Title: Picnics, Plans and Persuasion
Rating: T (maybe LT for LATE Teen!!)
Warning: new character!!! And I only 'sort of' made him up - his name (not his character by ANY means!) is from the early 1970's TV series Nanny and the Professor... although I've since read it in a children's book....
Pronunciation Guide: Cholmondeley = Chumley
Featherstonehaugh = Fenshaw
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters since the Eloise movies and the characters are the property of Disney and Kay Thompson and others. I make no money from this work of fiction!
One bright, sunny spring day, Nanny and Eloise found themselves going up the elevator with Sir Wilkes, who was frowning at the letter in his hand.
"Bad news, Sir Wilkes?" Nanny asked sympathetically.
"Eh? I beg your pardon? What do...? Oh, I see," He looked down at the letter he had been gripping, and consciously relaxed his grasp. "No, not really. Not bad news. Just a notice of our firm's family picnic next week...."
"Nanny and I absolutely LOVE family picnics," Eloise said in a wheedling tone. "Don't YOU, Sir Wilkes?"
"I have not been to one for a very long time, Eloise," he said gravely. What he did NOT say was that, in fact, he had NEVER been to a family picnic. Why on earth the company had decided to honour his retirement in such a fashion was beyond him! A family picnic for a man without a family? Absurd! Well, he just wouldn't attend. They would have to come up with another idea for his retirement party!
"Why not?" Eloise's question intruded on his thoughts.
"I've... been too busy, I suppose." He sighed and started to fold up the letter when the elevator jerked slightly as it came to a stop on the third floor. Losing his hold on the paper, Wilkes vainly tried to catch it as it fluttered to the ground.
Eloise pounced on it before he could bend down to retrieve it. Her eyes went wide. "It's from a LORD! Lord... Feather-stone-haugg," She sounded it out carefully.
"Eloise, you know much better than that! Much, much, much! No reading someone else's mail!" Nanny scolded her charge, twitched the letter out of Eloise's hand and passed it to Wilkes. "Honestly! Your manners... Sir Wilkes, I cannot apologize enough!"
"Tosh, tosh, tosh." He waved the matter away as inconsequential as he folded the letter and slid it into his pocket. "Just a notice about a picnic, as I said. Hardly personal...."
"I'm sorry, Nanny. Sorry, Sir Wilkes. But that's a funny name." Eloise said. "Feather-stone-haugg!"
Wilkes smiled reluctantly. "Yes, it IS spelt the way you said it, and I daresay it IS funny, but actually it is pronounced 'Fenshaw', you know."
Eloise's eyes bugged out. "THAT long word spells 'FENSHAW'?"
"Er, yes, it does." Then he grinned and pulled the letter out again. "As a matter of fact, look at Lord Featherstonehaugh's FIRST name, and see if you can pronounce IT!"
Eloise took the letter and, when Wilkes pointed out the name on the page, she scrunched up her eyes as she sounded it out. Nanny leaned over to see it, too, catching a glimpse of the words 'Sir Wilkes' retirement' before Eloise said slowly, "Chol-mon-de-lay." Looking up at Wilkes, Eloise shook her head and handed the paper back to him. "If that's not right, I absolutely don't know how to say it, Sir Wilkes!"
"Chumley," Nanny said at the same time as Wilkes. They smiled at each other.
"You two said it at the same time!" Eloise cried gleefully. "You have to link pinkies now!"
"Yes... of course..." said Wilkes seriously. He held out his hand to Nanny. "Nanny?"
Rawther reluctantly, Nanny held hers out and for an instant they linked their baby fingers. Nanny swallowed hard as a bolt of electricity seemed to shoot through every vein in her body from the touch of his warm skin on hers, and she quickly disentangled her hand.
"Remarkable..." Wilkes mused, looking at his own hand, then up at Nanny who felt herself reddening faintly but unable to look away.
"What is remarkable?" asked Eloise, who had been very attentive throughout the exchange. "What do you mean? Why did you say 'remarkable'? I REALLY hate being ignored!"
Nanny saw Wilkes' lips quirk slightly before she managed to tear her eyes off him. Max continued to stare blandly at the button panel, but when Nanny peeked at him, she noticed a grin tugging the corner of his mouth as well. Trying to hold in her own smile, she faced the front of the elevator again.
O o O o O o
The very next day, when Wilkes was walking briskly past Suite 1627 to mail his brusque apologies for missing the company's upcoming family picnic, Eloise threw open the doors just as he got there.
"Hallo, Sir Wilkes!" she said cheerfully. "It's another nice day, isn't it? Have you decided whether or not you're going to the picnic? Nanny would absolutely LOVE to go to a picnic with you, you know... with ME, Eloise!"
