Debutantes Don’t Date (21 page)

He was handed a sleek stick. She pulled the top off and twisted the tube until colour
rose from inside. She took it back off him and applied the colour to her lips. The
red made her lips look swollen and just kissed. The blood quickened in his veins.

This time when she pulled the next item out of her bag her face flushed and she looked
away in embarrassment. “This is my bra.”

“What’s it for?” He looked at the contraption but for the life of him he couldn’t
figure out what she would use it for.

“Umm…it is for keeping me in place, shall we say.” She wiggled her eyebrows at him
and he had a feeling she thought he would know what that meant.

“Sorry? How does it keep you in place?”

“My boobs OK! It holds my breasts in place so they don’t flop around everywhere.”
She held it up to her breasts with both hands to demonstrate.

It was his turn to flush. He could all of a sudden picture all too clearly where the
material lay on her skin.

“Do you believe me now? I have more make-up in here,” she said as she dumped the rest
of the contents out on the floor.

Jasper reached down and picked up a small black box with a long wire coming out of
it. He held it out to Grace. “What this?”

“It’s part of my headset. The actual piece that goes on my head was left behind when
I travelled here, but that part attaches to it. You are more than welcome to take
it apart if you want. It is no use to me now.”

He looked down at the item in his hand and realised it didn’t belong in his world.
He looked up at Grace; could she be telling him the truth after all?

“Think of my speech. Half the time you can’t understand what I’m saying and the other,
profanities roll off my tongue. You must know other Americans. Do any of them sound
like me? What about how I stand and walk? I know I’ve gotten better but I slump. My
corset helps, but my posture is still shocking. I couldn’t sit straight in a chair
if I tried.” Grace paced back and forth before him and yes, her shoulders weren’t
as straight as they could be, but what did that really mean?

“Please, Jasper, I know it doesn’t make sense. It really doesn’t. I can’t explain
how I got here; I have no idea if I can go back and if I can, when it could happen.
We could be sitting down having dinner ten years from now and I could disappear in
front of your eyes. And there would be nothing you could do about it. I had to tell
you before the wedding. I couldn’t marry you knowing I could just disappear and never
come back. You needed to know where I’m from. Besides, I don’t want to keep secrets
from you, Jasper.” Grace stepped closer to him and placed her hand on his chest over
his heart. “I lost people suddenly and I couldn’t put you through that.”

Jasper looked into her eyes and knew, right there and then, she was telling the truth.
He lowered his mouth to her red lips and took what he had dreamed of since he vowed
to stay away. His heart soared; the relief of knowing that she was still his consumed
him. He dropped the things she brought to show him to run his hands up and down her
sides, bringing her closer to his own hard body. She fitted him exactly right; her
curves fitted into his grooves, her breasts into his hands, and his tongue into her
mouth.

She tasted hot and sweet and his desire for her rushed to his groin. His penis strained
against his trousers, yearning to be free from its confines and inside her sweet heat
instead.

He could feel her pleasure mounting. Her small hands clenched into the muscles on
his shoulders. Her hips started grinding against his and her breath came in pants.
Jasper groaned when her hands roamed his back and found his buttocks. She cupped them
hard before pulling him closer to her. He let out a bark of laughter when he nearly
lost his balance and fell on her.

“Have a care, Grace, I think we need to lie down before I fall on you.” He picked
her up and carried her to the fire where there was a deep, soft, conveniently placed
rug. The warmth of the fire did nothing to abate the heat rising in his veins. He
gently lowered her to the floor and followed her down, allowing his body the luxury
of finally having her where he wanted her since he laid eyes on her the night of the
ball.

He looked into her eyes before he touched her and saw deep emotion he could not bring
himself to understand. He decided to distract both of them from the feelings raging
through their bodies and build the flames of passion. Jasper sat back on his heels
and ever so slowly ran his hands up her toned legs. She gasped when cool air touched
her thighs and moaned when his hands found the exposed skin just above her stockings.

It was the most beautiful sight he ever saw when her hips arched into the air. He
touched her centre then and she exploded around him, flooding his fingers with wetness.
Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and he just managed to catch her scream
with his lips as she came undone in his arms.

