Chapter 27
Twenty-Seven
THEO
Agood twenty minutes had passed since Aria swept Sarah away, and I was getting antsy for her return.
“The usual suspects are here, then?” I remarked, eyeing the guests gathered in the dining room. Most were out in the great hall, but I’d avoid that place until the traditional Scottish dancing ended.
North shrugged. “I suppose so. You have to admit, this place is pretty festive. It reminds me a bit of school.”
“I wouldn’t know. We didn’t do traditional Scottish dancing at school.”
My friend grinned. “You mean at Eton?”
I ignored his teasing. “I do want to enjoy tonight without thinking of … well, of the murders. Selfish, yes, considering the families of the victims can’t escape it for a second, let alone a night …,” I trailed off, uncomfortable with the guilt that clawed at my chest.
“Theo, you have to stop beating yourself up over this. This psycho could have picked any show to copy.”
“I’m not sure of that. From my research, there must be something that triggered it.
Perhaps he sees parallels between our show and his own life.
I don’t know.” I shrugged, rubbing the back of my neck.
“Anyway, that’s not why I mentioned it. I just wanted you to know that if you’re worried about the media, I’m here.
You can talk to me. And I won’t let them target you.
I’ll make sure they know I’m the one behind the show. ”
He shook his head. “We’re in this together. Honestly, I don’t care if they drag me through the mud again. I have Aria, I have a life I’m proud of. The most important thing is that the police find this guy.”
I nodded. “I wish I had more information. Perhaps I could help them.”
“Couldn’t you? You wrote the show. You might know what his next move will be.”
“So do they. They have a team analyzing the show. Figuring it all out.”
“They should have drafted you in. You know it better than anyone.”
“I was not invited, and I did offer my services.” I shrugged. “Anyway, enough for tonight. I just wanted to say that.”
“Well, I appreciate it.” North eyed me with something akin to amusement.
I grimaced. “I know. Sarah is turning me soft.”
“No, actually.” He clapped me on the shoulder. “You’ve always been like this. You had my back when Darren’s mum was sending me threatening letters, and then when I hit Preston. You had my back with Aria. I should have known better when I assumed you were taking advantage of Sarah.”
“We don’t need to rehash that.” I glanced around, looking for my other half. “Where did Aria take her, anyway?”
“Lachlan found out from Monroe that Sarah is writing. He’s known her most of her life and just wants to congratulate her.”
I stiffened. “Sarah had a crush on him for years.”
North chuckled. “He’s a happily married man. Look at you, all jealous, mate. Never thought I’d see the day when Theo Cavendish became a one-woman man. You’re not even eyeing other women here.”
“Why would I?” I asked imperiously. “Have you seen my date?”
“Aye, and she’s as lovely as I always knew she was.”
“Yes, she is.” And I hoped she was starting to realize it about herself.
North leaned into me. “Why is Angeline Potter asking after you, though?”
Fuck. “When?”
“Out in the hall. She asked Aria and me if you were attending tonight. Is it because of what happened between you two here last Christmas?”
Discomfort rode me. “I … I made the mistake of sleeping with her a few months ago. Before Sarah, of course.”
“Oh, mate.” North shook his head.
“I know. It was the worst experience of my life.”
He raised an eyebrow, male curiosity gleaming in his eyes. “Really?”
“I almost admire the fact that after she came, she announced she wanted to be done, thus killing my erection, but then she acted like she’d claimed me somehow and warned me off a friend who apparently had a crush on me.
I realized I’d been used to stroke her ego, and you can imagine how that went down with my pride. ”
North snorted. “Why does that not surprise me?”
“I don’t want to think about it. Or her. She’s nothing to me.” I craned my neck to see past guests. “Is Aria intending to bring Sarah back to me anytime soon?”
“Seriously? She’s it for you now?”
I narrowed my eyes. “Is Aria it for you?”
“Aye, but we both know I was always a monogamist. Or do you not remember mocking me mercilessly about it?”
My lips twitched. “I do remember.”
“But as long as I’ve known you, you’ve never had sex with the same woman more than a couple of times.”
