REGENCY: Loved by the Duke (Historical Billionaire Military Romance) (19th Century Victorian Short Stories) (24 page)

Chapter 2

Tabitha set her bags down on the giant king sized bed that took up most of the south wall of her room. Looking around, she sighed in satisfaction. This really was exactly what she needed. The walls of the suite were painted a soft, muted rose that complimented the warmth of the hard wood floors. A small seating area by the door housed a loveseat with neutral geometric print and two wooden armchairs with quilted cushions.

A big, white, fluffy looking knit blanket was folded over the back of the loveseat just begging her to go over there and wrap up in it, but then she glanced towards the big arched window that dominated the entire west wall. Tabitha’s breath caught.

It was just so beautiful. The frozen pond sat surrounded by glittering pines and evergreen shrubs dusted with snow like confectioner’s sugar.  She felt the prick of tears as she remembered that winter so many years ago. She had gone skating on that very pond with her father pulling her around as they played on the ice.

It had been just a few short years later when her father had died but the memory ached. Some of Tabitha’s most cherished memories of him had happened right here at the lodge. It was one of the reason’s she had decided to come, to feel closer to her past, who she used to be.

Shrugging off the melancholy thoughts, she moved toward her bag with renewed determination. Tabitha knew exactly what she was going to do first. She unzipped the bigger of the two suitcases, her long, dark fingers moving against the green and black checked fabric, and pulled out a box. Taking off the lid, she stared for a moment. Just looking at the ice skates as a familiar jolt of fear slid through her.

Ever since her accident eight months ago, she had been unable to get back on the ice and skate, overwhelmed by a sense of trepidation that made her whole body shake. The doctors all said it was a normal reaction, and she would eventually overcome it.

Tabitha swallowed, stiffening her shoulders and holding her long, elegant neck straight. Today was going to be that day. Grabbing the skates before any more second thoughts could creep in, she was out the door and headed towards the pond with quick strides.

She met no one in the lobby, not even Bea, so continued outside in the relaxing quiet of the resort. There was a sense of peace here so strong that even her newfound fear of skating couldn’t compete, and Tabitha was able to push it back with ease. To a woman used to being confident and sure of herself, that nagging disquiet was hard to countenance.

She marched up to the pond with resolve in every line of her curvy, yet muscular, frame. Spying a worn, wooden bench about twenty feet away, Tabitha strode over, kicking up clouds of powdering snow as she walked. She sat, taking her shoes off, and froze, her head whipping to the side making some of her dark ebony hair tousle loose from her high bun.

She swore she heard something. A foot step, a twig snap, she wasn’t exactly sure now, and as she watched and nothing happened she had to shrug it off. Maybe it was an animal or something. She was surrounded by acres and acres of forest after all. There was bound to be some wild life.

Tabitha finished lacing up her skates, their bright white leather a sharp contrast to the warm brown hue of her fingers as she smoothed her hands over the soft material. They were the last pair of custom boots she had bought before her accident, and they fit like a glove, perfectly molded to fit the arch of her feet.

Taking a deep breath, Tabitha inhaled the sweet, cold air, and without a single glance behind her, strode to the edge of the pond. On a giant exhale, she glided graceful as a swan onto the ice.

Chapter 3

Sebastian held his breath. When he had accidentally stepped on that branch, the echo of its snapping ringing loudly in the peaceful stillness of the woods, he was sure he was caught. That beautiful creature had stared right at him, but concealed as he was by the branches of pine, drooping under the weight of the snow, she somehow hadn’t seen him.

Guiltily, he knew he should turn and continue on the short distance to his cabin, less than a quarter of a mile away. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t help himself, couldn’t look away if he wanted to, and he definitely didn’t.

Entranced, he watched with golden eyes ringed with amber so dark it was almost black. He drank her in like he had walked for days in the dessert, parched for the sight of her without even knowing it.

As she slid effortlessly along the ice, Sebastian’s eyes followed. They took in everything, from her thick, night black hair pulled carelessly into a bun; some tendrils had fallen out to tease the length of her neck, and he found himself ridiculously jealous that it wasn’t him.

He stalled at her features, a heart shaped face framed high cheekbones, a straight nose that curled up adorably at the end, making her look like she was always up to mischief, and a mouth that had his pulse raising. But her
eyes
. Framed by the longest, black lashes, her almond shaped eyes were the darkest, warmest shade of brown that he just wanted to drown in.

