Once Upon an Irritatingly Magical Kiss by Bree Wolf

Chapter Twenty-One

Shielded from Prying Eyes

Thorne found himself looking forward to every moment he was able to spend in Christina’s presence. She was a delightful woman, bold and yet caring although she was far from admitting any amiable emotions toward him. They seemed constantly locked in some kind of competition, always trying to outdo the other, to come out on top.

Still, Thorne could not say that he minded.

Quite on the contrary.

As Thorne stood in the hall of the Whickertons’ townhouse, waiting for Christina to meet him, the dowager countess stepped out of the drawing room and came toward him, once again leaning heavily upon her walking stick. “Mr. Sharpe,” she greeted him, an almost youthful spark in her pale eyes. “Here, again.” Her brows rose in a mocking gesture.

Thorne smiled. “Yes, I am here to see my betrothed.”

The dowager countess nodded. “Yes, it would seem you are unable to stay away from her.” The corners of her mouth crept upward into a grin. “I find that quite interesting. Quite interesting, indeed.”

Thorne knew that she was teasing him; only it was not out of malice. Far from it. There was affection in her eyes, and Thorne marveled at the thought that the dowager countess truly seemed to approve of him. Of course, she had not said so. As he had pointed out to Christina only a few days earlier, people rarely said what they thought. Still, if one looked closely, there were always signs that betrayed another’s true intentions.

Soft footsteps drew Thorne’s attention, and he turned to look toward the large staircase and found Christina slowly descending it to the ground floor. She wore a pale blue summer dress that made her look like an innocent maiden; although the shrewd expression in her deep blue eyes proved any such assumption wrong. Yes, she was a sheltered young woman, but one who was not afraid to explore the world.

Thorne quite liked that about her.

“Mr. Sharpe, I admit I’m quite surprised to see you here again,” Christina greeted him, the look in her eyes more pointed as she addressed him by his last name. “Did you not come to visit only yesterday?”

Thorne chuckled. “Are you saying you’re tiring of my company?” Yes, they had spent a lot of time with one another in recent days. Unfortunately, her family seemed to be almost aware of their desire to find some time alone and conduct their test. In consequence, one of them was always nearby, be it a sister or brother or even brother-in-law, their eyes watchful and concerned. Although Thorne could not help but be a little annoyed with them, he still loved the affection he knew to be the reason for their diligence, for their disapproval. They loved Christina, and they would protect her, no matter what.

That was family.

That was what Thorne wanted.

For himself as well as Samantha.

For all of them.

“Perhaps a little,” Christina replied, the tone in her voice belying her desire to tease him, but not wound him. It was a fine line, and yet somehow they managed not to cross it.

Stepping off the last step, Christina ventured toward them, her gaze sweeping from side to side as though she were looking for someone. “Where is everyone?” she asked before her eyes came to settle upon her grandmother.

Thorne turned and saw a bit of a wicked smile coming to the dowager countess’s face. “It is such fine weather,” she replied in answer to her granddaughter’s question, “that I suggested they take a stroll through Hyde Park.”

Christina frowned. “They left without me?”

“They may have been under the impression,” the dowager began, “that you had a headache and needed some rest.” Thorne barely managed to hold back a laugh, understanding the dowager’s words with perfect clarity.

“Where would they have gotten that impression?” Christina asked as her gaze moved from him to her grandmother.

“From me,” the dowager replied with a chuckle. Then her pale eyes turned to him. “Would you assist me onto the terrace? I believe, I would like to sit out in the sun for a little while.”

Thorne offered her a formal bow, grateful for the old woman’s interference. “Of course.” He held out his arm to her, and she took it, leaning upon him as they made their way to the terrace doors.

“Are you coming, my dear?” the dowager called over her shoulder, and a moment later, Thorne heard Christina’s footsteps catching up to them.

Once the dowager was comfortably settled in one of the terrace chairs, she waved her hands in a rather dismissive gesture at the two of them. “Now, leave and give an old lady some peace.” She inhaled deeply, momentarily closing her eyes in bliss. “What wonderful weather! If I felt up to it, nothing would please me more than a stroll through the gardens.” She all but cracked open one eye and looked at Thorne, something meaningful and rather insistent clearly visible in her expression.

“I quite agree.” Thorne turned and offered Christina his arm. “Would you care to join me?”

Her eyes met his, and he could see without a doubt that she, too, understood what had just happened here. Still, she accepted his offer and they proceeded down the few steps onto the lawns, not bothering with the gravel path, but instead finding their own way.

“My grandmother has a bit of a meddlesome streak,” Christina said with a chuckle as they headed deeper into the garden. Trees cast a welcoming shade, and the soft gurgle of a fountain nearby complemented the chirping of the birds somewhere above them. “One can never be quite certain what she will be up to next or what she might have already done.”

Thorne laughed. “But she means well.”

Christina nodded. “Yes, she does, and she has a way of…seeing the truth, I suppose you could say.” She turned her head to look at him, her blue eyes finding his. “I am not certain any of my sisters—or even my cousin—would be married today without her interference. She has a way of seeing when two people belong together.” A question seemed to linger in her gaze, yet she refrained from asking it.

“So,” Thorne began slowly, his gaze moving to a thick hedge up ahead, “your brothers and sisters are in Hyde Park?”

“So, it would seem.”

He quickened his step, pulling her along. “And your parents?”

Christina frowned at his increased pace. “I am not certain. Perhaps they joined them. Or they went to call on someone. Why?”

With a last glance over his shoulder at the terrace, Thorne urged her around the corner of the hedge. “I doubt your grandmother will follow us into the garden.”

Christina chuckled. “You would be correct in that assumption. Why? Why are you—?”

As soon as the hedge shielded them from curious eyes, Thorne abruptly turned to face her and all but caught her in his arms for her steps were still wide as she continued to try and keep up with him.

His arms slipped around her, and he could feel her breath against his lips as the distance between them shrunk to nothing in a matter of seconds. Her eyes widened, and he felt her lean back, momentarily overcome by the sudden closeness between them. “What are you—?” She broke off, and he could see understanding come to her eyes.

Thorne grinned at her, enjoying seeing her thrown off her guard. Clearly, she had not expected this; yet he could see temptation in her eyes. “Any objections?” he whispered, pulling her closer, holding her tighter, wanting her to know what he wanted and how desperately he wanted it.

Her breath faltered, and for a moment, she did not reply, her eyes wide and overwhelmed. Then she swallowed, and one little word emerged from her lips. “None.”

Thorne felt a somewhat primitive sense of triumph that she did not refuse him especially when she had—as she had told him the other day—been unwilling to accept a kiss from a gentleman before.

Abandoning that thought quickly, though, Thorne lowered his head to hers, eager to feel the brush of her lips. Her eyes fluttered shut, and he smiled the second before his mouth claimed hers.

Never had he wanted anyone more, and he could not imagine for that to ever change.