Besotted (The Fairest Maidens #3) - Jody Hedlund Page 0,33
able to supervise. But surely by now, Chester had realized how unfounded his fears were. No harm had befallen us as a result of Kresten and Jorg’s presence. No one even knew we had them as guests.
No ill would come of spending a few minutes with him now. I hesitated in the doorway, not wanting to break the rules of being in his chamber without a chaperone. Less than a dozen feet away, Aunt Elspeth paused her weaving, glanced to the cottage door, and then spoke in an overly loud whisper. “Well now. I’m not supposed to allow you to enter. But I am ready to give my hands a rest and won’t mind a short break to sit with you.”
“Are you sure? I do not want to take you away from your labor.”
She pushed herself up from her stool, wincing as she straightened. “It’s no trouble, my sweeting. My poor old back cannot go as long as it used to.”
I dragged in a more comfortable chair for her along with a footstool. Once she was settled, I tucked a warm blanket around her to ward off the chill of the autumn day and then took my place on a stool at Kresten’s bedside, drawing up the table and resuming our unfinished game.
We talked and bantered and played. And, as with every other day, I relished being with him, feeling alive in a way I never had before. While I awaited my turn, I studied Kresten’s face, his brows puckered in concentration.
I couldn’t imagine a kinder, sweeter, more enjoyable man. Not only did I love spending time with him, but the strong lines of his cheeks and jaw and chin never failed to draw my attention. He had a perfect nose, a handsome smile, and the most stunning blue eyes.
“It’s your turn.” His voice was laced with humor. “But take your time admiring me. I don’t mind.”
I dropped my gaze to the pieces on the board, a flush infusing my face. “And what makes you think I am admiring you?”
“Because I’m irresistible.”
I didn’t dare look up for fear he’d see the truth in my eyes—that I did find him irresistible.
“Admit it,” he whispered with an intimacy that sent my pulse racing. “You think I’m gallant.”
“Hush.” Kresten had never been this bold with Chester standing at the door. I could only imagine what Aunt Elspeth was thinking of this turn in our conversation. Her eyes were likely wide, and she was probably fanning her face with the force of a gale wind.
“Aunt Elspeth’s asleep,” Kresten whispered as though reading my mind.
I peeked her direction, and sure enough, her head was tilted back, her eyes closed, and her mouth wide open, emitting the heavy breathing of slumber.
“You must still behave.” I tried to study the game.
“You should know by now that I rarely behave the way I ought to.”
The low rumble in his voice made my insides flip upside down. “You must try.”
“Or what?”
Again, my insides flipped, leaving a ripple of pleasure in their wake. “Or I shall need to discipline you most severely.”
He was silent for a heartbeat, and then I felt the pressure of his fingers under my chin, tipping my head up. “Will you allow me to do this?”
“Do what?”
He skimmed his thumb down my cheek to my chin. “This?”
The soft caress sent a tremor through me, one that traveled to my very core. “No, you cannot.”
“Then what about this?” He brushed the pad of his thumb across my lower lip.
My breath stuck in my lungs, and I could only shake my head and whisper, “No.”
“Maybe this?” He grazed my upper lip.
“No.” I could hardly get the word out.
During the process of our whispered conversation, he’d leaned closer to me, and somehow I’d leaned closer to him so that we were now poised above the game, our faces mere inches apart.
With his attention squarely upon my lips, the desire that flamed in his eyes was undeniable. I couldn’t deny the desire welling up within me either. For what, I didn’t know. All I knew was that I longed for more, that the longing had been building with each passing day of being together.
These past weeks of his recuperation, he’d been chaste and reserved. He’d used caution, treating me with sisterly regard. Even so, an undercurrent had existed between us, something sweet and secretly thrilling, something I’d tried to ignore. But now that we had a moment of privacy, we could no longer let it lay dormant.