Her smooth, brown skin held a flush of pleasure as she twirled around on the frozen pond like she had been born to do just that. Sebastian had never seen anyone that natural or graceful on ice skates. Certainly, he would never take that chance.

He had come to White Mountain Lodge, like many other shifters, looking for a sanctuary. A respite from the pressure of keeping half of himself hidden away every day. Being surrounded by people who never really knew him, couldn’t know him.  He could almost see his lion half shake his heavy mane in disdain of all the ice and snow and cold, but this was exactly what Sebastian needed.

His eyes were drawn back to the mystery woman still skating, now doing backwards figure eights, leaving lines in the ice in her wake. Every movement slid seamlessly into the next, more graceful, more elegant, than anything he had ever seen.

The predator in him went on point. Sebastian could feel the sudden tension running through his muscles as they bunched, preparing to spring into action. He had to hold himself back, shocked at the intense reaction of his body. For so long he had pushed down the animal side of himself that he had actually begun to lose that sacred connection within himself.

Desperate to regain some semblance of balance, he had headed to White Mountain in the hopes that being around other shifters, and in the peace of the wilderness would ease the ache that tormented him constantly. But one look at this beautiful, dark-skinned beauty had man and beast instantly ready to pounce.

His ears perked as an almost imperceptible sound reached him, but he couldn’t decipher it. There it was again. Sebastian took a half step towards her, instinct overruling his brain as the sound came once again, more clearly this time. He rushed forward reaching the ice just as another cracking noise, this time much louder filled the air.

The dark beauty looked over at him with surprise widened eyes, and for a moment Sebastian couldn’t breathe. The force of her gaze on his hit him with the force of a mallet to the head, and he suddenly couldn’t make sense of his thoughts.

Still rushing closer to her, only a few feet away now, he watched as her skate hit a crack forming in the surface of the lake, and stuck, causing her to tumble face forward onto the ice. He reached for her just as she made contact, bracing her from most of the blow, but he could see her right ankle twisted oddly by the skate still stuck in the ice.

She sucked in a breath, and let out a gasp of pain on the exhale as she tried to stand, but couldn’t. Sebastian took her arm, letting her rest most of her weight on his big, sharply muscled frame.

“Hey, take it easy. It’s okay. Let me help you.” Sebastian said quietly as she struggled to stand on her own.

“No, it’s not okay. My ankle is twisted. I don’t think it’s fractured, but still it’s severely strained.” She said, his body tensing at her husky voice despite his mind yelling at him to keep cool.

They tried to walk a few feet, mostly shuffling, but at her barely muffled yelp of pain, Sebastian swept an arm under thighs, the other supporting her around her shoulders as he lifted her, cradling her against his chest. He ignored her outraged squawk.

“Just what in the hell do you think you’re doing? I can walk just fine on my own!”

Sebastian smirked at her obvious lie. She wasn’t able to take a single step on her own. And he couldn’t suppress the wave of possessiveness and satisfaction that rolled through him as he provided for her, easily supporting her luscious curves in his arms.

“I’m taking you to a cabin, it’s a lot closer than the main lodge, and we can take a look at that ankle there.”

She arched a delicate eyebrow at him, but refused to reply. Looking like she was trying to pretend he wasn’t there, even though his arms were wrapped snugly against her body.

It was impossible for him not to notice the delightful way her softness felt pressed flush against him. The instant desire that had raged through him when he had first spotter her flaring back to life as he inhaled the scent of her, all woman with the hint of something dark, earthy, and incredibly sensual.

He bit back a growl as he chanced a quick look down at her, gorgeous, dark eyes still glaring resolutely.

“I’m Sebastian, by the way.” He bit back a grin as she shot him another arched look, and then sighed in seeming resignation.

“I’m Tabitha. Tabitha Jones.”

Chapter 4

Within moments they came into view of a small, but cozy looking log cabin, picturesque as it was framed by the towering mountain that gave the lodge and surrounding wilderness its name, and the densely wooded area it sat in.

With a dusting of powdery snow on the roof and a thin stream of smoke trailing out of the small pipe chimney the scene looked like something out of a painting, or a movie, Tabitha thought to herself. She avidly surveyed the surroundings.

Anything to distract her from the near constant chills that swept through her elicited by contact from the burly he-man who had insisted on carrying her. She did need the help, she conceded to herself. But he could have at least asked before going all Neanderthal. He might as well have thrown her over his shoulder and carried her off to the nearest cave.

