The Temptation of a Kiss ~ Chapter 12

Chapter 12

 

The men arrived at the stables riding their horses to the back. Devon dismounted and wasted no time getting up to the house for a change of clothing for Landon and Quentin.

“Sir, is everything alright?” The stable boy asked with fear flooding his eyes.

Quentin did not turn to him. “Yes we are fine. I will need a few pales of water and some sponges if you would, Neil. Thank you.” He had hoped that would end the questions.

“For the horses, Sir?”

Quentin clenched his jaw and then realized his stead had blood smears on him. “Ah yes and I will need it as well.” He paused and then said in a low tone, “Anything else, Neil?” He heard the boy scurry away.

Landon tied his horse to the gate. “Can I be honest with you Quentin?”

“If you feel you must,” he answered.

“I did care for your game today,” Landon said. He caught Quentin’s eye as he smiled at him.

“Hey we got what we needed,” Quentin said and smirked back at him.

“Pardon me. I am looking for Mr. Alexander or Lord Price,” a soft voice said.

Landon’s gaze flew to Quentin’s. The young woman stepped around the side of the horse as she ran her hand along his neck. Landon’s eyes locked with the woman’s and she screamed a blood curtailing cry. He watched her place her hand to her mouth and he saw the blood mark her face from the horse.

“Oh Christ!” Quentin shouted as he lunged to catch her falling body.

“My God what the bloody hell happened?” Richards shouted. “Where is Devon?”

“He is getting us a change of clothes.” He put his hands up. “Believe me it looks far worse than it is, Richards. No one is hurt, well, not any one of us any ways.”

“We caught one of McMay’s men,” Quentin offered.

“Yes and Quentin had a grand afternoon playing a game with him, which,” Landon waved his hand down the front of him, “Ended in this.” He then smiled at Richards as if to say he was not happy either.

“Is that Hanna?” Richards asked staring at Quentin who was holding her in his arms.

“We did not get that far with her. You know the blood in all caused her to apparently shut down or faint,” Landon said. He turned to Quentin who was looking irritated at the moment and said, “Who knew a man’s nose could produce that much blood.”

“This is not funny, Landon!” Richards expression was fierce. “Lady Hanna is Devon’s cousin and she is an innocent sweet shy young lady. I can only imagine this must have been more than shocking for her. We need to get her into the house to Grams.”

“Oh no,” Quentin stated. “I have a house full of guests and they are not baring witness to any of this. Bring Grams to her. I have a loft in here and I will place her there until she recovers.”

Richards eyed him closely. “Very well than Quentin I will fetch Grams and Brook.”

“Shut the doors on your way out so no one else comes wandering in here,” Quentin shouted. He gazed down at the woman in his arms. She had the blackest hair he had ever seen with odd blue almost purple eyes from what he just saw.

“Quent, are you going to gaze upon the beauty in your arms or take her out of sight,” Landon asked as he pointed up to the stairs. “You do realize she is now covered in blood as well right?”

“Yes,” he said as he began to carefully climb the stairs with her. “She will have to change as well. I pray Devon and Grams can calm her and keep her from talking about this.”

“If not, I’m not playing anymore of your crazy games today,” He patted Quentin’s shoulder.

“Funny, Landon,” he said.

Just then they heard Grams shouting for Hanna. Landon leaned over the railing, “We are up here. Take it slow on the steps, Grams. She’s not going anywhere.”

He stood with his hands on his hips. Splatters and large droplets covered his face, arms, and shirt. Brook calmly checked him from across the room. Is that his blood? I don’t see any injuries on him. Landon slowly looked from the ground up to meet her eyes. His blond hair tinted pink in areas and he gazed at her with an odd stare.

Devon walked past her and placed a bag down on the ground at Landon’s feet. He was talking but she heard none of it. Her attention was focused on Landon as she watched him converse with the group. Neil passed by her with two pales.

“Brook,” Grams said.

Perhaps he is wounded under his shirt. He seems fine though. I wish he would stop staring at me like that. Brook took a few steps towards him hoping he might snap out of his glare on her, it only intensified.

“Brook!” Grams shouted.

Her head flew towards Grams. “I’m sorry, yes.”

“You need you to fetch clothing for Hanna please.”

“Alright,” Brook replied.

“If you see Sarah please do not tell her or bring her with you,” Grams added.

Brook slipped out the back door of the stable and made her way to the house still not knowing if Landon was hurt or not. By the time she returned with a dress for Hanna Landon and Quentin were gone. She left Grams to attend to her niece and walked back down stairs.

She paused when she heard Devon’s voice. Landon replied to whatever it was Devon said to him. She was not close enough to hear the whole conversation. Devon said her name and Brook paused. All their whispering is making it impossible to hear them. Why are they talking about me? She heard Landon laugh hard and then Devon continued speaking.