I want more
, he thought before he replaced his fingers with his tongue. He kissed and sucked
her there until she was again at the peak.

“Jasper, please.” Grace tossed her head from side to side, begging him to continue.
He could do nothing but comply with her request.

He pulled the front of her dress down to expose the tops of her breasts.

“Do you want this?” he asked as he pushed her breasts out of their confines. “Do you
want me to touch you here too?” he said as his finger lightly, teasingly circled her
nipple.

“Yes,” she moaned and arched her body towards him, silently begging him to touch her
and send her past the point of no return again.

“Do you want this?” Jasper watched her face as his finger flicked across the beaded
nub. She flinched and her back arched again in response. It was the most amazing thing.
He marvelled at her sensitivity. Finally he could stand it no longer and bent his
head to taste what she was so desperately offering.

With one hand he played with the other breast, pulling and pinching until it too was
beaded and hard. He tasted that one as well, rolling his tongue around the nub.

His other hand was at her centre, stroking in and out between her folds. He gently
slipped a finger inside and he nearly climaxed when she clenched around him.

“God, you are so tight,” he whispered in her ear before moving his mouth to her lips
and driving his tongue into her mouth in rhythm to his finger thrusting into her.

He could feel her tension rising and, just before she exploded for a second time,
the doorknob rattled with someone trying to get in.

“Grace, are you in there?” Anne’s voice called through the door. “There’s something
wrong with the door. Do you have it locked? What are you doing in there?”

She could hear her name being called and belatedly registered the door was rattling
and the someone who was calling her name was not the man who was on top of her only
a moment ago. Said man had jumped up as if a bee had stung him in the backside.

“Quick,” he whispered, “delay her.” He pulled her to her feet and began straightening
her clothing.

“Um, I’m coming, Anne,” she called out, hoping her voice didn’t sound as breathless
as she felt. “I just need a few minutes alone.” She turned to Jasper and whispered,
“Hide!”

Jasper ducked out of sight and she opened the door to her friend. She just hoped Anne
didn’t notice the tips of Jasper’s boots poking out from behind the curtain.

“What were you doing in here? And with the door locked?”

“I was thinking about the wedding and wanted a few moments alone to decide a few things.”

“Are you feeling completely well, Grace? You looked quite flushed.” Anne placed her
hand to Grace’s forehead. “You’re not coming down with something are you? You’d hate
to be sick for your wedding.”

Grace quickly changed the subject. “Um, my head is swimming from all the wedding preparations.
I didn’t realise how much there would be to do. Fancy a walk in the park?” Grace held
her breath. She wanted to give Jasper a chance to escape the house without being detected.

“If you’re sure you’re feeling fit enough? I’ll just get my coat.”

“I’ll meet you in the hall.”

Grace followed Anne from the room on wobbly legs into the hallway; she dared not look
back.

Leaving his sister’s house had never been harder. When Jasper had a clear view of
the door and thought it safe to make a break for it, his sister spotted him, making
it necessary for Jasper to say he was just arriving, which of course came into question
when Hoskins inquired if Grace had met him in the drawing room.

“Oh, are you here to see Grace?” Victoria asked.

“Lady Anne and Miss Grace have gone for a walk, your ladyship. She came from the drawing
room where Lord Bingham was waiting for her,” Hoskins informed her. Jasper was sure
the old man was enjoying watching him squirm.

“So you have already seen her? I thought you said that you were just arriving.” Victoria’s
brow puckered in confusion.

By now his hair was standing on end from running his fingers through it so often,
and his face was as red as Victoria’s sofa in the library, which really was a ghastly
colour. “I have seen her, and I am just leaving. Please excuse me.” He made a break
for it, but was stopped at the door, this time by Neal. His hand clenched briefly
on the door handle, his escape so close.

“Why the hurry, Jasper? Are you running away from my wife?” Neal’s voice held a hint
of laughter in it, something so rare Jasper couldn’t help but turn to see the smile
on his brother-in-law’s face for himself.

“Come to my study, will you, we won’t be disturbed there.” Neal turned and walked
away expecting Jasper to follow.

