His Christmas Match (A Gentleman's Guide to Once Upon a Time) (21 page)

Felding
pulled back and leaned his head back against the rocks not loosening his hold
about her body. His eyes were hooded, and she longed to ask him want he was
thinking but wasn’t sure she wished for the answer.
 

“Did
I just shock you Rosalind?”

Her
mouth opened. It was the first time he had addressed her by her given name
since they were children.
 
“Um, yes.”

A
slow sensual smiled pulled at his lips.
 
“Perhaps now you will be better prepared.”

Before
she could comment, he was kissing her again. She hadn’t even closed her lips in
preparation but apparently that wasn’t necessary.
 
He molded his mouth to hers, his lips no
longer cold, and he delved.
 
She had
never experienced anything of the like nor had she ever considered tongues were
used while kissing.

Rosalind
tilted her head, forming her mouth against his, and tentatively touched her
tongue to his. He groaned, and his hold tightened.
 
She didn’t remember lifting her arms but a
moment later, her gloved fingers were pushing through Felding’s hair holding
his head close.
 
She didn’t want him to
break from this kiss again.
 
Who needed a
fire or clothing in this weather when one could sit upon Felding’s lap and be
warmed from the inside out?

His
hand shifted and pushed inside her pelisse wrapping it around her waist and
sliding it up her back.
 
His fingers
burned a trail through her clothing everywhere they touched.
 
Her stomach flipped with queer and unusual
sensations, and her breasts grew tight and heavy.
 
What was happening to her?

Felding
pulled her closer. So close she was practically laying on him, and his mouth
plundered hers over and over. The screams of four young boys startled them, and
Rosalind jerked away from Felding as she began scrambling off of his lap.
 
Nobody could find them this way. She would be
ruined for certain.
 
Last winter there
had only been rumors surrounding her.
 
If
anyone would have come across them now, they would never believe what happened
last year was innocent and would paint her. . . Rosalind couldn’t even finish
the thought.

Felding
turned and went up on his knees.
 
“Demetrius has cornered them.”

She
would like to suggest they let Demetrius finish them off and go back to what
they were doing but didn’t dare. What would Felding think of her? What did he
think of her now that she had allowed him such liberties?
 
She had been sitting on his lap for heaven’s
sake. Young misses did not do such things unless they were courting
ruination.
 
But, Felding had been the one
to keep her there after she had fallen. Certainly he knew she hadn’t
deliberately landed on his lap.

“I
am sorry,” she muttered looking down.
 

He
settled and looked at her. “What could you possibly be sorry for?”

Heat
filled her face. “I shouldn’t have fallen onto your lap. I didn’t mean for you
to think…”

He
chuckled and placed a finger under her chin forcing her face up until their
eyes met.
 
“I know you didn’t intend to
land where you did, but I cannot say I am sorry for it.”

She
bit her bottom lip trying to make sense of his words.

He
leaned in and kissed her. It was a quick, chaste kiss, but one she would
treasure along with the others.

“I
have wanted to kiss you, and your tumble offered me the perfect opportunity.

Her
mouth popped open. He had wanted to kiss her? Why? Wasn’t he courting Lady
Jillian?

More
screams filled the air, and Felding glanced over the rocks.
 
“Your brother has them on the run.”
 
He pushed to his feet and offered a hand.
“Shall we assist in their downfall?”

Rosalind
wasn’t sure she could even throw a snowball at the moment or even move.

Felding
picked up two of the snowballs she had made earlier and placed them in her hands
before retrieving two for himself.
 
“We
will discuss what happened later.” He winked at her and took off after
Demetrius and the boys.

For
a moment, Rosalind stood there simply stunned.
 

“I
need your help, Rosy!” Demetrius called out.

She
had to help her brother because she certainly couldn’t explain why she was
lingering back now.
 
She glanced to where
the voices had come from to see Demetrius and Felding chasing the boys from the
woods and took off after them.
 

Once
they cleared the tree line, Demetrius and Felding were after the boys at a full
out run.
 
Rosalind fell behind because
she couldn’t hold her skirts up with the snowballs in her hands. She let them
drop, grasped the material, and lifted enough so that she could follow.
 
Felding and Demetrius let their snow fly
striking the older boys in the back.
 
Her
hands still shook from her encounter, and Rosalind wouldn’t have been able to
aim a snowball if her life depended on it.
 
From the moment Felding’s lips touched hers, Rosalind had lost interest
in the game though there was some deep satisfaction in seeing the children
brought to task.

As
the youngsters gained the house, Lord and Lady Meadows, along with Sir Lavins
stepped out. They each frowned at the four children arms crossed in front of
them.
 
The boys skidded to a halt in
front of their disapproving parents and glanced back at Demetrius and Felding
gaining on them with utter and complete fear on their small faces.
 
It only made Rosalind laugh as she tried to
catch up.

Had
she not been looking at the house, Rosalind might have realized she was running
through what were probably the formal gardens when her foot caught tripping
her. Before she could call out, Rosalind fell forward. She placed her hands to
brace herself but still fell face first into the snow. The cold, moist blanket
was a shock at first stealing her breath.

Goodness
that was embarrassing, she chuckled as she rolled to her back surprised she
hadn’t fallen before now.
 
She let her
head fall back and laughed.

One
moment she looked up at the crisp blue sky and in a blink, Felding was looking
down at her.
 
A concerned frown marred
his brow.

“Are
you all right, Miss Valentine?”