"Eloise!"
Wilkes heard Nanny's horrified voice and he looked past the child to see Nanny struggling to get out of the chair she had obviously collapsed in not long before. Her hair was straggling out of the braid down her back, and she was pulling her dressing gown about herself, to his chagrin hiding the voluptuous curves that so fired his libido at every glimpse.
"Aoww, Sir Wilkes, I MUST apologize for her again, again, again..." she began, her face red as she brushed a hand over her hair in a vain attempt to tame it. "Eloise, come in and shut the door until William arrives..."
"Well, Sir Wilkes?" Eloise asked, paying no attention to her mostly-companion.
"Er, what was your question, Eloise?" Wilkes asked, his eyes on Nanny. He couldn't understand why he was so very attracted to this woman who, when he really forced himself to think about it, was not the sort of person who had ever drawn his attention before. Surely at his age he was past the teenage feelings of lusting for someone beyond his reach! Nanny would never look seriously at him! She was much too.... vivacious for a sedate plodder like himself. And yet, he thought, almost blushing with embarrassment for thinking in such a conceited fashion.... he had felt her eyes on him when he had walked past many a time and really, in spite of being a tad quiet and shy around him, she often seemed to act, well, as if she, you know, adored him when she was speaking with him!
He still remembered the delight in her face the first few minutes of the time Eloise had tricked them into having tea together. Confound it, why hadn't he ever invited her himself for tea in the months since that time, especially after the very enjoyable time they had shared that night at the Debutante Ball? He sighed inwardly. He had never asked her for tea because he was boring, staid, and unworthy... and let's face it, very much afraid that she might say no! A wonderful person such as Nanny could never be TRULY interested in someone like HIM! When Eloise had invited him over to watch television before Christmas, he had accepted quickly, but upon his arrival had found that Nanny had not even been aware of the invitation. It had made for a very awkward evening indeed... one he was not keen to repeat.
Then again, she HAD kissed him on the cheek on Christmas Eve! Surely THAT counted for something. Focussing on Nanny's eyes again, he realized that she was gazing at him almost hungrily.... that is, until she realized he was looking at her! Heat poured over him and his loins tightened instantly. Wilkes had never been aroused so quickly by just a look! Then she flushed and looked away, and he shuddered imperceptibly. What had come over him?
"SIR WILKES!"
Wilkes suddenly became aware that Eloise was dancing in front of him, calling his name loudly. "Eh? Oh, Eloise! I do apologize! I was, er...." Falling in love, he thought dreamily, then shook himself. Nonsense! "What were you saying?"
Eloise rolled her eyes, stuck her hands on her hips and said, "I ASKED if Nanny could come with you to the picnic... so you don't have to go by yourself. Nanny and, of course, ME, Eloise! We can SAY we're your family, right? I could be your grand-daughter, and Nanny could be your..."
"Eloise, that is rude, rude, RUDE!" Nanny gasped, coming up to take Eloise's arm. "Aoww, Sir Wilkes, I'm so, so, so sorry that..."
"Tosh, tosh, tosh," he said, and smiled down at Eloise as he tucked the now unnecessary letter into his pocket. "Actually, Eloise, I can't think of anything I'd rather do. If... if that's all right with you, Nanny? The picnic is on Tuesday at 11:00 in the morning. I would be very happy if the two of you would allow me to escort you..."
"Hurray!" Eloise cried. "THANK you, Sir Wilkes! This is absolutely divine! I'm going to see what I can wear! Gotta skitter!" and in an instant she had darted into her room, leaving the older couple alone.
"Eloise, it's not until...." Nanny began, then her voice died away as Eloise's bedroom door slammed. She turned back to Wilkes apologetically. "It is very good of you to..."
"Nanny," he said rapidly, taking her hand in both of his despite her initial instinctive withdrawal, "You are doing me a favour by coming. With me. To the picnic. Tuesday. I've... well, I have wanted very much to... spend some more time with you... er, both of you, of course...."
Nanny stared down at his hands smoothing over hers, then up at him again, marvelling at the pleading she saw in the warm brown depths of his eyes. She swallowed, feeling the excitement his touch engendered flashing to all her extremities. Wilkes, too, was speechless as he stared back at her. He had no idea what had gotten into him, but he knew one thing for certain. He wanted Nanny. Naked. In his bed. Tonight. Even if that WAS impossible and unthinkable! What a reprobate he had become! Yet he still clung to her, trying to tell himself that her hand was sliding caressingly in his.
Bill's arrival with breakfast sent Nanny and Wilkes stumbling apart quickly and brought Eloise dancing out of her bedroom again, wearing her large sunglasses and a big sunhat. "Good morning, Bill! Sir Wilkes is taking Nanny and me to a picnic next week! I want to look chic, chic, chic!"
