Pricing The Heart

Chapter 15

The last thing David intended to do that afternoon was engage in a silly stroll around his manor. He especially did not intend for his companion to be the woman he nearly bedded less than an hour ago.

Something possessed him when he was around Eloise; something he was now certain he could not control after kissing her. Frightened by his lack of control, he had planned to put some distance between them by going on a trip that would cause him to be absent from his manor for several weeks. He hoped that upon his return, Eloise would be long gone.

Still, he was unwilling to send her away empty-handed, and had planned to spend the rest of the afternoon in his steward's office. He had hoped that between the two of them, they could figure out the exact amount of money Eloise would need upon her departure from Oakham, enough to stand on her own until she found suitable employment. Then he planned to spend the evening preparing for his trip tomorrow.

But his plans were quickly forgotten the second he sighted her descending those stairs. At first, he didn't see her, for he had been too busy arguing with Jon, who was giving him a hard time about his decision to embark on yet another journey within a week of returning to Oakham Hall, but the second his attention was drawn to her and their eyes locked, she was all he saw.

Her. The taste of her mouth as he explored it with his tongue, the rousing feel of her body merging with his, the enthralling scent of her skin, the scalding touch of her fingers. He couldn't forget what it felt like to have her in his arms; the wicked feeling of pleasure that appeared to awaken his dead bones and shrink his trousers.

As if reading his mind, her cheeks turned crimson. David trailed his gaze down her neck, pausing in the spot where, only a few minutes ago, his lips had been pressed to.

He was so occupied with his thoughts that he didn't realize when Jon left his side until he was standing beside Eloise. Reminded of Jon's interest in Eloise, David's feeling of jealousy was barely containable as Jon took Eloise's hand and helped her down the stairs. David realized then that he hated seeing the two together, and desperate to keep Eloise away from Jon, he had mindlessly offered to accompany her for a stroll.

Silence assailed their movements. He turned briefly to steal a glance at Eloise and found her staring straight ahead, the cool breeze whipping her hair across her face as she chewed on her bottom lip. He wondered what she was thinking, if perhaps he constituted a part of her thought. They walked for several minutes until Eloise's fingers tightened their grip on his arm. He glanced at her again, this time noting how prominent her limping had become.

He paused. "We should head back now," he said, noting her fatigue. He also assumed from the clouds that were starting to form far ahead that a light shower was in their future.

"Of course, my lord," she nodded, but not before he saw the look of disappointment cross her face.

David understood her hesitation, for although she was physically incapable of continuing the stroll for much longer, she had been stuck in her room for many days due to her injury. His guilt returned, even more so now that he saw how his outburst of rage not only caused her physical pain but also disrupted her life, robbed her of her independence, and imprisoned her in a single room.

Shaking his head, he turned and began leading her away from the house. While he sensed her confusion, she spoke no words as they walked. Keeping his steps short to enable her to walk easily, he led her up a grassy hill. When her fingers began to dig holes in his skin again after several minutes of walking, he turned in time to watch pain mar her face.

"Here," he said, taking the stick from her and wrapping his arm around her waist. He would carry her, but feared falling into the trap of his lust. "Place your arm on my shoulder."