Tabitha sighed, knowing she was being unfair. She just hated being helpless. She also tried to bank the new round of delicious tingles that erupted at the thought of being with he-man in a cave. Alone.

She sneaked a peek up at him through a thick fringe of lashes, taking in the close cropped light brown hair, just long enough on top to be tugged artlessly by the wind, making him look rugged and tousled at the same time.

His bright amber eyes, as unusual as they seemed to shift and swirl depending on how the sunlight hit them. A burnished bronze when they passed under the shade of giant evergreen, or molten gold in the full light. Tabitha thought she could happily spend days just trying to figure out their exact shade.

No! She mentally reprimanded herself. That wasn’t why she was here. She was at the lodge to find peace from the turmoil that had been haunting her life the past year, not hook up with some random stranger, no matter how incredibly handsome and devastatingly sexy he was.

She shivered again as she felt the strength of his arms supporting her as if she weighed nothing. This he-man made her body feel alive in a way Tabitha hadn’t experienced in, well, she couldn’t even remember. She thought her and her ex had chemistry, but that was nothing compared to the lust that was swamping her system.

She sighed in relief as they approached the solid pine door, afraid if she stayed in his big arms another minute she would something completely crazy, like kiss him senseless. After entering, albeit somewhat awkwardly since Sebastian refused to put her down, and had to fish his keys out of the pocket of his down coat while juggling her as well, he gently set her down on the large white couch.

It was the only other piece of furniture in the cabin except for an equally large king sized bed pushed into the corner, and a small wooden chair next to the counter in the kitchen. This was obviously a man’s space. It suddenly clicked, and Tabitha turned to Sebastian accusingly.

“This is
your
cabin!”

He just grinned unabashedly and shrugged those broad shoulders of his as he moved about the sparse cabin with ease, putting a kettle of water on the small two burner stove to heat up.

“Let’s put some ice on that ankle.” He grabbed an ice pack from the freezer and wrapped it in a kitchen towel, walking towards her.

Tabitha had to catch her breath as he stood, towering over her in a way that made her hyper aware of everything male about him. And Sebastian was very
male
. Every line of his perfectly sculpted body screamed raw masculinity, and it made her want to stare, and kiss, and touch, and all the other things that she knew she probably shouldn’t.

That didn’t stop the fantasy from playing out in her mind before she could mentally press the stop button, blushing beneath the mocha skin of her cheeks, tinting it a warmer brown that Sebastian couldn’t fail to notice. She just hoped he wouldn’t be able to tell the reason for her sudden flush.

He placed the ice pack over her ankle tenderly, and she was struck by the contradiction of his gentle actions and the strength she knew he possessed. Tingles erupted were his knuckles brushed against her shin as he smoothed the cold ice over her bruised ankle.

She hissed at the cold, but welcomed the relief from the relentless ache.

“Thanks.” Tabitha said softly, looking up at him through her long lashes again, this time trapped by his burning gaze, bright gold this time as he stared down at her, the muscles of his jaw flexing as he clenched his teeth.

“Anytime.” His voice was rough with desire, and she felt it like a caress. There was something about this man that dared her to be bad. And why not? Didn’t she come here to relax? Although the image she had in her mind of their bodies twined together was anything but relaxing. 

He stepped away, breaking the momentary spell that he had cast over her. Tabitha shook her head, telling herself to stop it, but that didn’t help the steamy images that kept flooding her mind.

Sebastian stood at the single window facing the direction they had just walked up from, his back suddenly stiffening as he craned his neck to look toward the sky. He shook his head and then turned to her with a seductive grin teasing the corners of his delectable mouth.

“Well, it looks like you’re gonna be stuck here for a while.”

“What? I have to get back to the lodge. I can’t stay here.” She really did have to leave, if she stayed she wasn’t sure what would happen. Sebastian just shook his head ruefully again.

“Take a look outside, sweetheart. That storm’s about to drop.”

Tabitha leaned forward on the couch to get a better view out the window and had to bite back a curse. The skies that had just been crystal clear were now roiling violently, a flat mass of gray that sat heavy on the horizon and she could just make out the big flurries of snow starting to fall in waves.

“I guess you are stuck.” She glanced back up at Sebastian, and he just shrugged, again, not even bothering to hide his grin any longer. “Come on, it won’t be so bad.”

Tabitha sighed, that’s exactly what she was afraid of.