Bill hid a smile as he said gravely to the child, "That outfit should do it! Morning, Nanny. Morning, Sir Wilkes!"
Nanny and Wilkes both babbled their good mornings, then Wilkes managed to get out of the suite and on his way back to his room, where he immediately stepped into a cold shower, fighting to get his inexplicable lust under control.
O o O o O o
Ever since she had kissed his cheek on Christmas Eve, Nanny's inner response to Sir Wilkes had increased dramatically. The roiling mixture of emotions that had invaded her body from the moment she had first glimpsed him had strengthened so that now she always felt jittery, filled with trepidation and yet strangely excited as well. She truly had thought time and experience would have worn away those feelings; indeed, she should have been long past such juvenile sensations which she had been convinced had been burned away years ago by long nights of sleepless anguish and drowned in a sea of tears! It seemed, however, that she was not too old to be foolish... nor too old to be attracted to the wrong person once again!
Over the years, Nanny had become quite content with her life, but in the last few months she had become increasingly aware of a certain dissatisfaction. There had even been times when she had been... well, LONELY, for Lord's sake! That was absurd, of course, because in Eloise's company, loneliness seemed such a strange, strange, STRANGE state of being. And NOW look what Eloise had managed just yesterday, convincing Sir Wilkes to take them with him to a family picnic sponsored by his business! Nanny sincerely but privately hoped he didn't regret the invitation by the end of the day!
The next day, trying to wake herself up and stop all her inappropriate thoughts, Nanny grumbled at Eloise who once more had left the door to their suite wide open. She shuffled over to close it, knowing Bill wouldn't be up with their breakfast for another ten minutes at least. To her horror, once again Sir Wilkes was walking jauntily past. Nanny dodged behind the door quickly, but he had seen her and was already raising his bowler.
"Good morning, Nanny,"
"'Morning, Sir Wilkes..." she mumbled, then slowly closed the door, still watching him avidly until he disappeared into the elevator. Turning back to Eloise, Nanny took the child to task about leaving the door open. "It's just not DONE, Eloise! People deserve their privacy, even those walking down the hallways!"
"But Nanny...!"
"You 'ave the biggest heart I know, love, but you 'ave to learn that you can't fix everything!"
"But we absolutely can't give UP, can we, Nanny? Can't you just TELL him you really, really, really like him?"
"No! No! No! It's not my place, Eloise. He's above my station! And 'sides, what makes you think I really, really, really like him? No, never mind. We won't talk about this again. Honestly, I don't know where your manners are! From now on, keep the door closed!"
"Oh, Nanny...."
"Eloise, I don't want to hear any more about it!"
"But Nanny...! Sir Wilkes..."
"Eloise? I want you to pinky promise, promise, promise that you won't meddle! Not ever, but 'specially not in this case."
The little girl slumped into her chair, her arms crossed defiantly and her lip stuck out. "I guess this is one of those times you've gotten testy."
"I suppose it is." Nanny didn't sound as if she was relenting in the slightest.
"I guess that means I deserve it," Eloise sighed.
Nanny eyed the child suspiciously. She did not sound repentant, which made Nanny wonder just what Eloise was up to NOW, for Lord's sake! She didn't have long to wait. "Well, at least I managed to get us invited to his picnic, Nanny, which is more than YOU did!"
"Eloise!"
"Well, I did!"
Fortunately, just at that moment, a knock came at the door, and Eloise shrieked, "Bill! It's Bill!" and rushed over to let in the young man.
The morning of the picnic dawned and Eloise was up and making sure Nanny was up in plenty of time. The child convinced Nanny to wear a yellow blouse with her navy skirt, saying that yellow was a spring colour - the colour of daffodils. Nanny took along a navy sweater as well, just in case it proved chilly at the park where the picnic was to held. Wilkes looked at her admiringly until Eloise danced around him, asking if he liked how SHE looked.
The three shared a taxi cab as they travelled to the park, Eloise in the front seat chattering non-stop to the driver while Nanny and Wilkes remained silent in the back seat. When the cab stopped at the curb and Eloise saw the crowd already gathered inside the gates, she could hardly contain her excitement. Wilkes was acknowledged at the gate immediately and Nanny and Eloise were welcomed enthusiastically at all. Then, before Nanny quite realized what was happening, Eloise had been whisked away to be introduced to other children her age.
