Who Loves Them? (Who--? Series) (8 page)

“Maybe,”
Christina said, taking a long swallow of her sherry and coughing a little.  “Or maybe we’ll just be that couple that acts in public and cannot stand each other in private.”

Jacqueline shook her head
.  “You shouldn’t think like that.”

Christina
felt like she could cry.  “This is a disaster!”

Gordon came back into the room and they stopped talking abruptly
.  Jacqueline set her glass down and stretched.  “I’m tired; I think I’ll go to bed now.” She wandered down the hall to her room, leaving the two of them alone.

Christina
swallowed the last of her sherry.  “I’m going to bed, too.” She stood up, and tottered dangerously, the sherry going to her head all at once.

Gordon was there in a
n instant as she tipped forward, and she found herself leaning against him, her breasts pressed into his chest.  His hands had landed on her upper arms and he gripped them to keep her from falling.  Her head tilted upward and she looked up at him with those wide blue eyes that were just a little glassy from the alcohol.

He couldn’t help himself
.  He bent his head and kissed her, capturing her bottom lip between his, his tongue darting out to trace the edge of it.

She felt the kiss all the way down to her toes and she leaned instinctively into him, her hands going up to his shoulders, and her mouth
opened in a small moan when his tongue touched her lip.

He groaned and wrapped one hand in her hair, crushing her mouth to his
.  Her body was so small, so delicate.  He could wrap his arm around her waist if he wanted, and he only just resisted, although his entire body was aching all at once for a woman he’d just met, and didn’t even like. 
You don’t like her, Gordy.  She’s the reason you’re in this bind.  If it was not for her, you wouldn’t be at this stupid cabin, trapped here with two women chattering about jam when you should be working, making money so that no self-righteous rich men in suits can ever threaten your family again…oh, but she felt so good, right where she was.

He let go of her abruptly, pushing her away from him, his eyes going dark
.  “Good night, Chris.”

Christina
frowned.  “What was that for?”

Gordon rolled his eyes
.  “I can’t wait for my real fiancé to get here.  Now go to bed.” He turned sharply and walked down the hallway, leaving her weak-kneed and confused, trembling, and a little pissed off in the firelight.

Once inside her room, Christina opened the letter from Lilly.  She unfolded it carefully, so she could fold it back later on the same creases.  A waft of vanilla perfume flew into her nostrils, instantly reminding Christina of Lilly, and her exotic perfumes and scents.

Lilly’s spidery handwriting was messy and rushed, as though she had been pressed for time when she wrote it
.  Christina instantly wondered if perhaps something was wrong, and made a mental note to call Lilly and make sure she was okay.  She began to read.

“Dear Christina,

Things have been a little hectic since you ran off with Gordon
.  I’ve been lonely, but I guess I’ve got to get used to it.  Ginger is here with me, which is a small comfort, I suppose.  The main reason I’m writing is because I think you need to know about something….something important.  Obviously, you know I have a soft spot for beautiful women, but one of the women I like has publically returned my affections.

Miss Angelique Blackwood
has shown her intentions!  We had a lovely afternoon tea party with a few well-known families, and of course, she was there with her parents and older brother.  Everything was going along quite nicely, until Angelique took me out to the orchard and told me how much she admired my artwork.  She seemed quite impressed by it.  Anyway, I leaned in to hug her and she kissed me!  She kissed me full on the mouth right in front of my brother.  I didn’t even know he had followed us!  He ran off and told my parents immediately, and my father publically embarrassed me, and not only that, he disinherited me!  I haven’t been able to call you because all my accounts have been frozen, and even my purse was taken away!  I don’t even have twenty cents!  Christina, you must come back.  Everything is a nightmare!  I don’t know what to do.

Please,
Christina, I know you must be having a wonderful time with your new fiancé, but you must help me.  My mother is furious!  Apparently she and your mother had been discussing some kind of arrangement!  It wouldn’t be official, of course, not like the arrangement you have with Gordon, but still an arrangement.  Oh, I don’t know what to do!  Please come home.

Your Lilly pad
.

Christina sighed and began to write a letter back to Lilly.

Dear Lilly,
she began,
I am in a living nightmare…

She frowned and threw her pen across the room
.  Things weren’t going the way she thought they would.  She had been promised that everything would be fine.  If only she could see how wrong everyone was.

