skirts in her fists and waded through the tall grass
to fetch Zeus. She took hold of the reins and patted his neck.
“Don’t leave yet,” Leopold said as he followed.
“I will do as I wish, and what I wish to do is to return to the palace. I require
your assistance to mount, if you would be so kind.”
She faced him expectantly.
“Rose…” His voice was seductive and soothing. His hands cupped her face.
A wood pigeon cooed from somewhere in the brush, and for a moment Rose felt completely
conquered. What was the point in fighting this? Despite all her fears and doubts,
her attraction to this man was a fierce and potent thing. The mere touch of his hands
on her cheeks made her forget who she was and the importance of her duty as a royal.
“Do not give up on me,” he said. “Perhaps Randolph would understand. Perhaps there
is a chance he would let you choose for yourself.”
Some sort of madness overcame her. She covered his hand with her own, turned her lips
into his palm and kissed it. All sensible thoughts escaped her, and before she could
weigh any decisions about her future, Leopold’s mouth covered hers in a deep kiss
that made her tremble all over with shock and ecstasy.
He let out a husky groan of need as he tilted her head to the side, looped an arm
around her waist, and pulled her close to the incredible searing heat of his body.
Inflamed by memories of past kisses and intimacies, Rose reached up to lay her hands
on his broad shoulders and squeeze the heavy fabric of his riding jacket. She couldn’t
seem to get enough of the delicious sensations and sighed with pleasure as he thrust
his body closer, pulling her tight against him.
His mouth was soft and damp. The warm pressure of his tongue caused a throbbing ache
between her legs, and all she wanted to do was surrender to whatever he proposed.
She wanted to sink down to her knees and lie back on the grass, invite him to cover
her body with his own, and wrap herself around him like a glove.
As he blazed a trail of sweet kisses across her cheek and down the side of her neck,
she tried to wake herself from this dream, but alas, she could not.
After the sorrow and darkness of the past few weeks, this surging physical connection
was like some kind of drug. Warmth and sunshine rained down upon her, and she felt
alive again. She was overwhelmingly happy to be back in Leopold’s arms after the terrible
loss of him so very long ago. How many nights had she dreamed of this and prayed for
one more chance to be with him? Even when she had accepted Joseph, she had nursed
a sad regret for the final death toll of that wish.
“Ah, Rose,” Leopold whispered in her ear. “I beg of you…” He took her face in both
hands and looked into her eyes. “Consider my suit as well. I am heir to a dukedom
and a great fortune. My ancestors were kings of this country. Surely Randolph would
consider the possibility of a union between our families.”
She heard what he said but couldn’t seem to form words or reason out an answer. All
she could do was press her lips to his again and kiss him with all the pent-up passion
that was buried so deeply in her soul.
Her aggression ignited a matched response in him, and he clung to her with unstoppable
desire. One large warm hand cupped the nape of her neck while he ran the other hand
down over her hip and around to her backside.
He carried her to the shade of an ancient oak at the edge of the clearing. Slowly,
gently, he knelt on one knee and set her down on the grass, removed her hat and set
it aside, then gazed at her with those determined dark-lashed eyes.
Quite naturally she parted her legs to welcome him into her open arms, and he kissed
her with tantalizing lust and loving affection.
“Why can’t I resist you?” Rose sighed.
“You’re not meant to resist this because we are destined to be together. Do not marry
Joseph. You are mine. You’ve
to fetch Zeus. She took hold of the reins and patted his neck.
“Don’t leave yet,” Leopold said as he followed.
“I will do as I wish, and what I wish to do is to return to the palace. I require
your assistance to mount, if you would be so kind.”
She faced him expectantly.
“Rose…” His voice was seductive and soothing. His hands cupped her face.
A wood pigeon cooed from somewhere in the brush, and for a moment Rose felt completely
conquered. What was the point in fighting this? Despite all her fears and doubts,
her attraction to this man was a fierce and potent thing. The mere touch of his hands
on her cheeks made her forget who she was and the importance of her duty as a royal.
“Do not give up on me,” he said. “Perhaps Randolph would understand. Perhaps there
is a chance he would let you choose for yourself.”
Some sort of madness overcame her. She covered his hand with her own, turned her lips
into his palm and kissed it. All sensible thoughts escaped her, and before she could
weigh any decisions about her future, Leopold’s mouth covered hers in a deep kiss
that made her tremble all over with shock and ecstasy.
He let out a husky groan of need as he tilted her head to the side, looped an arm
around her waist, and pulled her close to the incredible searing heat of his body.
Inflamed by memories of past kisses and intimacies, Rose reached up to lay her hands
on his broad shoulders and squeeze the heavy fabric of his riding jacket. She couldn’t
seem to get enough of the delicious sensations and sighed with pleasure as he thrust
his body closer, pulling her tight against him.
His mouth was soft and damp. The warm pressure of his tongue caused a throbbing ache
between her legs, and all she wanted to do was surrender to whatever he proposed.
She wanted to sink down to her knees and lie back on the grass, invite him to cover
her body with his own, and wrap herself around him like a glove.
As he blazed a trail of sweet kisses across her cheek and down the side of her neck,
she tried to wake herself from this dream, but alas, she could not.
After the sorrow and darkness of the past few weeks, this surging physical connection
was like some kind of drug. Warmth and sunshine rained down upon her, and she felt
alive again. She was overwhelmingly happy to be back in Leopold’s arms after the terrible
loss of him so very long ago. How many nights had she dreamed of this and prayed for
one more chance to be with him? Even when she had accepted Joseph, she had nursed
a sad regret for the final death toll of that wish.
“Ah, Rose,” Leopold whispered in her ear. “I beg of you…” He took her face in both
hands and looked into her eyes. “Consider my suit as well. I am heir to a dukedom
and a great fortune. My ancestors were kings of this country. Surely Randolph would
consider the possibility of a union between our families.”
She heard what he said but couldn’t seem to form words or reason out an answer. All
she could do was press her lips to his again and kiss him with all the pent-up passion
that was buried so deeply in her soul.
Her aggression ignited a matched response in him, and he clung to her with unstoppable
desire. One large warm hand cupped the nape of her neck while he ran the other hand
down over her hip and around to her backside.
He carried her to the shade of an ancient oak at the edge of the clearing. Slowly,
gently, he knelt on one knee and set her down on the grass, removed her hat and set
it aside, then gazed at her with those determined dark-lashed eyes.
Quite naturally she parted her legs to welcome him into her open arms, and he kissed
her with tantalizing lust and loving affection.
“Why can’t I resist you?” Rose sighed.
“You’re not meant to resist this because we are destined to be together. Do not marry
Joseph. You are mine. You’ve
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