Chapter Six
Marina
It had been several days since Marina last saw Evan.
Which she supposed she should be grateful for.
Evan’s torment of her every time she saw the man didn’t help matters.
She showed him, though. At the last ball he attended, she snubbed him.
In truth, her main intention had been to snub Minto.
By feigning a megrim, she avoided the required dance with him.
But then she hadn’t seen Evan since that night.
Not that she was looking, but of course she would have noted his presence had he been there. It left her wondering what he was doing to occupy his time if he wasn’t attending any of the social events.
Perhaps he took up with a mistress and forwent the events altogether.
The thought only drove her crazy and her palms hurt from how many times she clenched her fists when she’d allowed herself to consider such a notion.
If only there was someone she could ask about him, but that would only raise suspicion that she had set her cap at the man, which was laughable at best.
She snapped her attention back to the Beaumonts’ ballroom, surrounded by her friends.
Her father was present at that evening’s ball, and she must make a good showing of spending the evening on the dance floor.
If she spent all of her time dancing, it would prevent her from prolonged conversations with Minto where he could attempt to put his hands on her.
She must ensure she filled her dance card before her father or Minto caught up with her.
Behind her, a familiar baritone spoke. “Good evening, my lady.”
She turned and wasn’t sure what to call the emotions that bubbled beneath the surface at the sight of Evan standing before her. Whatever they were, they began to boil. “Good evening, my lord.”
“No barbs or insults?” he asked, feigning shock “You must have missed me.”
“Perhaps I enjoyed the respite from your presence, and it improved my mood. You could try returning to whatever or whoever you were with, and we shall test that theory.”
The thought of him with another woman almost sent her into a rage. She schooled her features and reminded herself that she didn’t give a whit what the man did.
“Oh, jealous, are we?” He winked at her. “If you must know, I was tending to business in the country with only my estate manager to keep me company.”
She would have clenched her fists again if it wouldn’t be too painful. That wink of his would be the death of her. She reminded herself what trouble his flirtations got her in to begin with and begged her body to cool.
“I think very little about how you spend your time, my lord.” She could only hope that he couldn’t see through her lie.
“I wouldn’t dream that absence would make the heart grow fonder.” He motioned toward her dance card. “Might I have a dance this evening? Assuming you intend to remain present for said dance.”
She held out her wrist to him. “You’ll just have to wait and see, won’t you?
” Shifting on her feet, she stepped on his boot and smirked at him.
She would have to dance with him this time, if only to stay out of Minto’s clutches, but at least he would believe she wasn’t pleased about it.
That gave her a small bit of satisfaction.
Thankfully, she filled her dance card and managed to avoid her father and Minto. She wasn’t enjoying the ball as much as she should since she had to keep a watchful eye at all times, but it was a small price to pay if she could avoid having Minto in her presence.
When Evan retrieved her for their dance, she hated her traitorous body for responding to the touch of his hand on her back. She shivered. The spot between her thighs heated. If his smirk was any indication, the devil of a man was aware, which only added to her irritation.
He finds himself far more irresistible than he actually is, she thought bitterly. There was no way she could fool herself into pretending Evan wasn’t the most handsome man she had ever seen. That fact annoyed her to acknowledge, but she could resist him.
She focused on the other dancers and refused to meet his eye. In her effort to avoid Evan and his attempts to read her thoughts, she noted her father watching them from the side of the ballroom. Even worse, Minto stood next to him with his eyes locked on her form, licking his lips.
The man looked for ways to touch her, even in public. He even cupped her bottom once at a garden party, and if the look in his eyes was any indication, she could expect repeated behavior from the man. She cringed and closed her eyes.
“What is it, Marina?” Evan asked. “I know you hate me, but am I truly that vile?”
She met his eyes. “I just wish to avoid Papa. And Minto.”
Evan glanced to the side of the ballroom and nodded in understanding. “I am thankful you didn’t marry the man, if only to spite me. You deserve much better.”
“Careful, my lord. That almost sounded like a compliment.” She smirked.
“Well, don’t flatter yourself too much,” he teased. “I wouldn’t wish the man upon any woman.”
Once the dance ended, Evan thrust them toward the throngs of guests, enabling them to be lost in the shuffle where her father couldn’t see them.
After she was out of her father’s sight, she bolted for the corridor and ducked into the first room she could find.
After closing the door behind her, she glanced at her dance card and sighed in relief when Jude’s name was signed for the next dance.
He wouldn’t be bothered if she happened to miss the dance.
The door opened, and Marina gasped. Her eyes darted around the room, debating if she had time to hide. Before she could move, recognition washed over her at the sight of Evan’s tall, muscular frame. He shut the door behind him and turned to face her, remaining by the door.
“Why did you follow me?” she ground out.
“Why did you come in here?”
She waved her hand. “It does not signify. I required a private respite, which you now deny me.”
Even with only the low glow of the fire, she saw his eyes narrow.
The dark shadows on his chiseled jaw only made him more attractive, and she hated herself for thinking so.
Almost as much as she despised him. More so, she couldn’t stand the way her desire for him continued to linger. Her entire body was aflame.
“I think there is more to it than that. You could just tell me what troubles you. Did Minto do something?” Evan asked, clenching his fists at his sides.
