Sweet Love of Mine

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

“Would you mind staying just a little?”

Damn, damn, damn… Emily had just known that Victoria Colton was going to say that. It was evident in her huge sooty eyes, so forlorn and lost they pulled at the already flexible strings of her heart. Still, it didn’t negate from the fact that she was Victoria’s friend and that she was needed, possibly more so than the broodingly handsome man who had clung to her hand with secretive tenderness in the carriage ride home.

On top of that, it was improper that Emily had been hoarding the unvoiced desire to seek out Sebastian in his chambers later. What would ensue therein left much to the imagination and he had warned her that the next time there would be consequences, but… Oh, she was a fickle thing indeed, swayed so easily by a sultry smile, a soft caress of his fingers…

Well, she wouldn’t go. If Victoria’s tentative plea wasn’t indication enough that she shouldn’t go to Sebastian tonight, then her unhesitating enthusiasm to throw her virginity out the window was. “Of course,” Emily agreed readily as Sebastian politely assisted her in the removal of her coat. Jasper had retired for the evening long ago.

“Thank you.” With a plaintive sniffle, Victoria glanced about the hallway. It had been decided that both the Colton women would spend the night at Weatherly House instead of returning home where Gabriel’s lingering presence was stronger.

“Come, Delores,” Sophie commanded haughtily, gesturing with her cane. “I’ll show you to your chambers. I’m sure Emily will eagerly attend Victoria.”

“If I’m not present for breakfast,” Delores muttered dryly as she passed the remaining three left in the hallway, “I’ve been bludgeoned to death with that odious cane.”

Victoria giggled half-heartedly and then Delores vanished up the grand stairwell after Sophie, swallowed by the dark.

“I’ll accompany you,” Sebastian offered in a soft voice. Emily turned to him and caught her breath. Why the sight of him never failed to increase the temperature of her internal system surprised her, she honestly didn’t know. It wasn’t as if he had changed suddenly from the last time she had looked at him- a mere two minutes ago. Well, he had, actually. He’d shucked his dark coat atop hers on the provided stand next to a gilded mirror against the wall used to exemplify the light from one of the candle holders underneath it. In his brocade waist coat, a colour that very nearly matched his eyes, and crisp white shirt, he looked rather dashing. At present, he was loosening his cravat and removing his cufflinks from his sleeves- a job usually reserved for his valet, who would undoubtedly have retired for the evening as well. The act, right here in the open hallway, seemed quite scandalous and Emily supposed that she should be scandalized. But she couldn’t find it in herself to be anything other than entirely captivated by the gorgeous specimen that he was, his actions reminiscent of forbidden intimacies she knew nothing about.

“That’s kind of you,” Emily remarked inanely. God, she sounded absolutely brainless. Even her voice appeared to be edged with insincerity when all she wanted to say was, kiss me, you fool! In front of Victoria, I don’t care, but do it NOW-

“You must think me foolish,” Victoria said to Sebastian as he collected a candle against one sideboard and lit it on the one against the mirror.

“You cannot imagine what I think, Miss Colton,” Sebastian told her smoothly. His eyes lingered over Emily then and her pulse fluttered wildly in response. She rather hoped that what Victoria could not imagine him thinking involved Emily… being ravenously kissed-

Oh, bother. What was the matter with her? Wordlessly, her thoughts troubled, Emily linked her arm with Victoria’s and they began to proceed slowly up the stairs with Sebastian in step behind them so that they were illuminated with the soft orange glow of the candle. This fascination with the man was terrifying in its intensity. It did not help one bit that his hand settled comfortably in the small of her back as he assisted her up the stairs. Lord, it burned…