Sweet Surrender

~A Defiant Duchess ~ Part 2

...He looked deep into her eyes, his heart warmed with the brightness of innocence that twinkled in their depths.

"What do you want for your birthday peach, I will get it," he whispered softly.

He watched intently as she lowered her head and smiled.
"Anything?," she repeated with a beautiful smile.

He chuckled and reached for her hands. Warm, petite, delicate fingers entwined with his.

"For you peach, anything," he repeated with so much emotion in his voice.

She hesitated, then slowly lifted her gaze to his. Grey stormy eyes darkened watching hers fill with tears. His chest tightened with each one that fell. He gently rubbed one away with his thumb and caressed her cheek.

"I....I want you to stay here and never leave me," she said.

"Oh Eva!" he pulled her close. There foreheads touched. He brushed his nose with hers and she tilted her head up and pressed her lips gently to his.

It was a kiss so pure. Filled with want, desire and love. Delicate fingers caressed his jaw as he closed his eyes shut and reveled in the touch.

"I can not imagine a life with out you Eva. I love you," his voice shook.

Their lips met once more. He savored the sweetness of it. He memorized the warmth of her tongue as it grazed his. All of her was engrained in him and he would never forget it.

As soon as the kiss deepened, she vanished into thin air.

He swallowed hard at the lump forming in his throat refusing to open his eyes and accept that she was gone. He would not accept it.

"Adrian," the soft voice pulled him to the present.

Again his name was called and he abruptly blinked twice and turned to where it came from.

He looked into the same color grey eyes as his. Caroline leaned forward and pat his leg lightly waking him up from his brief slumber just in time to feel the sudden jolt from the carriage stopping.

He sat up and noticed Arlington sitting up straight and Wesley, Evangelines fathers solicitor rubbing sleep from his eyes as well.

"Were here!" Caroline smiled at them all as she sat eargerly waiting for the coachman to open the doors.

They had docked a week ago in Calais after a long sail in bad weather. The May air was humid and warm. Finally they arrived he sighed.

They had booked passage for their sail to France the moment Wesley gave them information on her family.

"You are going to go find her and bring  her home brother, she is your wife." Caroline spoke with determination in her voice.

"What if she does not want to return. What if I have lost her forever Caroline?"

"No...if you love her like you say you do. Then you will fight for her. Even if it means you bring her back hogtied...you bring her back." Caroline said.

For the first time he has ever seen this side Caroline he was surprised.

He looked around at the busy town. Carriages rode by and people walked about happily talking. None were the wiser of his plight. None knew of the agony he was in. They couldn't see how he had traveled so far to grovel at the feet of the one person that held his heart. He took in a deep breath and continued wallking behind Wesley towards the little inn he had procured for their stay.