“No. Not yet anyway,” she replied. “You could also do as I have requested and leave me be.” If he stayed in her presence much longer, she might lose her resolve. She bit her bottom lip and regretted it. It only reminded her of his lips on hers.
Evan unclenched his fists. “Indeed.” He turned to face the door and reached for the handle but paused. “Do you ever think of our time together?”
“What?” Her eyes darted around the room, and she fought to control her breath. Why did she ask? She should have just told him to leave.
He turned back toward her and repeated the question, speaking slowly. “Do you ever think of our time together?”
She inhaled, then steadied her shoulders and lifted her chin. She had to get him to leave, or she would be lost to him again. “Are you referring to when I desired to be your wife, then you were nothing but cruel and referred to me as temporary?”
Evan flinched, and even though she hated him, she felt a slight sliver of remorse for dealing such a low blow. Only slight.
He drew a deep breath and sighed. “I was referring to when you found your first taste of pleasure in my arms.”
Her face heated, and she could only hope he wouldn’t notice in the dimly lit room. “It wouldn’t matter if I did. I can’t stand the sight of you now, so I guess we are at an impasse.”
His grin turned wicked and he said, “I wouldn’t say that, my lady.” He slowly closed the distance between them, almost catlike in his approach.
“And what do you mean by that?” She planted her hands on her hips, attempting to ignore the heat that pooled between her thighs and how she fought to breathe with every slow step he moved closer to her.
He leaned forward and whispered in her ear, “Turn around.”
Placing his hands on her hips, he turned her so that her back was to him. “There, don’t look at me. But if you want me to give you the release I know you seek, you must lift your skirts.” His breath was hot on her ear, and she struggled to find rational thought.
Her breath caught, and with a mind of its own, her body sank back into his.
That intoxicating bergamot scent flooded her senses and the warmth of his body against hers drove her to distraction.
After a few moments, she reached for her skirts, with her need and want of what he could give her outweighing her pride.
She shivered when the cool air reached her thighs.
With a firm hold on her hips, he pulled her closer, taking care to keep her body secure against his.
She instinctively tilted her head, giving him access to her neck. His lips grazed her skin, followed by a light nip before soothing the area with his tongue. He continued with a trail of kisses up to her ear.
Her breathing turned more ragged with anticipation as he moved his hand from her hip and slid it with maddening slowness to the area that longed for his touch. When his fingers brushed her most sensitive area, she gasped and rolled her head back onto his shoulder.
“Do you like that?” he whispered, then nipped at the lobe of her ear.
She nodded. His touch sent waves of exquisite pleasure coursing through her body. When he ventured lower and dipped his finger into her core, a low moan escaped her lips.
“I think you also like that,” he teased.
She nodded again, her breathing growing more frantic. Thankfully, he wrapped his other arm around her to hold her in place, as her legs might give out from beneath her. He kneaded her breast with the hand that held her against him, and she swallowed hard.
“You seem to have lost your words.” He inserted another finger into her core, moving them in and out of her body.
He kissed along her neck and shoulder, using his wicked tongue.
Continuing his delicious ministrations with his fingers, he used his thumb to apply just the right amount of pressure to her pearl as he began to circle it.
“Evan!”
“Much better.” He nipped at her ear, his hot breath driving her to distraction. She found herself longing to kiss him and pushed such a notion aside.
He increased speed with his fingers. As he dipped his tongue in her ear and sucked on her lobe, her steady whispered moans filled the air.
“You are just as tight and wet as I remembered,” he whispered.
She gripped his thigh and extended her other hand behind her head, her fingers intertwining with his silky hair. Undulating against his hand, and in turn moving herself against the hard ridge of his cock.
He pulled her tighter against him and moved his hips with hers, helping her take her pleasure from his hand.
Her body trembled and convulsed, breaking apart in a matter of moments as waves of pure bliss washed over her.
When her legs gave out after his delightful touch, he held her tight, preventing her from falling to the floor.
For a brief moment, she kept her head back on his shoulder, cherishing the intimate connection they shared.
She held onto his head and ran her fingers through his silky hair.
When she realized what she was doing, she untangled herself from his embrace. Releasing her skirts and brushing them down, she frantically righted her appearance.
“Marina—”
She held up her hand to cut him off. “This changes nothing.” Marina refused to meet his eye. “Leave now. My father will look for me, and we have been gone too long.”
Her thoughts jumbled and her world no longer made sense. She wouldn’t be able to think or breathe until he departed.
Evan hesitated, opening and closing his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.
Marina huffed. She couldn’t take it anymore. “Evan. Go. Go now. I will follow in a few moments.”
He turned, and she heard him mumble something before he exited the room. When she reached the door to plan her own exit, she heard him speaking to someone in the hallway.
Listening at the door, she waited for the voices to move from the doorway.
She opened the door and poked her head out to see that the path was clear.
Slipping out of the room and closing the door behind her, she forced herself to move with a slow pace to rejoin her friends while her mind warred with itself over what had just occurred.
Evan would only bring her heartbreak. She’d said nothing had changed, and that was true. But she was terrified to admit to herself that she still longed for his touch. And she feared that what she had just experienced with him wouldn’t be enough.
It might never be enough.