she wore. Each charm had a special significance known only to the two of them, for the charms represented his pet names for her. There was a kitten for "Chloe-cat." A bear cub for "Chloe-cub." A parakeet for "Chloe- keet ." A monkey for "Chloe-monkey." A bunny for "Chloe-rabbit." And a baby elephant for "Chloe- phant ."
That year he had given her the carrot.
The carrot charm alluded to her hair color; John loved to tease her by calling her "Carrot-top" or "Chloe-carrot," or just plain "Carrot." He knew it really got under her skin, so naturally he used the carrot nicknames the most.
Later that day she had climbed a tree to spy on John and the Lady Mirot , who were ensconced on a bench in a secluded part of the garden. Chloe had noticed them giving peculiar looks to each other during luncheon and she wanted to see what it was all about.
She soon found out.
Lord Sexton and the lady in question were locked in an amorous embrace, John's hands reaching down the woman's bodice.
A deep, horrible pain had sliced into her heart and she felt as if she couldn't breathe. Up until that point, she had assumed that John was hers alone; she knew nothing of his ways with women.
It was the first time in her young life that she was confronted with inconstancy, and she had felt betrayed.
Too young to understand, she had climbed down the tree to face him in her rage. Chloe had never been shy about letting her opinions be known.
When he spotted her out of the corner of his eye, hanging from a branch preparing to jump down, he was both furious at her invading his privacy and concerned for her safety. He released the woman from his hold, yelling out Chloe's name in angry offense.
Chloe released the branch, falling to the ground. He immediately ran to her to see if she was unharmed, but she quickly backed away from him in disgust. Her action affected him deeply; Chloe had never turned from him before. To cover his own uncertainty, he lashed out at her.
"I am a man—what did you expect?" But he wouldn't look her in the eye.
Tears rolled down her face. "I hate you!"
John was visibly distressed. He reached toward her with a supplicating hand. "This has nothing to do with us, Carrot."
That had hurt the most. She had taken the charm and yanked it off her bracelet, tossing it to his feet on the grass. Then she had turned and fled. He had repeatedly called her name but she wouldn't answer him. It was months before she spoke to him again. By that time she knew all about his proclivities, and their relationship was never the way it had been before. They were still close, in some ways closer, but a barrier had been crossed, a new level reached.
He never called her Carrot again.
Yet he kept the ornament.
Chloe's hand captured the tiny charm. Once again tears filled her eyes, although for a different reason this time. John had kept the carrot . He apparently wore it around his neck always. The chivalrous deed spoke volumes to her.
She felt John's hand cover hers.
Instead of moving her hand away as he always did with the women who touched the piece, John laced his fingers around hers, capturing the gold carrot and her hand securely within his grasp.
The simple, tender action affected Chloe deeply. Her arm curled around his neck into his silky hair.
Closing her eyes, she raised her lips and kissed him affectionately.
John sighed into her mouth.
It was then that Chloe realized he had been holding his breath, awaiting her reaction. She gave herself a mental shake. For all his experience, how much did he really know about a woman's heart ?
In response, she embraced him to her, her hands clasping his strong shoulders.
He entered her. Marginally.
Chloe could feel the tremors flowing through that part of him as he hesitated just barely inside her.
"I don't want to hurt you, sweet," he choked out, a wealth of hidden meaning in his heartfelt utterance.
"You won't, John. Not ever again."
And he wouldn't. Not in any way that mattered. There was
That year he had given her the carrot.
The carrot charm alluded to her hair color; John loved to tease her by calling her "Carrot-top" or "Chloe-carrot," or just plain "Carrot." He knew it really got under her skin, so naturally he used the carrot nicknames the most.
Later that day she had climbed a tree to spy on John and the Lady Mirot , who were ensconced on a bench in a secluded part of the garden. Chloe had noticed them giving peculiar looks to each other during luncheon and she wanted to see what it was all about.
She soon found out.
Lord Sexton and the lady in question were locked in an amorous embrace, John's hands reaching down the woman's bodice.
A deep, horrible pain had sliced into her heart and she felt as if she couldn't breathe. Up until that point, she had assumed that John was hers alone; she knew nothing of his ways with women.
It was the first time in her young life that she was confronted with inconstancy, and she had felt betrayed.
Too young to understand, she had climbed down the tree to face him in her rage. Chloe had never been shy about letting her opinions be known.
When he spotted her out of the corner of his eye, hanging from a branch preparing to jump down, he was both furious at her invading his privacy and concerned for her safety. He released the woman from his hold, yelling out Chloe's name in angry offense.
Chloe released the branch, falling to the ground. He immediately ran to her to see if she was unharmed, but she quickly backed away from him in disgust. Her action affected him deeply; Chloe had never turned from him before. To cover his own uncertainty, he lashed out at her.
"I am a man—what did you expect?" But he wouldn't look her in the eye.
Tears rolled down her face. "I hate you!"
John was visibly distressed. He reached toward her with a supplicating hand. "This has nothing to do with us, Carrot."
That had hurt the most. She had taken the charm and yanked it off her bracelet, tossing it to his feet on the grass. Then she had turned and fled. He had repeatedly called her name but she wouldn't answer him. It was months before she spoke to him again. By that time she knew all about his proclivities, and their relationship was never the way it had been before. They were still close, in some ways closer, but a barrier had been crossed, a new level reached.
He never called her Carrot again.
Yet he kept the ornament.
Chloe's hand captured the tiny charm. Once again tears filled her eyes, although for a different reason this time. John had kept the carrot . He apparently wore it around his neck always. The chivalrous deed spoke volumes to her.
She felt John's hand cover hers.
Instead of moving her hand away as he always did with the women who touched the piece, John laced his fingers around hers, capturing the gold carrot and her hand securely within his grasp.
The simple, tender action affected Chloe deeply. Her arm curled around his neck into his silky hair.
Closing her eyes, she raised her lips and kissed him affectionately.
John sighed into her mouth.
It was then that Chloe realized he had been holding his breath, awaiting her reaction. She gave herself a mental shake. For all his experience, how much did he really know about a woman's heart ?
In response, she embraced him to her, her hands clasping his strong shoulders.
He entered her. Marginally.
Chloe could feel the tremors flowing through that part of him as he hesitated just barely inside her.
"I don't want to hurt you, sweet," he choked out, a wealth of hidden meaning in his heartfelt utterance.
"You won't, John. Not ever again."
And he wouldn't. Not in any way that mattered. There was
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