“Just because I’m an acolaust doesn’t mean I can’t be faithful to just one woman. Especially when that woman satisfies me in every way.”
North chuckled. “Fine.” Then he frowned. “What’s an acolaust?”
“Sarah would know,” I repeated my words from earlier.
“Sarah would know what?” Her soft voice caressed my nape seconds before she rounded me to stand at my side.
Just the sight of her eased something within. Seriously, I should be terrified by her effect on me. Instead, I replied, “What an acolaust means.”
Her cheeks immediately flushed pink, and I chuckled as I reached out to caress my thumb over her cheekbone. “I’ll take that to mean you do.”
“Would someone like to tell me?” North shrugged, grinning at us like we were the most entertaining thing he’d ever seen.
“It means to enjoy indulging in sensual pleasures,” Sarah responded first, her cheeks blooming even pinker.
My friend chuckled. “Ah. I see.” He eyed Sarah as if he’d never seen her before and I felt a prickle of unnecessary jealousy. Then he glanced away and around the room. “Sarah, do you know what happened to Aria?”
“She got pulled away while I was talking with Mr. Ad—I mean, Lachlan. While I was talking to Lachlan.” At my questioning stare, she shrugged, blushing harder. “He wanted to congratulate me on my success and asked me to call him Lachlan.”
“Did he?” I murmured through clenched teeth.
“I’m off to find my fiancée.” North clapped me hard on the chest and said under his breath, “Don’t be an ass.”
I shrugged him off but did my best to rein in my possessiveness.
And by best, I mean I pulled Sarah into my side as soon as North left. My hands roamed her waist as she settled against me, her expression questioning. “Contrectation.”
Sarah nodded, a small smile on her lips. “An impulse to caress.”
“It also refers to touching in relation to sexual foreplay.”
“Do you know all the dirty unusual words?” she teased.
“It’s not particularly dirty.” I slid my hand perilously close to her delectable arse. “Feculent. Now that is a dirty word.”
She giggled, and the sound scored through me. I tightened my hold on her and she rested a hand on my stomach. “You know that’s not the kind of dirty I was referring to.”
“Matutinal.”
“How is something that occurs in the morning sexual?”
“Because I’m usually very horny for you in the mornings.” I tutted. “Clever girl, you should have gotten that one.”
Laughing, she tilted her head in thought. “Famelic.”
“Exciting hunger. Very nice. Basial,” I rejoined.
“To kiss. Hmm … satyriasis.”
Unbelievably, this little word game was turning me on. I knew I was looking at her like I wanted to eat her alive. “I may be inflicted with that when it comes to you.”
Heat glittered in her gaze. “Calefacient.”
I wracked my brain trying to remember the meaning of that one. “Uh … something about heat.”
“Something that produces a sensation of heat. Particularly to the body. When you touch me. Calefacient.”
Blood rushed to my cock. Good God. “Concupiscence,” I warned her.
Her breathing stuttered. “Me too … Paizogony.”
I blinked, searching for recognition and finding none. “Uh …”
Sarah pulled back, glee cutting through her desire. “You don’t know that word, do you?”
“Uh …” Come on, brain. “I … uh.”
She shoved me playfully. “I won. I won, didn’t I?”
Laughter bubbled on my lips. “I didn’t know it was a competition.”
“Of course it is.” She tickled me and I grabbed at her hands, chuckling. “I won!”
Cuddling her close, I bowed my head, desperate to kiss her. “Tell me, then, little darling. What does it mean?”
“It means love play. Petting.” She stroked my chest.
An emotion so big, so overwhelming, it was like concrete pressing on my breastbone, cracking it, propelled me forth. I needed her.
“Kiss me,” she whispered, the words a little desperate.
Yes, fuck yes.
I closed the short distance between us, taking her mouth, her soft lips. It should have been just a gentle brush, a caress, but I wanted everything. I stroked my tongue against hers and she gasped, opening to me. Then she was kissing me back just as fiercely.
Until a shrewish voice cut between us. “Well, isn’t this not a surprise!”
Oh, bloody hell, please no.
I wished her away.
But when I broke the kiss, Angeline Potter stood before me and Sarah.