Mercy... Juliana
CHAPTER 29
“What do you mean he went to my mother’s?”
Eden knew that one day Phillip might find out about all the terrible things her mother had done. She had thought that, perhaps, it would be sometime in the future. The far-off distant future, so far off that she would not have to think about how he might look at her after he had found out what her own mother thought about her.
Apparently, that was not to be the case.
There was a loud banging on the front door, followed by a great commotion in the hallway. Then the door slammed open, and suddenly Phillip was there in the Rose Parlor.
Eden jumped to her feet, wondering if she had conjured him with her mind. He looked so perfect: his hair was windblown and his cravat a bit wilted, his shoulders were as wide and strong as ever, tapering to his slender waist, and his determined eyes searching for hers and then finding her.
He flew to her, and in five steps he had his hands on the sides of her face, sinking into her hair. In the next moment, her hands were holding his wrists as his lips took hers in what could only be witnessed as the most passionate kiss that the Rose Parlor had ever beheld.
“Mercy,” Juliana was wide-eyed.
He slanted his lips over hers, and she moaned into his kiss. He forced her lips open wider. She whimpered and obeyed, knowing that she was finally coming home.
The dowager swallowed a laugh before clearing her throat for the third time, “Phillip! There are children present.”
“Don’t stop on our account!” Lillian grinned.
Juliana was hiding under her arm, “I am completely scarred and will never recover.”
Phillip brought the kiss to a close.
Eden hid her face in his chest, completely mortified that she had lost herself in front of his family. Phillip held her close, relishing the feel of her body against his, loving that his family knew how much he loved her. It was a nice feeling, and he hadn’t expected that.
“I suppose we are planning a wedding,” the dowager hinted.
Phillip grinned, “You are stealing my thunder, mother.”
“Can I be a bride’s maid?” Julianna poked her head out of her arm.
“Of course,” Lillian gushed, “We are her only sisters. Right, Eden?”
They turned to see Eden, whose face was still planted firmly in Phillip’s chest.
Phillip smiled at his sisters, “I am certain that we can talk about bride’s maids and all of those other things, but if you ladies do not mind, can I have a few moments of privacy with Eden?”
The dowager smiled, “Come along, girls, let’s give them a moment.”
After they left Phillip held her close for a moment, his heart racing clear out of his chest.
“Are you ever going to come out of there?” he asked, kissing the top of her head.
A muffled “No” was her only reply.
He chuckled, which was lovely under her cheek, and she held him all the tighter.
“I missed you so very much,” Eden whispered. “I thought that you didn’t want me. All of my life people have been disappointed in me and have left me.”
Phillip frowned and tipped her chin up gently, “What do you mean, little cat?”
“When I was smaller, I idolized my father - I wanted to be just like him. But one day, when I was seven or eight, my mother told me that he was leaving and wasn’t coming back. She said that we were not good enough for him. It was after that that she constantly was after me to be smarter and thinner. Nothing that I did was ever good enough. I thought that I had made you leave, that I had scared you away like I did my father.”
Eden swallowed her tears, but one escaped and ran down her cheek.
“No,” Phillip shook his head. “That’s just not true. You could never have been the reason that your father left, Eden. You are perfection. There is nothing, not one thing I would change about you. Eden - you are probably the reason why he lasted seven or eight years with that terrible woman. And while I could kill him for allowing you to grow up with her, I have to be somewhat grateful because that is how I met you.”
“You could have anyone, Phillip,” Eden smiled sadly.
“I could, there are a lot of women out there,” Phillip grinned like the true rake that he was. “But there is only one of you, and Lord knows I need you.”
“I love you, Phillip,” Eden lifted her hand to his face. “I forgot to tell you before how much your roses meant to me.”
He flashed his killer smile, “You liked that?”
Eden laughed, “You are always so terribly impressed with yourself.”
“But you did like it?” he pressed.
“It was alright,” she teased.
“Just alright?” he scoffed. “What could be better?”
“You have promised me something for months now that you haven’t come through on.”
Phillip pulled back in confusion, “Whatever are you talking about?”
It was Eden’s turn to grin saucily, “Weren’t you suppose to show me your cock?”
Phillip’s eyes about popped out of his head, “My mother is in the next room! You can’t just say cock with my mother in the next room!”
Eden laughed gaily, “Why, does it make your cock big?”
Phillip groaned loudly, “Bloody hell, yes, it bloody does!”
“Can I see it?” Eden licked her lips.
“Tonight, after the Mangrove Musical, when there are no mothers in the next room,” he whispered as kissed her hard on the lips.