Loving Lily- Sequel to Loving River

Secret Girlish Heart

A smooth smile spread across Rhett's lips as he leaned against the wall. "My dear lady, you mustn't strip a gentleman of all his secrets."

"Oh?" Lacey countered. "I rather thought I deserved an answer. You did promise to answer my questions. Is it my fault if I asked a question you wish not to answer?"

"You are a harsh lady."

Lacey made no reply, she merely folded her hands in her lap as if she were sitting in a fine parlor and waited for his reply to her question. He had promised her answers. Lacey rather thought that he would give her and answer to the last question, even if he wasn't particularly pleased with it.

Sensing that she would not continue the conversation until he answered, Rhett heaved a sigh. "Milady," he began, " would you simply allow me to say that I... that is, I've always been rather- What I mean to say is-"

Lacey arched a brow as the fine gentleman continued to stumble in his words. For some reason he seemed rather undone. Was his true reason for following her so disturbing?

Rhett stopped his stuttering and took a deep breath. He couldn't possibly tell her the real reason he followed her. How would she accept that? The thought nearly made him laugh.  How do you confess to a woman that she has always intrigued you. When Rhett had seen her sneaking out of the city it had terrified him that he might never see the lady in his dreams again.

If Rhett pronounced that confession, Lacey would be sure to slap his face.

"I was merely concerned for your safety, my love. My heart required that I keep near to you."

"Your heart? What ever does your heart have to do with this matter?" Lacey wondered in honest confusion. His words sounded more like something a lover would say to his intended. But that simply  could not be. Though Lacey may have once dreamed of it, she was past such childish fantasies. She would look no deeper into his words than the surface. Even so, when he mentioned his heart... well Lacey couldn't quench her curiosity there.

"It would hurt me deeply if harm were to come to you." A simple, common reply. Rhett was proud of his diplomatic answer. Surely she could find no fault with that!

Lacey attempted to ignore it, but she felt her heart drop just a bit. Try as she might, a small part of her secret girlish heart couldn't help but hope that he cared a bit more then common curtesy required.

Forcing a smile to her lips, Lacey said, "Am I to assume that you mean to follow me to my destination then?"

Stretching his long legs out in front of him, Rhett ran a hand through his rather untamed hair. He liked it mused like it was. It felt so comfortable and relaxed, unlike the polished styles living in town demanded that men keep.

Lacey watched Rhett's strong tanned fingers mussing his hair. For a slight moment, she envied those fingers. What must it feel to her fingers through his dark hair. She was vaguely aware of someone calling her name. Rhett, she assumed, but she was beyond talking. Her mind had gone down an entirely different path and she was loath to deter from it.
Shifting her weight, Lacey rose to her knees and edged closer to the large man relaxing beside her.

"Lacey?" Rhett questioned.

Intent upon her purpose, Lacey lifted her hand to his hair. The moment her hand touched his hair, a smile descended upon her face. It was soft. Warm, thick and soft. She ran her figures through s hair, savoring the way it felt against her skin.

"L-Lacy?" Rhett sat almost frozen as her slender fingers caressed his hair. He was almost afraid to move, for fear that she would stop her ministrations.