A Gentleman Never Tells(102)
“I’m not leaving you alone, Gabrielle,” he whispered, hugging her close.
Brent kept whispering he wouldn’t leave her. But he was. He’d told her he was going back to Brentwood. He was leaving her, leaving London. She had lost Brutus, and Brent too. Her heart was so broken she did the only thing she could do. She buried her wet face in Brent’s neck and wept again.
She cried for Brutus and for herself. She cried for the loss of a mother she never got to know. She cried because her father had never really learned how to love her. And she cried because she knew, even though she had tried desperately to push Brent away, what she really desired was for him to love her and to want to marry her. He had given her what she said she wanted—her freedom and his to marry whomever they wished. But now she knew Brent was the man she would choose to be her husband.
Brent laid his cheek against her hair and ran his hand soothingly up and down her back, over her shoulder, and around her neck as they sat on the floor in front of the settee. He patted her arm, kissed the top of her head, and brushed his fingers along the side of her face. In a husky voice, he caressed her with comforting words and gave her protection in his strong embrace.
As her sobs faded and her tears dried, hearing the steady beat of his heart against his chest consoled her weary and distraught mind.
Slowly, her strength returned.
Gabrielle lifted her head. After a long intake of breath that ended on a shaky sigh, she noticed the fire burned low, giving peaceful warmth and a golden glow to the afternoon shadows that filtered through the windowpanes. She caught Brent’s expression and saw he was filled with pain, too, and in that moment she knew he needed to be in her arms as much as she needed to be in his. All the emotions swirling around inside her were impossible to fathom, so she didn’t try. She didn’t know why, but in her grief she wanted this intimate contact with Brent. For some reason, she had a strong desire to feel alive.
Gabrielle touched the injured corner of his mouth where Godfrey had hit him. It was the third time his lip had been cut in that spot since she’d known him. “Does it hurt?”
“Like hell,” he said with a lopsided grin. “But I can take it.”
“Good.” She smiled and then whispered, “Kiss me.”
Brent looked down into her eyes as he brushed her hair away from her face. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, even though I locked the door when I came in.”
“No one will bother us.” Gabrielle pleaded again, “Kiss me, Brent.”
He slid a hand to the back of her neck and cupped it. “Don’t ask this of me, Gabrie. You’ve been through a lot today. This is not the time for me to be showing you how much I want you.”
She moistened her lips and swallowed hard. “But don’t you understand, Brent? I need you right now. I desperately need your strength and your touch.”
“Damnation!” he whispered and covered her mouth with his. His kiss was fierce but much too short.
She wound her arms around his neck as his lips found hers and moved tenderly over them. He cupped each side of her face with his hands and kissed her nose, her cheeks, and her closed eyelids. He kissed her lips again and again before letting his burn a trail down the slender column of her throat and back to her face. She entwined her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, lifting her chest up to his and drawing strength from the passion he gave.
Their tongues swirled in each other’s mouths as their bodies strained to get closer. Without really knowing why, she started pulling the tail of his damp shirt from the waistband of his trousers. All she knew was she wanted to feel his skin beneath her hands.
“Yes,” she heard Brent murmur into her mouth as her fingers found the warmth of his body. She splayed her hands and shot them up the length of his gloriously muscular back. She loved the power she felt in his firm, broad shoulders.
Their kiss deepened and turned desperate as he captured her lips with his again. His tongue explored inside her mouth with eager yet soothing strokes. Brent’s hands moved up her rib cage to fondle her breasts. His fingers searched for and found her nipples hidden beneath the layers of her clothing. At his touch, they puckered and rose. Ripples of desire tightened across her breasts and shot pleasure down her body to settle into her most womanly part.
Gabrielle moaned softly.
A few moments later, his lips left hers. Brent’s hands stilled. He sighed and let his forehead lean against hers as he fought to control his labored breathing.