stalked away.
“Are you sure you are all right?”
“I am having a lovely time,” she told him, forcing a smile. “Aren’t you?”
He smiled at her, guiding her across the ballroom and out of it. “I am having a good time now. I must say, I wasn’t enjoying myself very much while you were dancing with all those other gentlemen.”
His gaze was serious and searching. He truly liked her—perhaps he even loved her. She had been so wrapped up in Alexi’s return that she had failed to realize just how handsome and charming William was. “You don’t have to be jealous,” she said.
He pushed open a door to the terrace. Because it was late March, it remained chilly at night and no one else was outside, even if the moon was mostly full and very bright. “Not even of Alexi?”
She faltered. “Of course not!”
“Good. Elysse, when I am with you, it is the best time of my life.”
She knew he meant it. She hesitated, recalling Alexi’s last, warning look before holding out her hand to him. He instantly took it and pressed it warmly to his mouth. She suddenly tensed. It was a moment before he released her hand.
She glanced at the terrace doors. Of course, Alexi would not follow them outside, not after that last look he’d given her.
“Are you cold?” he asked.
When she nodded, he took off his tailcoat and slipped it over her shoulders. His hands lingered. “I don’t want to take advantage of you, Elysse. But I am very fond of you.”
“You can’t take advantage of me,” she whispered, wondering if he was going to declare himself. She so needed a declaration of love now. She gazed into his eyes. Alexi was so wrong about him.
“I am glad to hear that. When you smile like that, a man might think it an invitation.”
Her glance strayed past him again. No one was watching them. She did not want to think of Alexi, not now or ever again. Should she encourage Montgomery to kiss her? Why not? He was the perfect suitor—it had just taken her a very long week to realize it! “Perhaps it is an invitation,” she managed.
He studied her and said softly, “I would like to court you, Elysse. My intentions are truly honorable ones.”
She trembled. “You may court me, William.”
He touched her chin, tilting up her face slightly, forcing their gazes to meet. “Good. I will speak with your father tomorrow about a proper suit.”
She didn’t know why she tensed. Her mind raced incoherently. Alexi’s image swam there. But this was what she wanted! “My father has always wanted a love match for me,” she finally said.
His eyes widened and he grasped her shoulders. “Are you saying that you love me?”
She hesitated, well aware that she did not love William—not yet. But she wanted his suit—desperately. Yet she must not lead him on. “I am becoming very fond of you,” she finally said.
He murmured, “Let’s walk out of the house lights.”
She wasn’t certain they should walk into the shadows at the edge of the terrace. But he smiled, taking her hand. “I want to kiss you, Elysse, and I don’t want to be interrupted,” he said softly. “Can you blame me? You are the most beautiful woman in Ireland—and you have just agreed to allow my suit.”
Should she allow him a kiss? Elysse paused, knowing Alexi would be furious if he learned of such behavior. Would a real kiss hurt? Hadn’t she enjoyed being in his arms on the dance floor? And Montgomery loved her—it was so obvious.
Realizing she had acquiesced, he led her across the terrace to the far side, where it was cast in shadow. He had a firm grasp on her arm, and she realized he meant to walk down the three steps onto the lawns. Suddenly she was confused. Did she really want to step so far away from the house?
“You are so beautiful,” he said. And then he caught her face in his hands and kissed her slowly and gently on the lips.
Elysse felt her tension soar. She had never been genuinely kissed. His mouth was very firm but gentle. It was pleasant, but not stunning. When Alexi had touched her in the library last week, her heart had exploded with desire. There was no such explosion now.
Tears butted up against her closed lids. Was this really happening? What was she doing?
“I love you,” he said thickly. “You are a dream come true.”
Elysse met his smoldering gaze and her heart raced. He loved her. He was a good man. Surely she could come to love him in return?
He suddenly put his arm around her. She thought he meant to kiss her again, but she found herself stepping down onto the lawns with him. He took her in his arms and kissed her again.
This time, his mouth was insistent, moving over hers again and again, and somehow she knew he wished for her to open her lips. She held firm, aware that she wasn’t ready, but she reached up for his shoulders. He grunted, the sound very male and shockingly sexual.
Some alarm began. They should stop—he had had his kiss.
But his grasp on her tightened. His mouth moved more roughly, more determinedly, on hers. His kisses were becoming frightening. She wanted to tell him that they should stop, but he loved her. She hesitated. Instead, before she could speak, his tongue thrust deep.
Alarm began as his heavy tongue filled her mouth. What was she doing? She choked. She did not want to be kissed like this! He was a stranger! She pushed at his shoulders, becoming very frightened now, but he didn’t notice.
Fear turned into panic. She told herself that the kiss would soon end—wouldn’t it? And he did love her. But one hand clasped her buttock and pulled her close, and she felt his stiff manhood against her hip. She had never felt that part of a man’s anatomy before, and she wanted to protest, her fear escalating. Instead, she froze.
Still holding her intimately, he broke the fierce kiss. “I love you,” he said, panting.
Before Elysse could protest and tell him that they must go back inside, he swept her back into his embrace, this time taking her down to the wet grass with him.
As his huge body covered hers, Elysse seized his shoulders to press him away—to push him off. Instead, his mouth tore at hers, his breathing heavy and harsh. She felt his hand move beneath her dress and underclothes to clasp her bare breast.
“William!” she somehow cried, but his kiss covered the sound of panic and protest. His arms were like a vise, his body like a clamp. She didn’t know how his huge thighs had gotten between hers. Her skirts seemed to be tangled up around her knees. What was he doing? She couldn’t do this!
And then she felt his hand high up on her thighs, beneath her skirts, only a thin soft layer of cotton between her and him. She bucked and twisted wildly now, desperate.
And suddenly Montgomery wasn’t on top of her anymore.
Elysse saw a blur of movement—and then Alexi was throwing Montgomery aside,