****

Christina couldn’t sleep at all that night.  And it was not because of the shock of Lilly’s letter.  It was because of him. 
Gordon. 
She tossed and turned, remembering the kiss, the way his lips had felt on hers, the way it had shocked her all the way down to her toes.  She’d kissed a few boys, even let a couple get to second base, but she’d never felt anything like that--unable to breathe, to think, to do anything but melt into the person holding her and let him possess her.  She was aching for him to touch her again, and it frightened her.  She didn’t want to feel this intensely about anyone, certainly not a man who had no desire to know her or be with her, who was only marrying her out of necessity.  She sighed.  She hated everything about him.  He was utterly repugnant and vile.  He already had another lover, and he intended on sleeping with her even though they were engaged.  He just wanted to use and abuse her in any way he could.  He knew what he was doing, and was trying to manipulate her.  He has kissed her so that she just about forgot who she was, and then he just left.  She was mad that he could have that much control over her, and that he was playing with her.  She didn’t want to be in this situation any more than he did.  She just wanted to go home and help Lilly.  Lilly needed her now more than ever, and she was holed up here with a bunch of hoity-toity socialites who wanted to claim her as their own.

She was up at four, splashing cold water on her face and tying her hair back into a ponytail
.  She put on jogging pants, sneakers, and a t-shirt with a windbreaker over it to ward off the chill.  It didn’t matter what she looked like, chances were no one else would be up so early anyway.

She felt better the instant she stepped outside, jogging along the trail that led to the lake and enjoying the cool morning air on her face
.  There were ducks waddling along the edge of the water and she stopped to watch them, forgetting for a moment about Gordon, her upcoming wedding and the whole ridiculous mess.  She loved watching how silly they looked swaying from side to side when they walked, but knowing they were very graceful when they swam. 

As she jogged back to the cabin, she managed to put things back into perspective
.  She had to marry this man, but she didn’t have to let him have so much power over her.  Certainly, he was attractive, and he made her feel things that she’d never even imagined, but that was just lust.  It was manageable, and she would manage him.  She’d just have to keep him at arm’s length.  She’d have to sleep with him eventually, but not until their wedding, and she’d deal with that then.

She was nearing the cabin, jogging along the edge of the lake that ran behind it
.  She was glancing over the water when she saw movement and stopped.  A shape rose out of the water near the dock.  A head, and shoulders, a muscled back, and….

It was Gordon
.  She darted behind a tree, panicking.  His back was to her, so he couldn’t possibly have seen her.  Her pulse leapt into her throat as he stood the rest of the way out of the water and it became painfully obvious that he was completely, and gloriously, naked.  Her throat went dry as he turned around and she saw his chest, the carved muscles leading down to his pelvic bone, and lower….

Oh God
.  She turned and flattened herself against the tree, praying he wouldn’t notice that she was there.  She’d never seen a naked man before, and she couldn’t shake the image from her head.  Her heart was pounding rapidly, and she covered her eyes with her hands, even though he was no longer in sight.  How on earth would she be able to look him in the eye after this?     The image of his tanned skin, droplets of water beading and running off of him, down his flat stomach and hips and…and…she shook her head violently.  She couldn’t believe her reaction to him.  What did he think he was playing at, just swimming around naked?  He knew perfectly well she jogged around these parts.  He had to know she would see him.  She shook her head and ran a frustrated hand through her hair.  What did he want from her?  Oh, he made her so confused!

Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder
.  She spun around quickly and jumped.  It was Gordon.  “How…what are you doing here?  I just saw you go the other way.”

Gordon smirked
.  “I know a secret path.  What were you doing?  Snooping at me?  Trying to get a look at something you’ll never get?”

Christina
felt her cheeks grow warm.  “If you think I was impressed, think again.  I’ve seen better.”

Gordon laughed
.  “In your imagination!  Been reading too many romance stories? 
The droplets of water ran down his muscled arms…
” he snorted.  “I bet that’s the first time you’ve seen a naked man.  Like what you see?”

“Was not!”
Chris felt like it was she who was naked.  “I’ve seen plenty of naked men, but I’m not sure I’m looking at one now.  I think I’m looking at a little boy…or a eunuch.”

Gordon narrowed his eyes as he slipped on his clothes
.  “A eunuch, hey?  Been spying on your little brother?”

“I don’t have a little brother!”
Christina snapped, feeling annoyed. 

“Must have been yourself, then
.  With that flat chest, anyone would confuse you as a boy.”

Christina
’s bottom lip trembled in embarrassment.  She had always been self-conscious of her body.  She was not quite so voluptuous as all the other girls, but she knew she was not unattractive.  Gordon was just trying to make her feel bad. 