“Brook,” Richards yelled from across the stable.

She jumped and turned to him. She tried to hurry towards him. Oh this is embarrassing. Richards caught me eves dropping and now Devon and Landon know I was listening. Stupid! Still, what where they saying? Brook gasped in her thoughts. Maybe they were talking about last night. I hope Devon doesn’t think I am having an affair with Landon now.

“Is there anything I can help you with, Richards?”

“No, I just wanted to make certain you were alright.”

Brook could not help but smile at him. “I am perfectly fine but thank you. I do hope Lady Hanna will recover soon.” After a second she turned to him again. “Richards, I want to ask you about Sarah. I want to know what is going on with her.”

He saw the worry in her eyes. He let out a sigh than said, “Her memory is growing worse. It seems with every day we get further away from that night McMay did what he did to her, she loses more of her memory.”

“Brook’s eyes teared up. “Is there nothing that can be done for her?” she watched Richard shake his head with despair and her heart broke. I can’t lose my best friend. Oh no Devon.

“I had to introduce myself to her this morning, Brook. I think we should all prepare for this to grow worse as the days move on,” he said.

“I won’t accept this, Richards. There has to be something that can be done,” Brook stated as she gazed out the partially open door. “All hope cannot be lost yet.”

Brook walked back to the estate arm and arm with Richards. It was nearing diner hour and she still had to dress. Guests were arriving from neighboring towns and the day already felt as if it should be coming to an end for Brook.

 

~In the atrium later that night~

 

Landon was approached by a slightly older woman who has had her eye on him since her arrival. Brook watched carefully at Landon’s reaction to her long slender frame as she passed by him at first. She was married but looking for a lover while she is there at Quentin's estate, so the rumors whispered around Brook as she walked the room.

Her run in with the woman earlier as she walked the hall to her chambers was not pleasant to say the least. The woman had clearly honed in on Landon and Brook’s close friendship and did not like it.

Standing within the circle along with Sarah, Devon, Quentin, and Luke who is also Devon’s cousin and Hanna’s brother, she tried her best to keep to herself. Brook gazed round trying to seem too fixed upon him. The woman standing with him noticed his lustful glare and slowly moved herself in his line of sight.

“So I’ve been told you do a little traveling abroad.” She said as she toyed with the pearls at her plummeting neckline.

“Sum,” he answered as he watched Brook look over to Luke and then smile. Bloody bastard is staring at her lips. Just turn away Red. You don’t need to be so polite and smiley for him.

“I’m assuming you must have had the pleasure of experiencing many exotic cultures and…woman?” The woman trailed out her words with slow intent. “Tasted sinfully delicious foods, perhaps?”

Landon’s eyes narrowed at Luke’s back. “One could say that. Although there was one particular deliquesce I did not have the pleasure as you put it, of tasting.” Landon’s gaze moved to her. The woman was nearly on his lap.

Is he flirting with her? .The woman threw her head back with laughter. Uneasy butterflies arose in the pit of her stomach. I can’t watch this.

Landon had been teasingly informed by Devon as to why Brook was upset with him and now as he stands ignoring the woman babbling in front of him, Brook is all he is thinking about. Aroused by the thought of her being naked in a room with him and he did not know it, he is left feeling cheated in some way.

Sarah noticed her tension and follows her gaze to see Landon at the other end of it. Looping her arm through Brook's she insists they take a walk about the room and chat. Sarah makes note of Brook's tense posture and tries her best to make light of the situation whatever that may be, seeing that Brook has not fully filled her in on whatever is troubling her tonight.

Oh so you are going to walk around and avoid me are you, Red. Landon takes another glass of wine off the tray of a servant passing by.

There are not many people in the atrium. Small clusters of folks scattered here and there. It allows Sarah some amount of privacy to press Brook to open up to her.

Landon watched the women begin to walk. He gazes at the way her hips sway. Notices her long neck and thinks about how he would love to kiss it again. As they circle around and turn towards him she refuses to make eye contact. What’s this? You refuse to look at me? I think she is trying to get my attention. Little does she know she has had it all night. It’s unbelievable the way those beautiful curves of her breasts align perfectly with her hips. Greedy eyes follow the line down from her breasts as it tapers in to her waist. He imagines himself caressing his hands over where his eyes just were. How could she not be some man’s wife or lover?

The thought that she was naked is driving him mad now. What is this woman yapping about? Just flash her a smile and nod.

Sarah asks Brook what is troubling her. Brook knows she cannot lie to her. “I am growing concerned about feelings I am having regarding Landon.”