“I
am perfectly fine, Lord Felding,” she laughed and held up a hand. “Could you
help me stand?”

Relief
washed over his features, and he held out a gloved hand and grasped hers. With
one strong pull, he had her on her feet.
 
Rosalind bent to brush the snow from her pelisse and skirts before she
turned toward the house.
 
Pain sliced
through her ankle, and she nearly fell again.
 
Felding’s arm snaked around her waist.
 

“What
is it?”

Rosalind
winced. “I believe I turned my ankle.”

Without
asking permission, Felding bent and scooped her up in his arms and strode
toward the house where the others waited and watched.

“Miss
Valentine?” Lady Meadows questioned.

“She
hurt her ankle,” Felding answered.

“Let’s
get you inside.”
 
Lady Meadows stepped
back and opened the door. “Biscuits and chocolate are waiting for you.
 
Penelope said the three of you often enjoyed
that treat after playing in the snow.”

“Biscuits
and chocolate?” the oldest boy asked with excitement.

“Not
for you four,” Lord Meadows bit out.
 
“It
is one of your punishments for throwing snowballs at the adults.”

The
shoulders slumped on the four boys, and their chins dropped to their chest. “We
didn’t mean to hit anyone.”

Sir
Lavins lifted an eyebrow. “Then why throw it in the first place?”

The
boys shared a look.

“Just
as I thought,” Meadows stated. “All four of you know better, and I promise,
after we are done, you will never do so again.”

The
boys stiffened and looked at their fathers their eyes round with fear.

Felding
chuckled though Rosalind hoped their punishment wasn’t harsh. They were boys
having a bit of fun, and nobody had been harmed at least not until she tripped.
But she had gone after them.
 
She could
have remained inside with the other ladies.
 
But if she had, she would have never been in a position for Felding to
kiss her.
 
This snowball fight was far
more delightful than the ones she had participated in as a child, Rosalind
thought as she smiled, and lowered her head so as not to give her thoughts
away.

“No
chocolate or biscuits today, and tomorrow you will be helping muck out the
stables,” Meadows insisted.

They
groaned in unison.

“Right
now, get upstairs and put some dry clothing on. Your tutors are waiting.”

Seventeen

Noah
stepped inside the drawing room where most of the guests were gathered. Many
had been standing at the windows watching the chase.
 
He didn’t realize they would have such an
audience and glanced back.
 
Could they
have seen him and Rosalind by the rocks? If he strained, he could make them out
in the distance, but the two of them would have been on the other side of the
outcropping. Hopefully nobody had been looking in that direction.
 
Had they, Noah believed only the tops of
their heads could have been seen, if anything. Not that it mattered if they had
seen them. Noah now had his answer to the question that had plagued him.
 
Not only did Rosalind Valentine enjoy adventure
and still playing in the snow, she was also full of passion. Other than the
coldness of her lips when he first touched his to hers, there was nothing else
chilly in her embrace.
 

The
guests turned toward them when he entered with Miss Valentine in his arms.
 

“What
happened?” Penelope asked.

“It
is nothing,” Rosalind insisted.

“She
twisted her ankle,” Noah answered and moved across the room toward the fire.
Now that they were no longer running, or kissing, the damp clothing was
beginning to chill his body. Both he and Rosalind needed to change.
 
It was a shame he was not yet in a position
to simply carry her upstairs, strip her, and warm her in other ways. However,
he anticipated that there would be time for that in the future. He might just
toss her in the snow for the pleasure of returning her to the chamber to strip
her bare and heat her body in the several ways he imagined while she was upon
his lap.

Demetrius
stomped his boots outside and entered after them letting a wide grin display
upon his face.
 
“Dashing good time,” he
said to those present.

Broadridge
sniffed and settled back in a chair.

“Lord
Felding,” Lady Jillian cooed as she came up to him.
 
“You should give Miss Valentine to her
brother and change before you catch your death.”

Though
he could hand Rosalind to Demetrius, Noah knew it would only aggravate Lady
Jillian if he held onto the young woman.
 
Besides, he wasn’t yet ready to relinquish his hold on Rosalind. He
might never be ready.
 
“I will see her
upstairs as I am going that way myself.”

“I’ll
come and help Miss Valentine,” Penelope announced and led the way out the door.

Noah
followed making sure to cradle Rosalind close.
 
She was light and soft, and smelled of Lily of the Valley. “Does your
ankle pain you much?”

“No,”
she answered. “Though I doubt I could negotiate the stairs.

“I’ll
wait for you to change and bring you back down.”

Rosalind
pulled back and looked up at him. “That is not necessary, Lord Felding. I am
sure my brother can do so.”

He
wasn’t about to give up the opportunity to carry her a second time. “I insist,”
he said quietly.

Miss
Valentine frowned and studied him.
 
She
was probably confused as to why he wished to carry her, but Noah wasn’t sure if
or how he could explain when he wasn’t sure how much he wished to tell
her.
 
Hell, she was probably confused
about the entire events of this afternoon, however; soon he would need to speak
with her in private. While her kiss led him to believe she would not reject his
offer of courtship, she was also probably surprised as he had not given her any
indication of his thoughts prior to her landing on his lap.
 

Was
there a chance she did not wish for his attention? Noah frowned and looked
toward the top of the stairs. If she did not want him to pursue her, she would
not have kissed him as she had, allowed him to mold her body to his, or
threaded her fingers through his hair.
 
Rosalind may have been surprised, but rejection was not on her lips or
in her actions.