her, she knew it now.
He pulled her leg up around his hip. His body was burning for her. It had always burned for her and now it was undeniable to them both. He could no longer hide it from her and he was not going to stop himself from trying. She deserved to be shown what he felt for her after all these years.
He laid her down on a chaise under the large tree at the back of the room. She watched him in the moonlight remove the rest of his clothes. He lay down next to her on his side. She looked beautiful. He could not help but gaze over her body for a moment.
He placed the tip of his finger on her neck and made a line down to her belly. His lips trailed along after his finger. Kate let her head fall back. He clasped her breast in his hand, placing his mouth over her nipple.
Kate ran her hand through his long hair and pulled him closer to her. The sensation of his tongue playing with her was unlike anything she had imagined it to be.
He took more of her into his mouth as he squeezed her flesh tightly in his hand. The thought of gentleness was not possible. He has wanted her for as far back as he could remember. And now she lay beneath him with a wanting that is matched to his.
His hand moved down across her skimming over to her thigh. Slowly he pulled her legs apart and ran his hand over her soft skin. He felt her body shutter under his touch. Her fingers pulled at his long hair.
The soft touch of his hand between her legs sent a surge of desire through her body. She mounded out his name in a pleading cry. Kate felt the tip of his finger at her opening. Her body stilled in anticipation and then she felt him slide his finger inside her slightly.
He watched her reaction to his touch. Kate's eyes were closed and she was in her own little world. He pushed in deeper and then deeper again until he reached her top.
She was already very wet but not wet enough for her first time. He leaned down and placed his mouth over the special spot every woman has. Kate moaned louder as he sucked her swollen flesh up into his hot mouth. His hand moved with force into her. Her body arched from the wonderful sensations he was giving her.
Kate's moans grew heavy and long. He knew she was almost there. He took his other hand and placed it on her hip as she began to climax he held her down. Her cries of pleasure were loud. Kate's body began to soften and relax. She did not open her eyes right away.
"Katie?"
"Mmm," she answered.
He laid himself between her legs and kissed her softly. Kate wrapped her arms around him pushing her hips up towards his body.
His hard cock rested on her between both their bodies. He slowly began to move up and down against her...teasing her.
"Katie." He said with short breaths. "This is not going to last very long. I'm sorry."
Kate kissed him hard. He pulled his hips back and positioned himself at her opening.
"Oh please." Kate whispered to him.
He pushed the tip of himself inside her. His hands tightened around her shoulders. Kate gasped with pleasure. He stopped and gazed at her waiting until she looked back at him. Kate locked eyes with him and saw something she had longed to see forever.
He whispered softly, "Katie, I lov-"
They suddenly heard a loud crash at the front of the room followed by glass shattering.
"Kate! Kate! Where the bloody hell are you?" her brother shouted.
Kate froze and her gaze flew towards the front of the room. She knew it was Gary, her older brother. It would take a minute or so to find them in all the foliage.
He removed himself from between her legs and jumped onto the floor. His eyes scanned the dim moonlit room for something to cover Kate with as he struggled to put his pants on.
Gary took a step forward and caught his boot on something. He glanced down to see Kate's dressed puddle on the floor at his feet. "Kate!" He shouted with rage. "Where the hell are you, you bastard?" He paused for a moment to listen. "Kate Bethany answer me now!"
Kate stood up grabbing onto his arm. "You must leave now. Gary will kill you if he finds you here with me like this...please!"
He walked about ten feet towards the front of the room, disappearing in the foliage. He returned a few seconds later with his coat and wrapped Kate in it.
"Please, you must go," Kate said. The fear for him filled her voice.
He took her hand and pulled her to him in his arms and kissed her for possibly the last time. Pulling back from the kiss he whispered with his forehead to hers, "Come with me Katie."
Kate's eyes filled with tears and her heart leaped painfully. She did not need to consider her answer to him. "Ye-
"You bastard!" Gary screamed at him as he darted forward at both of them standing in each other’s arms.
Kate pushed him out of her arms and threw herself onto Gary. "Run!" She held onto him as long as she could. "Gary stop! Please don't!"
She was thrown to the floor by her brother. "Damn it Kate!" He had made it up the tree and out through a window to safety.