“Sorry, Neal, I have a few errands to run before the wedding. Maybe I can come after
dinner?”

“Can you make it back before dinner? I find myself needing your advice.” A smile spread
across his face and Jasper was tempted to stay…almost. But he had jobs to do and a
few appointments to keep this afternoon that really couldn’t wait.

“I’ll try my best. Don’t wait for me for dinner, but I will get back as soon as I
can. I do need to stop off at my house before I come back, so that might make me later.
I’ll see you then.”

Jasper made it out the door and down the street about half a block before he ran into
someone he was unable to avoid.

“Good day, Lord Bingham.”

“Good day, Lord Wester, how is your sister faring?”

It was the wrong thing to ask. Jasper realised his mistake as the words exited his
mouth. He would have dragged them back in if he could.

Wester’s face mottled with anger, red spots vivid against his white complexion. His
voice hissed low in threat when he spoke: “You can ask her on your wedding day. Don’t
you think she will look lovely in my mother’s wedding dress?”

“I’m sure that she will. Am I to offer happy tidings to your family then? I hadn’t
realised she had become betrothed. When is her wedding to take place? Who is the lucky
man, is he someone I know?” Jasper held his breath. The man before him was far too
unstable for his liking. At least Grace wasn’t here to be subjected to his presence.

“Yes, you know the man quite well, I believe. The man is you.”

“You do know I am marrying Grace in three days, do you not? I’m sure Anne would have
told you herself, why, she is even staying with Grace to prepare for the wedding.
It’s not Lady Anne that I am marrying, Wester.”

“You will,” he sneered, “you ruined our family and you will fix what you have done!”
Where Wester’s voice started low, it had now risen to an embarrassing level.

A glance around confirmed Jasper’s suspicions that they were attracting attention.
He needed to end this conversation now; the last thing Grace needed was even more
gossip on the eve of her wedding. They’d created enough of a scandal already.

He stepped in close to Robin and grabbed the man’s coat close to the throat, making
sure that no one on the street could see what he was doing. “I am doing no such thing.
Get this through your thick head, I am marrying Grace.”

“That hussy, she is nothing but a whore, lifting her skirt at a ball.”

So much for not making a scene. Jasper lifted Robin off the ground and planted his
fist into his face. “You listen to me, and you listen well. I will tell you this once
and only once. I am not marrying your sister, I am marrying Grace.” He gave his hand
a shake, knocking Robin’s teeth together. “If you so much as look at Grace, you good
for nothing little shit, I will see you in the ground. Do you hear me?” He gave Robin
a final shake and turned and walked away. He hoped against all hope it was the last
time he saw the slimy little man.

Robin called out through swelling lips as Jasper headed around the corner, “You will
marry Anne, just see if you don’t!”

The desire to turn around and plant his other fist was almost overwhelming but he
had an appointment with the minister and a wedding to plan.

Chapter Twenty-Two

“I’m really glad we went to the park, Grace. I would never have thought to go this
time of day. It was most relaxing. Thank you. I’m not afforded such freedom to wander
at will. Mamma would keep me to the paths and of course we can only go when everyone
else is about, so we could be seen. It’s refreshing to do as one pleases just because
it pleases one to do so.” She let out a merry laugh. “Does that make any sense?”

Grace was laughing too. “Yes, it does. I know exactly what you mean.” It warmed her
heart to see Anne so relaxed and joyful, especially after all the stress her brother
had caused. She wasn’t sure if Anne had forgiven herself yet for being talked into
getting her to take that walk at his request.

They walked through the park with arms linked and their heads close together. Grace
hadn’t had a friend this close since she was in elementary school. She felt she could
tell Anne all her secrets. She didn’t, of course. It had been nerve racking enough
telling Jasper. She was lucky he believed her. Thank God she kept her stuff from her
old life. What would she have done if she had thrown it all away? She wasn’t going
to push her luck with Anne. She didn’t want to risk losing her friendship. Besides,
the less people who knew, the better. She wasn’t sure if they still hanged people
for witchcraft in the 1800s but she didn’t want to find out first-hand, either.