Oh, Cherry Ripe

He stopped immediately and whispered, “Of course … someone might witness … forgive me, beauty.”

“Witness us …” What was it in his tone that so annoyed her—his fear of being caught with his governess? She eyed him coldly and continued, “doing what, my lord … what you do so well? Seducing whom you choose …?” She felt a biting anger take hold of her.

“Sarah …” he reproved and then offered her his arm. “Shall we look for the twins, then, Miss Sarah?” And his entire demeanor changed as he led her along and she seethed in silence.

* * *

His lordship looked out his library window to the rose garden where the new governess sat on the stone bench with his brother Freddy, and he frowned. They seemed deep in conversation. Sky lusted for her, he knew, but something else was behind it all, something he couldn’t name. He liked her … a great deal. In fact, he had a difficult time not smiling every time she came into a room or he heard her laughing with the children. He was going to get married. Yes, to someone he had never even seen. What was he doing? This was no way to embark on marriage—attracted to another, and his siblings governess to boot.

Still, she tickled his sense of who he was and what he owed his family name, but for a moment at the fair the previous day when he had her in his arms he wondered why he had proposed to a stranger and wished he had not. He sighed heavily over the problem; that way of thinking would lead to trouble, and he had to be strong and shut it down. Yet—everything about her made him wild with emotions he hadn’t felt since he was a pup in school. It wasn’t fair to Sarah either. He had to get himself under control. He had never thought he would be the kind of man to seduce an innocent, and yet, when he was with her…it wasn’t seduction, it was natural, so very natural to reach out and take her into his arms.

Last year, when he had thought himself really taken with Olivia, he soon learned that she had duped him with false attentions. She had wanted him all right—she wanted his status and his wealth—and then when she chose someone else, he realized she hadn’t cared for him. It had hurt, and he had sworn off falling in love.

However, what he felt for her couldn’t have been real; he had certainly never experienced what coursed through him now. He simply was out of control. When Sarah wasn’t in his sight, he was thinking about her. When she was in his sight, he had a hard-on that called her name and made him want to lay her down and …

He was fevered for the aqua-eyed beauty. She was a minx. She was wild to a fault, totally unsuitable as a governess: her gowns, unsuitable; her quixotic behavior, unsuitable. And damn, when he had kissed her and found the fullness of her breast, he almost taken her there … and then.

He had a vision of her lying back against the green grass, naked … and his manhood had screamed for her. He had been so hard he felt like he could have put it through a brick wall.

What was happening to him? All he could think about was shoving his hard-on deep inside her and making her his. She was his! It suddenly occurred to him that he couldn’t allow any other man to have her. What was wrong with him? Where had that come from?

Her every movement caught his eyes. Her voice traveled through his mind, sweetly obliterating all other thoughts. Her figure tantalized him. He had never encountered such a beauty … a beauty in all things.

He had to find a way to control himself, and hell and brimstone, Freddy was touching her hand, and he would not have it!

He went out into the hall and took up his cloak, throwing it around his shoulders as he stomped out of the house, wondering where the twins had gotten off to.

* * *

“Right then, Freddy.” Cherry patted his hand as she withdrew hers from his as gently as she could. The wild roses were in full bloom at her back and giving off a delicious scent. “Tell me. You have been somber all afternoon. What has happened—has someone annoyed you?”

“Why do you say that?” he asked sharply.

“Because I noticed your change of mood as soon as you returned from your friends yesterday, and then on the ride home.” She peeped a look at him in her style and saw him soften at once. “So then, confess it all, for I shan’t stop till I know.”

He gave her a wry smile and said gravely, “And that is what would be—a confession.” Then, bracing himself, he said, “Gentlemen don’t burden ladies with their problems.”

“Well, there is no doubt in my mind that you stand very much a gentleman, sir … but I—” Her hand went to her chest as she inclined her head. “—am more than a lady.”

He colored up and stammered, “What … what can you mean?”

“I mean that I am your senior by several years. I am your brother and sister’s governess and therefore hold some position of experience that you might find … er … helpful.”

He reached out and grabbed hold of her hand. “Thank you, Miss Sarah, but … this is something I must work out for myself.”

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She didn’t wish to press him just at that moment. Gently she once more withdrew the hand he was squeezing and said, “Well then, onward. It is nearly the moment of high tea, young man, and I for one stand in need of it.”

He laughed, stood up, and waited for her to rise and move forward. However, he stopped short when he came upon his older brother, who had been standing stock still on the garden path, partially hidden by the curve in the walkway between the large evergreens.

“Sky!” he said in some surprise. “I didn’t see you there.”

“Obviously,” said his lordship dryly.

“We were just going in for tea …” Freddy said on a somewhat nervous note. He had his own reasons to be anxious about his brother’s hovering presence.

His lordship witnessed his brother’s anxious expression, and a frown descended as he seemed to vanish into thought. “Good … go along then. I will bring Miss Sarah in with me, as I wish to have a few words with her regarding the twins.” Clearly he had dismissed Freddy, and the young man could do naught but retreat, which he did with more haste than the occasion called for.