DefeatedbyLove (4 page)

“Here,” Mr. Gantry said quietly. She turned and encountered
his fork in front of her with a bite of steak on it. He held it to her mouth
and she took it. “There,” he said with satisfaction. Then he went back to
eating.

She chewed the steak as she sat there astonished. Had he
just fed her? And had she just taken a bite from a stranger’s fork without a
word of protest? “Thank you,” she said after she swallowed.

He smiled without looking away from his plate. “You’re
welcome.”

Christy gave up pretending not to watch him. Even eating he
was divine. His manners were beautiful. He had long, elegant fingers that held
his cutlery with the precision of an artist. He wore rings on both hands. She
liked it. A large ruby winked from his pinkie, catching the sun. It probably
cost more than her entire wardrobe. He held out another bite of steak and she
took it again, feeling rather wicked in doing so. It was almost as intimate as a
kiss, wasn’t it? The look on his face said the same. He had that sort of
dreamy, hungry look men got when they were thinking of things they ought not.
Too often she was thinking the same thing. It was really a wonder she hadn’t
gotten herself into trouble before this. With a sigh, she looked away again.

“If you keep sighing like that, I shall keep feeding you,”
he warned playfully. “Food cures all ills.”

She gave a little snort of laughter and then blushed at how
ill-mannered it sounded.

“Do it again,” he said, leaning his chin in his hand just as
she had been doing earlier. He smiled at her and his eyes were doing that
delightful twinkling magic again.

“Do what?” she asked, perplexed.

“Laugh again,” he said. “I liked it.”

“What a silly thing to say,” she mumbled, embarrassed. She
fidgeted in her chair, looking everywhere but at him.

He sighed with a great heave and a moan and she turned
startled eyes to him. “You see,” he said, his voice mournful, “you have made me
as sad as you. Shall we cry if you won’t laugh?”

She couldn’t help but laugh at his theatrics and he smiled
triumphantly again.

“I am not sad,” she told him truthfully. “Just at sixes and
sevens about what to do.”

“Ah,” he said, sounding very wise. “You must tell me what
troubles you and I shall fix it.”

“Just like that?” she said, snapping her fingers. “You do
have magical powers indeed.”

He sputtered as he took a drink of tea, and had to wipe off
his chin. “What has Daniel been telling you?” he asked suspiciously.

“Mr. Steinberg?” she asked. “Why, nothing. We’ve hardly
spoken at all.”

“No talking, eh?” he said with a nod. “Yes, he’s always been
like that. A man for getting the job done and disappearing.”

“I’m sure it wasn’t his fault,” she rushed to defend her new
protector. “I talk a lot, you see. And last night I had a great deal to say. So
he simply listened and then took me to bed. After the excitement, I mean. I was
exhausted.” She winced. Well, that was certainly a garbled explanation. Perhaps
she’d spent too much time alone the last few years. She’d talked mostly to the
cat.

“I would imagine, in your delicate condition,” he said
disapprovingly. “How long have you known Daniel?”

“Oh, we only just met last night,” she assured him. “I had
an introduction from an old friend. And seeing that I was in a bit of trouble,
he let me stay the night.”

“Of course he did,” Simon said graciously. “I completely
understand. How could even Daniel say no to you?” His smile was definitely
flirtatious.

“Oh, he said no at first,” she told him, and then she
paused. How did he know about that? “Have you seen Mr. Steinberg today?” she
asked with a frown.

“I have not, but when I do I shall have an earful for him.”
Mr. Gantry stood up and she quickly followed suit, though not as gracefully,
which he refrained from commenting on as he reached for her hand and helped her
up. “I suppose he didn’t so much as kiss your hand?” He sounded rather
irritated. “The thoughtless cur,” he mumbled under his breath.

“No,” she said with a bit of hesitation. “Was he supposed
to?” She’d heard London manners were quite grand, but she hadn’t expected that.

“Of course he was,” he snapped and she jerked her head back
to stare at him with wide eyes. “I’m sorry, my dear,” he apologized
immediately. “He just has a great deal to learn about how to treat people. I
thought he knew, but it would seem I was wrong.”

“He’s been very kind and generous,” she said earnestly. “I
couldn’t have asked for more from him. I was in truly dire straits last
evening, and once the surgeon determined there were no ill effects from what
transpired, he gave me some wine before he took me upstairs.”

