Chapter 18 #2
Damien nodded, then rubbed his hand on his own chest in a circle. “When things inside feel all tangled up. When you are angry or sad. Boxing helps that go away.”
George fell silent, pondering once again.
“It is true, little man,” Jeremy added, his tone gentle as he gave George a smile. “Even I box from time to time. The good thing about this sport is that there are rules, and not only does it help with everything that Damien just said, it also teaches a man to fight with honor.”
Damien nodded in agreement. “And it helps to know how to fight when you need to protect someone you love. Like your Cece.”
Caroline’s heart throbbed in her chest. It was quite possibly the most seductive thing Damien had ever said, and her body immediately responded with delightful tingles. Still, she kept silent, realizing that this was another bonding moment that she had been hoping for.
George looked from Jeremy to Damien.
“Can… may I learn to box?” George asked.
The grin on Damien’s face was instant and warm, making butterflies erupt in Caroline’s stomach.
“Of course you may,” Damien answered, then held up two fingers.
“Two things must come first, though. First and most important, you must eat more. Food makes us strong. Two, you must wait until you are just a little older. Now, age will come on its own, but eating properly? That is something we can start right now. What do you think?”
George gave a solemn nod, as if he had just accepted a great responsibility.
“Splendid!” Jeremy exclaimed, clapping his hands together. “And since we are all here, why do we not all eat together?”
As if satisfied with how the conversation had gone, Damien rose once more back up to his full height.
“You three go ahead,” Damien said, his gaze lingering on George a moment longer before looking to Jeremy. “I have to get back to my study. I received many correspondences today, and I have something important to work on.”
Caroline’s disappointment was instant and heavy. Though they had not planned to dine together, the thought of them all being together gave her a warm, familial feeling.
“Oh, come on, brother. Do not be such a spoilsport,” Jeremy goaded, reaching up to clap his big brother on the back. “Surely your correspondence can wait an hour? We have so much to catch you up on! The three of us worked quite hard on my party plans today, did we not?”
Damien turned his gaze to Caroline, still looking unsure and uncomfortable with the idea. She immediately smiled and gave him an encouraging nod.
“We would love it if you would join us,” she said, then looked down at George. “Do you not want to tell Damien all you helped with today?”
George fiddled nervously with his fingers, as if still not completely comfortable in Damien’s presence.
“I-I helped pick out invitations,” he said hesitantly after a moment. “I could tell you about them, if you like?”
Caroline looked toward Damien, and her heart throbbed as a softness settled into his usually sharp gaze.
“Well, then I simply must hear about these invitations,” Damien replied.
Caroline sat at the table with the three men who were her new family, watching not only George but Damien seem to transform before her very eyes.
At the beginning of the dinner, George still stuttered a little as he spoke, but within minutes, it dissolved as both Damien and Jeremy included him in their conversations as if he were their little brother.
Now George was not only laughing with the two of them but, thanks to what Damien said about food, was eagerly cleaning his plate and had even asked for seconds.
Watching them spurred on even more thoughts of the recent past, and she let herself ponder them. Such as how Damien had broken down her door to protect her. How, when she had caught him in his study, he did not grow enraged or try to force her. Instead, he put the decision in her hands.
Flickers of arousal erupted in her bloodstream as she recalled that moment, and how she had been most curious about the possibility of joining him. Touching him had spurred more dreams, leaving her waking up flushed and panting.
However, what stuck in her mind the most was their interaction at the patio table with Jeremy.
He had broken her rule of no touching. To be fair, she was the one to touch him with her foot first, but what he had done to her calf and then both of her feet had felt so amazing that she could not bring herself to ask him to stop.
She had never felt such a relief before, and even now, she ached to feel his large hands massaging her again.
Then suddenly she realized something. Aside from their kiss on the street, every time Damien had broken her no-touching rule, it was not to seduce her, but to provide her comfort.
When he gripped her chin after her nightmare, when he had brought her out of the water when she was too startled to make it to the surface.
When he had brought relief to her sore feet.
It had all been done to make her feel better.
“Someone seems to have lost herself in thought,” Jeremy’s voice broke through her reverie. “Is everything all right, Caroline dearest?”