“Haven’t insulted enough women lately, have you
?   Do you need to fill your quota for the week?”

Go
rdon rolled his eyes.  “I’m on to you.  Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing.  You play sweet and innocent with my aunt, but I know you…one day you’ll slip up.” He walked off back to the house to get dressed.  Christina sighed.  What did he mean by that comment?  She hadn’t been anything but herself.  Maybe she ought to be someone else.  Maybe that would make all of this easier.

She frowned, feeling angry with herself
.  She was never going to get that vision from her mind, and truthfully, she was not sure she wanted to.  She walked back to the house, dreading seeing him over the breakfast table.  How could she find him so repulsive and attractive at the same time?  It was so annoying!  She wished he was hideous; a twisted old man with a cane.  If only he was struck down with some illness that disfigured his handsome, sensual….
Stop it!  You don’t want him!  He is toying with your emotions!

She decided to go to the stables to get her mind off things
.  The horses were placid as always, eager for someone to ride them.  Maybe later, she thought.  And maybe I can ride one of them away from this catastrophe.  Maybe no one would notice me leave.  Fat chance of that happening!  She ran a tired hand though a mare’s mane and rested her cheek against the horse’s face.  It was so soft and silky against her skin.  So soft and silky, just like Gordon’s skin…

“Argh!”
She stormed out of the stables, angry with herself.  What possessed her to continue thinking about him so much?  Of course, he was to be her husband, and she was supposed to think of him, but not this way…she was eager to find a loophole to get out of the marriage as much as him.  However, he
was
attractive…she sighed.  Now she was starting to think like him, wanting a husband based merely on his looks.  That was obviously why he preferred Mindy over her.  She frowned and made her way back to the cabin.

****

He was in the kitchen when she arrived, as was Jacqueline.  Gordon was seated at the table, sipping a cup of coffee.  Jacqueline evidently could cook, as she was standing at the stove, flipping crepes onto a plate and expertly folding fruit and whipped cream into the thin pastry and drizzling honey over the top.  “Here, Gordon,” she said, sliding the plate onto the table.  “You like crepes, Chris?”

Christina
nodded, studiously avoiding Gordon’s eyes as she poured herself a cup of coffee and stirred creamer into it.  “Sure,” she said noncommittally, sitting in a chair down the table from Gordon and focusing intently on her coffee.

Gordon’s deep voice startled her
.  “Every time I see you, Chris, you’re staring down into a glass of something.  Tell me, what is it that you see in there?  The answers to life?”

Christina
started to turn red, taking a gulp of coffee.  In truth, she was thinking about Lilly, but she didn’t want to let anyone know about her friend back home.  What would they think?  Certainly Gordon would laugh it off, and tell her to tell Lilly to get over herself, and Jacqueline would probably say the girl brought it on herself.  She sighed.  Jacqueline turned to give Gordon a stern look.  “Stop it, Gordon,” she admonished, before sliding a plate of crepes in front of Chris and fixing a plate for herself.  When he saw Chris’s reaction, he immediately felt bad about bullying her, but then he remembered that he didn’t want to be in this situation and it was her fault.

“I bet you could
look so hard you’d burn a hole in your cup,” Gordon whispered, staring at Christina from under his lashes.

Christina
narrowed her eyes and lowered her voice.  “You don’t even know what life is, let alone how to find any answers.”

Gordon frowned
.  “I bet you think the answer of life is forty-two.”

Despite herself, Chris snick
ered.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come along with us, Gordon?” Jacqueline asked
.  “It seems a shame for you to stay indoors all day.”

“I’d rather be working than shopping for jam,” Gordon retorted, finishing his crepe and pushing his plate away
.  “Have a nice day, girls.” He rolled his eyes in Christina’s direction before he disappeared into the library, shutting the door behind him.

“Honestly, I don’t know
what is gotten into him anymore,” Jacqueline huffed, finishing her breakfast and getting up to clear the table.  “He’s never been in this bad of a mood for so long.  Even in the current situation, he shouldn’t be behaving so badly.”

“It’s my fault,”
Christina said, drinking the last of her coffee.  “He’s angry because he’s being forced to marry me and I’m here all the time, reminding him of it.  I don’t think this ‘vacation’ was a very good idea.”

Jacqueline sighed
.  “Just give him a little while.  I’m sure he’ll warm up.”

Christina
nodded. 
He was warm last night,
she thought without warning, and shivered.