“I have noticed his behavior is different. Not in a bad way. I believe he may share your interest, Brook.” Sarah said.

“If he does Sarah, it is only for his own amusement. He himself has stated that his family would never allow for him to marry outside his class.” Brook stopped and turned to her. “I have been fooled once and do not care to repeat it.”

After another thirty minutes or so Devon and Sarah finally leave and Brook has wandered off to admire the rare botanical, so she tells herself. Landon watches her every move and has been plotting his next move. She stands tucked ways but not completely out of view in the foliage.

Landon wasn't sure if it was the tormenting thoughts plaguing him about Brook or if it was seeing her stroke the exotic foliage with her finger tips that made him abruptly cut off the woman talking at him but he did it.

He approached her from behind and as he did she heard the deep tone of his voice. “Some of these are sensitive to touch.”

She did not turn to face him. The quickening of her pulse froze her. The scent of him engulfed the air around her drowning out all others. The strength of his presence was over whelming and intoxicating. To fight wanting to feel it in a way that she secretly desired was growing weak. The thought of her walls begin to crumble scared her to death. Act as if he is just any other person to talk to.

“Did I startle you this morning when you awoke?” he asked.

“No you did not,” Brook lied. Take your leave now before you give him the opportunity to go any further. She cleared her throat but nothing came out after that.

The idea of sharing his torturous thoughts was arousing him but could he be so crud or bold enough to do that to a lady? Was she the type of woman that might become aroused by it? She turned her head towards a group laughing off to her left. Landon's gaze did not follow he fixed on her bare neck beckoning him to kiss it.

“I was told differently. So how long was it before you noticed me sleeping in the chair,?” he asked in a slow hush of words.

“I can't be certain.” Brook turned completely away from him. My face is turning red I can feel it. “Pardon me I must go now.”

Landon stepped in front of her. Still she could not bring herself to make eye contact with him, if she did he would see what she carries for him. “Please step aside,” she said while gazing at the potted plant at his feet behind him.

“I can't. I won't, Red.”

His tone was deep and soft and everything she wanted to feel from within his arms, through his kiss, and in his whispers against her skin. Landon's arm brushed against her arm as he walked round her. Even though they were fully clothed an electric wave of sensations flooded over Brook. She found herself taking in a deep breath and then another.

“What if I were to tell you I was not sleeping and saw you,” he said.

Brook took a step forward away from him and he reached out and took her hand holding her in place. The softness of her skin as he rubbed his thumb gently across the top of her hand teased his wicked thoughts further.

The comforting warmth of his hand stunned her. She hadn’t expected to feel so much from a simple hand hold. “Release me. If you had been you would've done nothing but leave at my insistence, “Brook said. She was determined to out word him and stop his silly game and leave as quickly as she could.

“If I had been awake I would have asked you to do something for me.” With her hand in his Landon inter locked their fingers together. He felt the motion of it still her.

“My request would've been for you to reach down and touch yourself but not for me, for you, the way a woman does when she is all alone with desiring thoughts of the man she wants.”

Brook squeezed his hand without being aware of it. Her whole body tensed at the thought. A feverish wave rushed through her. She envisioned standing before him exposed and caressing herself as she had wanted to so many times when thinking of him.

Say something. I should walk away now.

Landon released her hand and let it glide away from him. Slowly he walked around her, circling her motionless body hanging on his words. He knew she was imagining it as her eyes were fixed on nothing of importance.

“If you had slid your hand down to your delicate oasis I would have got down on my knees before you and watched your fingers do what mines were not.”

He paced around her and then paused. Landon noticed her body swaying slightly. “My tongue would've joined your fingers and bathed in the taste of your pink paradise, Red. Kissing you among the depths of your heavenly beauty. Licking and teasing you so softly. For me,” He leaned in closer next to her ear, “It would have been fantasies come true. One of many I have of you.”

Brook felt his words caress over her skin. Each one hotter than the one before. She was breathless and dizzy.

“Have you ever had that pleasure before? Wait don't answer that. I would like to keep my fantasy of me being the first to bring you to your climax in that way or any other,” Landon said softly, his lips nearly touching her neck. He saw Brook's eyes slowly close. “My mouth would be greedy for you, Red. The desire to taste and feel your moist arousal for me as I slid my finger inside you and push deep, would bring me a pleasure I can only dream of with you.”

She couldn't bear to hear any more. He had no clue what he was doing to her in ways she didn't understand herself.

Landon moved around to the other side of her. “Red, you look a little flushed.” He gazed at her lustfully for a long moment. Cupping her cheek in his hand and kissed her other cheek softly, then whispered, “Remember all this next time I'm in a chair sleeping before you.” He then turned and walked away from her.