She blinked, realizing that she had completely done exactly that, and drew her lips into a smile as she looked up at the table.
She blushed as she found three sets of eyes studying her intently.
Jeremy’s green eyes glittered with mirth as he smirked.
Georgie’s brown ones were looking at her with open curiosity, and Damien’s amber eyes glittered with concern.
She blushed at them all and sat up a little straighter.
“Apologies,” she offered, picking up her fork. “I seem to have been miles away.”
“What were you thinking about?” George asked.
Caroline’s blush grew hotter as she dropped her gaze to her plate and began to concentrate on cutting up a long, steamed carrot.
“Oh, just about the ball,” she lied. “How lovely it will look thanks to all of your help.”
She looked up again and gave George another smile.
He seemed satisfied with her answer and began talking again, animatedly, about his paper dolls.
Jeremy’s smirk widened, as if he knew she was lying, then immediately turned his attention back to George and engaged him in the subject.
Damien, however, lifted a curious brow, the left corner of his mouth drawing up in a sinfully handsome side smile, as if he had known precisely what she was thinking about.
Quite positive that her cheeks were literally on fire now, Caroline abandoned her dinner and picked up her wine glass, drinking it down in deep gulps.
“Are you all right?” Damien whispered to her, his deep voice causing the butterflies in her stomach to take flight again.
“Yes,” she gasped, after swallowing her wine. “Quite fine.”
“You do not seem like it,” Damien murmured.
His eyes then raked down her figure, slowly, as if savoring every inch of her, and then dragged back up to her eyes.
There was no longer concern, but there was fire burning in his gaze when she met his amber eyes again.
Then, to her relief, he looked away and joined Jeremy and George’s conversation.
A few minutes later, with his second plate empty, George leaned back into his chair and sighed, closing his eyes. Caroline smiled affectionately at the little boy. Then she lifted her gaze and saw that not only she, but Jeremy and Damien were giving him the same affectionate look.
“I believe someone is ready for bed,” Caroline said.
George opened his eyes as he shook his head, but it was clear he was fighting sleep.
“Not yet,” he pleaded as Caroline rose to take him. “It was such a good day.”
“And we will have another good day tomorrow, my lad,” Jeremy assured him. “I simply cannot plan this party without your help. But now it is time for rest, so we may work just as hard tomorrow.”
“Well,” George said as he yawned widely, “all right.”
Caroline, Jeremy, and even Damien chuckled when Caroline picked up the little boy, and his little head rested on her shoulder.
“Have a good evening, you two,” she said to the brothers.
“Oh, no, you cannot go to bed this early,” Jeremy insisted in a whisper as he stood up. “It may be late for him, but for us the night is still quite young! I am having friends over for games in the parlor in an hour; you must join us, Caroline, please. You as well, brother.”
Without thinking twice about it, Caroline looked to Damien for an answer.
“I really must get back to my work,” he replied quietly to Jeremy, who frowned but did not argue.
He really is working that hard to find George’s parents? After the incident at his study, Caroline did not revisit her snooping; instead, she decided to trust that Damien would keep his word.
“If you want to, you should join him,” Damien gently coaxed. “It has been a while since you attended a ball. A small gathering might provide you with a good practice for your return to such social engagements.”
Caroline fought the wave of disappointment that hit her as he revealed he would not be joining Jeremy’s small gathering; however, she had to admit he had a good point about the practice.
“Very well,” she whispered, rubbing circles into George’s back. “I shall put George to bed, then join you in the parlor with your friends.”
Jeremy shook both of his fists in the air as he smiled, as if celebrating a victory, and Damien walked toward her, stopping close enough so that he could lean close to her ear.
“Try to enjoy yourself,” Damien whispered to her. “But do not hesitate to come fetch me from my study if you need me.”
Butterflies erupted in Caroline’s stomach as she heard his offer, and tried to hide her new blush by laying her cheek against George’s head.
“I will,” she whispered.
He gave her a nod, his amber eyes sparkling with a warmth that made her knees feel weak, then he turned away, wished his brother a pleasant evening, and left.