This was nearly two years ago almost to the day on Kate's birthday. Kate has not seen him sense. She has heard many stories since then about him. His best friend Jagger at times keeps her updated as best as he can. He has not received word from him for almost eight months now.
Chapter 1
So much had changed in last two years. Kate's father had passed on shortly after that night, leaving Gary head of the family. He has promised Kate's hand to Beckum, which Kate is still refusing. Gary, unfortunately for Kate, will not let it go.
In one week from now, Gary is throwing Kate a big birthday party. It is her twenty first birthday. She has been told she is to announce her engagement to Beckum.
Kate stood in front of the cafe starring in the window. She was to meet Jagger here in ten minutes.
"Lady Kate, are you considering a spot of tea?" Old Lady Gating asked.
Kate smiled kindly at her. "I have an appointment with someone soon." She felt awkward. Kate had promised Lady Gating she would stop in for a visit over two months ago. Every time she runs into her she again promises the same thing, that she will visit soon. "I would like to pay you a visit after I am finished here, that is if you will not be employed elsewhere Lady Gating."
Lady Gating patted Kate's arm. "I shall be sure to make all the time you desire me to, my dear. I was going to the hot house and then straight home. I will see you soon my dear."
Kate shouted to Lady Gating, "I'll be certain to acquire a few sweets for us."
"Splendid my dear!" Lady Gating disappeared around the corner to the hot house for fresh flowers. Something she did every morning.
Kate stood nervously in front of the cafe waiting for Jagger. He had requested the meeting this time. It scared her to death as to what he might tell her. Was he hurt? Dead? Kate squeezed her hands into fists around her coin purse. The worst thing she could hear from him is that he has taken a wife and it wasn't her. It would kill Kate to hear that.
The words he spoke to her that last night, "Come with me Katie," replay themselves every night as she falls asleep. Sometimes she dreams of their happy ever after ending. Married, happy, has lots of children. All the boys look like him and all the girls, of course, resemble her. A big estate surrounded with lots of family.
Kate felt a hand on her shoulder and it startled her, causing her to jerk away.
"My apologies Lady Kate. It was not my intention to frighten you," Jagger said.
Kate placed her hands over her chest and took in a couple of deep breaths. "My mind was elsewhere Jagger. No need for apologies." She then smiled and embraced him warmly.
"Kate are you chilled? You are trembling," Jagger said. His dark brown eyes full of concern.
She gazed down to her coin purse. "Honestly Jagger, I am terrified to what you are going to tell me." Kate raised her gaze to meet his. "Is he married?"
Jagger pinched his lips together and shook his head. "No." He could see she was too upset to go into the cafe. He offered her his arm. "Shall we walk for a bit?"
Kate took his arm. They remained silent for a while as they walked down the London Street lined with shops and specialty stores.
Jagger broke the silence. "I wrote to him three months ago about your upcoming marriage."
Kate stopped and turned to him. "Why would you do that? How did you know of it Jagger? I-I have no intention of taking Beckum's offer."
Jagger raised his eyebrows at the last one. "I am under the impression the choice is not yours alone to make Kate. Your brother has already been paid a great deal of money for your hand and I am led to believe he will not be able to pay it back if you do not marry Beckum."
Kate's mouth dropped open slightly. "Are you for certain Jagger?"
He pinched his lips together. "Yes. I'm sorry I thought you knew."
Kate shook her head no. "I don't want him Jagger. I do not love him in any way. He is conceded, rude and very loud." Kate looked to the sky. "What am I to do now?"
Jagger again took her arm and began walking with her. "I received word from our friend two months ago. His uncle past away, which means he is now the earl of White Wood. He was to return last month but had been detained in the tropics. He did not know for how long when he had last wrote me."
Kate immediately grew happy at the news, but Jagger was not smiling. "What Jagger? What is it?"
Jagger stopped and took a step closer to her. He gently took both of her hands in his and said, "Two weeks ago he was sailing home on the Madame Maria." He paused momentarily. "Kate, it sank in the tropical storm Wilma last week. There were no survivors."
Kate saw dark spots in her eyes. Her body grew suddenly very heavy for her legs and then everything went black.
© copyright 2011
by Pages of Romance Publishing
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