She didn’t think she was helping. Oh dear. Mr. Gantry seemed
more annoyed by the second. “And what exactly transpired?” he asked in a silky,
rather dangerous voice.

Immediately she bit her lip to silence herself and just
stared at him, wide-eyed. If she told him, he’d figure out who she was. Damn
Harry for putting her in this position. No. Damn her stupid, lustful self. Even
now, after she’d gotten herself pregnant and was on the run, if Mr. Gantry
kissed her she’d surrender without a fight. He was just that delicious.

“Not talking, eh?” he asked. His smile turned dangerously
seductive with just a little twist to his lips. He had the most expressive
mouth she’d ever seen. She caught herself staring at his lips and jerked her
gaze back up to meet his amused one. “I can see that Daniel left you…shall we
say, not fulfilled? Despite, I’m sure, his best efforts. You mustn’t blame him.
He’s sorely out of practice with ladies.”

Christy blinked a few times and frowned as she tried to
figure out what he was talking about. Unfulfilled? Because he didn’t talk to
her enough? Or because she hadn’t eaten enough? “He…filled me?” she said, not
sure exactly what she was saying.

Mr. Gantry closed his eyes with a disbelieving laugh. “Not
what I expected you to say,” he told her. Without warning he wrapped an arm
about her waist and gently pulled her into him. Because of her belly, she
couldn’t press herself toes to chest against him as she longed to, but just
feeling the heat of his person against her made her toes curl. “I shall simply
have to make up for Daniel’s lack of enthusiasm.”

“Enthusias—” Her words were cut short when Mr. Gantry kissed
her. She could not have been more surprised had the ground opened up and
Beelzebub himself jumped out and proposed. Her surprise gave way to immediate,
painful arousal. Good Lord, he could kiss as well as you’d imagine from the
looks of him. She quite literally felt weak-kneed at the touch of his lips.
Catching her closer to him, Mr. Gantry walked her backward a few steps and
suddenly her back was against the wall. She wrapped her arms around his neck
and surrendered with a sigh, just as she’d known she would.

He hesitated just a moment and then deepened the kiss. Sliding
his tongue into her mouth, he assaulted her senses. Jonas, her previous
lover—well, her only real lover, actually—had kissed her like this, but with
much less finesse. He was randy and rowdy and rough. At the time she’d thought
that was just grand, but this was far, far better than any kiss she’d ever
received. She thrust her tongue right back at him, tasting him and caressing
his mouth and he gave a little moan. With delight she realized he was enjoying
this as much as she was. She slid her hand into the soft hair on the back of
his head and tilted her face to the left so they could fit their mouths closer
together and his arms tightened so much she was forced to come to her tiptoes.
Somehow he managed to angle his hips enough to rub his hard cock against her
leg and she shivered at the rush of desire she felt as her sex dampened and her
heartbeat thundered.

“What the hell are you doing?” a voice boomed from the
doorway.

Simon yanked his mouth away from the tempting morsel
clinging to him so tightly. God, she was gorgeous, and so very needy. He adored
that, when a woman seemed absolutely desperate to have you. He was breathing so
heavily one would think he’d run a race rather than kissed a woman silly. It
had been a very long time since an embrace had affected him so profoundly.

She was staring at him now with those big blue eyes that
looked like the sunlit waters of the Aegean Sea. Or perhaps cornflowers. What a
petite little nose she had, turned up at the end. Petite, just like the rest of
her. Her delicious mouth was frowning. Well, that wouldn’t do at all. He leaned
down to kiss her again.

“Simon,” Daniel said from the doorway, his voice dangerously
low and very unhappy. “Unhand her right now.”

Simon stopped just short of her mouth. Good God, what was he
thinking? Very slowly he let go of her and she dropped back down onto the soles
of her feet. He’d been holding the poor woman so tightly she’d been on tiptoe.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered with genuine regret for treating her so callously. He
backed away then, his hands held out at his sides to show Daniel he’d let go.
He hadn’t cared for the tone of Daniel’s voice, and knowing what his best
friend was capable of when in a temper, he was playing it safe.

“Sorry, old man,” he said, trying to sound conciliatory.
“Didn’t mean to trespass.” Well, yes he had, but he wasn’t admitting it. This
gorgeous little princess was wasted on Daniel.
Wasted
. He nearly cried
at the injustice.

