How long had she been holding all this in? She was so tired of struggling to make her life meaningful, to provide for her sons, to overcome the disadvantages she’d weighed down upon them.
Neal, God bless him, didn’t say a word. He was like a stone wall, strong, dependable, present. Thea couldn’t remember the last time she’d turned to a man for support. She couldn’t remember when she’d trusted one enough to be vulnerable.
But this was Neal. She’d thought his friendship gone from her life forever, but now he’d returned. Good, solid, kind ... handsome...
Thea didn’t know really how it happened. One moment she was leaning against him, crying her heart out, and in the next, his lips were right there, inches from hers.
She didn’t know who moved first. She might have. Maybe he did.
But at the first contact of his lips against hers, she was glad one of them did.
Their kiss was tentative for all of four seconds,and then it became fuller. Deeper. More demanding.
Thea had always enjoyed the intimacy of a kiss, and yet she’d sensed there had always been something missing.
Here, in Neal’s arms, she found it.
It hadn’t been just any man she’d wanted to kiss. She’d wanted this one.
With stunning clarity, she realized what had been missing in her marriage. Yes, Boyd’s excesses had played a role in her disappointment. Their love had been shallow, a necessity, and, from her part, a bid for freedom.
But she’d been searching in Boyd’s arms for what she experienced right now. She parted her lips, wanting to breathe Neal in.
Their tongues met, touched, stroked. She tightened her hold around his neck. If she could have, she would have climbed right into his skin.
And he felt the same. He was eager, hungry. His hand slid down her shoulder, rested on her waist a moment before slipping inside her dressing gown and cupping her breast. The touch vanquished all common sense, all taboos, all fears and doubts.
Thiswas Neal without the trappings or title, rank or responsibilities. This was the Neal she’dknown all those years ago. She’d yearned for this man. She desired him. She wanted him inside her—
“I say, what are you doing with my daughter?”Lord Corkindale’s voice shouted as the bedroom door was forcefully shoved open. The door hit Neal’s back, which was blocking it from opening fully, and threw him against Thea. She lost her balance and the two of them tumbled to the floor, Neal turning at the last moment so that he didn’t fall on her.
The way no longer blocked, the door flew open and Lord Corkindale practically stumbled into the room in his enthusiasm, almost tripping over Neal and Thea.
Nor was he alone. Mirabel was with him. “If you’ve compromised her—,” Lord Corkindale started to threaten as he regained his balance, but then he froze as he realized it wasn’t his daughter Neal was holding. He took a step back. “Mrs. Martin?” He looked around. “Where’s Lila?”
“She isn’t here,” Neal said, coming to his feet and bringing Thea with him. Her dressing gown was hanging open, her nightdress had been up around her knees, her lips were bruised from his kisses, and her cheeks flamed with embarrassment.Everything had happened so quickly that she still hadn’t registered the turn of events. She did have the presence of mind to retie the sash of her dressing gown.
“Lila has to be here,” Lord Corkindale said, confused.
“I’m so sorry we disturbed you, my lord,” Mirabel said, giving Thea a sly, approving look. “Good night.”
She reached for Lord Corkindale as if to guide him out before anyone was the wiser, but he shook off her arm. “Whatisgoing on here?” Confusion was giving way to anger. “Mrs. Martin, what were you doing on the floor with Lord Lyon? And why are you wearing hardly a stitch of clothes on you?”
Thea thought her nightdress and gown was more than enough coverage, far more than Lady Lila had been wearing.
Yes, it was unseemly for her to be in a gentleman’s room in night attire, but she had a good reason for being there. “I’m here because your daughter—,” she started to explain, only to be interrupted by Lady Lila herself.
“Father, why are you shouting?” Lady Lila asked in a small, sweet voice as she pressed open the door. She then gave a huge gasp of horrorbefore exclaiming in a loud voice, “Mrs. Martin,what have you and Lord Lyon been doing?”
Almost immediately, as if they had been summoned, the Montvales, the Carpsleys and Lady Sophie joined the gathering around the doorway.
Neal was a bit confused about what was happening.
Of course part of that was because his brain still sizzled from Thea’s kiss. He hadn’t intended to kiss her, but when he’d walked into the room and there she’d been—
Who knew a kiss could turn a man inside out?He’d never felt such a strong, overwhelming connection with anyone in his life. Her kiss had touched his very soul. Who cared what these people had to say? He wanted to kiss Thea again.
“Can you believe this?” Lady Lila said to the others. “Here we are thinking Mrs. Martin is a person of integrity, and she’s been caught throwing herself at Lord Lyon. How incredible. Howdisappointing.”