Chapter 10: In which our heroine receives a curious Christmas gift.
Christmas morning
The day dawned bright, with sunshine reflecting brightly off all the snow. Heaps and heaps of snow covered nearly everything outside. The world seemed cold, still, and quiet, while inside the house was warm, glowing, and bustling with activity.
Grey was happy to be here.
Something else was warming up his heart, though, and it hadn’t anything to do with Christmas, unless it was some sort of Christmas miracle. That something was Serena.
She no longer avoided his gaze. In fact, more than once he’d caught her dark eyes fixed on him at mealtimes. She didn’t look away, either, when their eyes met.
And now, while they were in the foyer, having just returned from church services with all the guests, he would have sworn that she was lingering. For him.
Which was perfect, because he needed to steal her away for a private moment.
Grey caught up with her near the doorway to one of the smaller, private drawing rooms.
“I have a gift for you,” he murmured.
“Oh?”
“But first...oh look.” He glanced up. “It seems we are standing under some mistletoe.”
She looked up and saw that yes, indeed, a sprig of mistletoe hung above them. Her lips twisted into an adorably peevish smile.
“Are you the one who keeps moving it? I thought it was Bridget.”
“Moving mistletoe so one might strategically engineer a kiss is clearly the work of a juvenile male who feels he must resort to tricks in order to get kisses from pretty girls.” Grey paused. “I absolutely did it and I will not apologize for it.”
“You...”
Grey could see all the thoughts racing through her head—admonishments, protestations—before she decided it wasn’t really that important.
She stepped into the parlor; he followed and closed the door behind them.
“Well, then kiss me, so your work wasn’t for naught.”
“Is that the reason?”
“The only reason.”
He didn’t believe her for a second. Fancy that: Lady Serena lying! Lady Serena stealing into parlors to kiss him!
Grey kissed her before the moment was lost forever.
This kiss started sweetly and tentatively, with a soft fumbling press of her lips against his, or his against hers. It was only a moment before they both gave up the pretense. Grey’s mouth claimed hers.
He was wild with lust for her. Oh, he’d always been, but now there was no point in pretending anymore. Not when she wanted him too.
Serena grabbed fistfuls of his jacket and pulled him close as Grey wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply. She kissed him right back, matching his passion.
Grey stumbled.
This was happening. Really happening.
She smiled. “Am I making you weak in the knees?”
“Something like that,” he murmured before kissing her again. He’d never tire of kissing her. Or touching her—he badly wanted to touch her. Everywhere.
He pressed kisses along her neck, eliciting moans from her parted lips. That sweet sound made him hard. God, he wanted this woman.
Wanted to lose himself in her. Wanted to bring her to dizzying heights of pleasure. Wanted to love her. Forever.
Which reminded him...
“I have a gift for you.”
He held out the poorly wrapped present and she took it.
“You didn’t need to get me anything.”
But I did.
“Go on, open it.”
Serena sat on a nearby settee and proceeded to open the present in the exact manner that one would expect Lady Serena Cavendish to do so: she opened it slowly and carefully, as if to preserve the wrapping for reuse, which was silly since she was so rich, or as if to prevent making a mess, which was just as silly, given the number of servants at Kingstag Castle.
Finally, she held the leather volume in her hand and turned it over so she could read the very long title: An Englishman in India, Or; One young Lord’s journey to the Indian subcontinent and a thorough examination of the culture, customs, geography, languages, and its people.
Serena peered up at him. “What does this mean?”
It means that I want to show you the world. To know of things beyond dukes, weddings and house parties.
It means that I would be utterly lost in India without that book. I won’t be able to perform my duties to the crown without reading it. But I’d already be wrecked if you don’t come with me.
It means that I want you to come to India with me.
As my bride.
He was too nervous to say all these things. He was not yet sure of her response, and he feared it would not be good for him. After all, they’d only just kissed the other day and now he was asking her to consider leaving the life she’d planned behind and sailing halfway around the world with him.
“It’s a book about India, which I’m certain you gathered from the title. It’s a book one would do well to read if they were going to India. Or one might like to peruse it before their friend sets sail for that foreign land, so they might still feel close while they are actually quite far apart.”
“Mr. Jones...”
“You might as well call me Greyson now. I’ve kissed you twice and messed up your hair.”
To her credit, she only grinned and didn’t check on the state of her coiffure.
“This is surely the most interesting gift I’ve ever received. I look forward to reading this, Greyson.” She gazed at him with those unfathomable and unreadable dark eyes of hers. “Thank you.”