“Like hell you are,” Daniel said, clearly disgusted. “Can’t
you even be in the same room with a woman without molesting her?”

At that the little princess’s eyes got very wide. He shook
his head at her with a frown. “I am frequently in the same room with women and
leave them completely unmolested,” he replied calmly. “It is a well-known fact.”

“Pardon me,” Daniel said drily. “I meant a woman in
trouble.”

Daniel’s newest paramour squeaked at that description and
leaned around Simon to frown at Daniel.

“Well, you are,” Daniel said defensively. “Simon, get out of
the way. Sit down. Or better yet, leave.”

Simon turned to see Daniel wearily lowering himself into a
chair at the table. No sooner had his trim behind hit the seat than a knock at
the door preceded the arrival of a new set of steaming dishware. Daniel smiled.
“Ah, Cook,” he said with more affection than Simon had ever heard in his voice
when referring to anyone else. Matheson fixed a plate for him and set it down
while Simon and Christy stood there awkwardly. At least it was awkward for
Simon. He knew Daniel was going to whine about Simon pouncing on his newest
toy, but really, a woman? He’d never thought to see the like with Daniel. And a
pregnant one at that. Trust Daniel to discover some new sexual fascination to
replace his fancy boys.

“I take it you two have met,” Daniel said with a good deal
of sarcasm.

“Actually,” Christy said, drawing out the word, “not
really.”

Daniel set down the fork he’d just picked up. “Not really?
What exactly does that mean?” He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his
nose as if he had a headache.

Simon was really enjoying this more than he ought to. Daniel
annoyed was so amusing. “It means I know her name is Christy. And she’s a
delightful kisser. Oh, and likes steak. Other than that, she’s a mystery. So do
the honors.”

Daniel glared at Christy and she shrugged with a helpless
sort of guilty look, like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar. “I
couldn’t help it,” she said glumly. “I was hungry. And lonely.”

“I should think you’d have learned your lesson about that by
now,” Daniel said with a pointed look at her stomach. Christy blushed.

“Here now,” Simon reprimanded. He guided Christy to a chair.
“None of that. It was my fault. I took her by surprise. But she was lonely,
down here all by herself. Couldn’t you even be bothered to rise with her? Your
morning-after manners are sadly lacking.”

“Morning after what?” Daniel asked incredulously. “After
rescuing her from would-be kidnappers and foolishly offering her protection
until her husband returns?”

Simon’s stomach dropped to his feet. “What?” He grabbed the
back of a chair with an unsteady hand and lowered himself onto it.

“Mrs. Christine Ashbury, may I introduce my cloddish
acquaintance, Mr. Simon Gantry.”

“Yes, he did introduce himself,” she said. “How do you do?”

“How do you—” He sat frozen in shock for a moment.
“Ashbury?”

“Mmm,” Daniel said. “Now you see my dilemma.”

“That Ashbury?” he asked in disbelief.

“Do try to keep up, Simon,” Daniel said with a sigh. “The
very same.”

“Now you see why I didn’t introduce myself,” Christy—Mrs.
Ashbury—said. Simon cringed.

“Good God, I’m a cad,” he said in genuine distress. “I had
no idea. I thought—” Again he froze, this time in horror at what he’d almost
admitted.

“I thought as much,” Daniel said wryly. “Really? Me?” He
shook his head. “The whole world has gone mad.”

Simon looked around then, dreading the arrival of Daniel’s
old lover, Christy’s husband. This was going to get very, very uncomfortable.
“Where is he?”

“Somewhere in America last I heard,” Daniel said. Christy
nodded with a sigh.

Simon looked at her stomach and then back at Daniel. “For
how long?”

“He’s been there for nine years.” Daniel rolled his eyes.

“I…see,” Simon said politely. “And Mrs. Ashbury is here
because?”

She covered her face with her hands. “This is mortally
embarrassing. How many people do we have to tell?”

“Considering that moments ago you were clinging to him like
limp seaweed,” Daniel commented, “I’d think you wouldn’t mind if Simon knew
your circumstances.”

“I tripped,” she said defensively, glaring at both of them
from between her fingers as she kept her face mostly covered up. “He caught
me.”