Wilkes tucked Nanny's hand in his arm and led her over to a group laughing and talking in the shade of a large tree. One of the gentlemen detached himself from the others and came up to greet Wilkes. He stared with admiration at Nanny, then eyed Wilkes slyly, saying, "You old dog, you! I never realized you were married and had children and grandchildren! Why don't you have pictures in your office? You should at least have one of your lovely lady-wife here!" and he kissed Nanny's hand before she snatched it out of his grasp, her face red. "We SHOULD have had a dance for your retirement party so I could have had the honour of dancing with her! Perhaps some other time we might go dancing?"
Wilkes stammered a little, but the man smoothly talked over him. Taking Nanny's hand again before she could evade him, the man bowed low and said, "Cholmondeley Featherstonehaugh, at your service! My lady...?"
"Aoww, I'm not a lady, for Lord's sake!" Nanny said hastily, tugging her hand free again, smiling faintly as she remembered the scene in the elevator the previous week when Eloise had seen and tried to pronounce his name. "I'm just Nanny." Then her heart sped up. This was a LORD she was speaking with! How she had come up in the world, to be conversing with knights and lords!
"Fascinating," Lord Featherstonehaugh drawled. "Really JUST Nanny? Where did you find your woman, Wilkes? And when did your taste in women improve so wonderfully?"
"I, er..." Wilkes began, but Nanny frowned a little and opened her mouth to assure Lord Featherstonehaugh that she most certainly was [i]not[/i] Sir Wilkes' WOMAN, for Lord's sake.
She was interrupted, however, by an excited Eloise who dashed up to give Wilkes a big hug as a 'thank you for inviting us to this absolutely divine picnic, Sir Wilkes! I absolutely adore you... just like Nanny does!'. Before anyone else could say a word, she was off again like a whirlwind. Lord Featherstonehaugh looked taken aback, but Nanny smiled wryly.
"That was Eloise." she said softly, her eyes following the small figure darting away. "She's rawther excitable, but she has one of the biggest hearts I know. She's always trying to FIX things, even broken hearts! Eloise keeps me young, constantly telling me to say what I'm feeling," she added with a lovely smile.
Lord Featherstonehaugh looked smitten with Nanny, not Eloise. "Yes... Er, tell me, Nanny, has she even tried to fix YOUR, er, broken heart?"
Nanny chuckled. "She thinks it's broken, but she's a child... You can't believe everything she says, either. Not that she lies, for sure, sure, sure, but she has a big imagination!"
Wilkes added quickly, "Why, I understand from young Bill at the Plaza that she loves secrets and loves to reveal them to others. Certainly no one is ever bored when Eloise is around!"
"I can see that..." Lord Featherstonehaugh nodded.
"Well, after all, being bored is not allowed!" Nanny said airily. Somehow discussing Eloise had made her relax, and now she was prepared to enjoy herself for the day.
Some of the other people then came up, and introductions were made all around... and it seemed that they all thought Wilkes had married Nanny and never said a word to anyone. Nanny was about to correct them when Wilkes squeezed her hand tightly and whispered in her ear, "Please, let me... you know... pretend that you're family?"
Puzzled, Nanny smiled uncertainly, and didn't say much except to say again that she was 'just Nanny', not 'Lady Nanny'. One of the women tittered, saying, "You obviously haven't been married very long, my dear!" while another commented that Nanny looked like his SISTER, not his WIFE. The others laughed at the latter woman, saying that even THEY could see that the looks between the two were definitely not those of siblings.
Nanny, feeling distinctly like she was in the company of more people like Mrs. Daniels than she had ever cared to be, suddenly gained confidence when she realized Sir Wilkes was not listening to her but instead was speaking in a rapid undertone to Lord Featherstonehaugh. Her expression was calm as she looked directly at the women mocking her, and Nanny said evenly, "I am NOT his sister, and you are correct, I have NOT been married very long. This is a rawther new experience for me...my dear."
Before the startled women could respond to Nanny's comment, Lord Featherstonehaugh turned back to Nanny. "My dear 'just' Nanny, tell me, where DID Wilkes find you? Have you known each other very long? When were you two married? Might I say that I am VERY happy indeed that Wilkes here brought you to help us celebrate his retirement picnic?"
"I... I..." Nanny said. Although she was a little flattered and gratified by his interest, she had not even been aware that Sir Wilkes was planning to retire and the news was a bit of a shock! She certainly did not want to talk about HERSELF! "I hadn't thought...." Nanny's voice trailed off and she looked piteously at Wilkes.
Promptly he tucked her hand in the crook of his arm again. "Perhaps we should go see what Eloise is up to now. She IS a handful! Come, Nanny. Featherstonehaugh..." He nodded politely but dismissively.
Lord Featherstonehaugh fell back, looking disappointed, and Nanny had the feeling that he was not going to give up his attempt to find out more about her.
"Sir Wilkes?" she asked timidly, looking at the man who was frowning at the ground as he walked.
"Hmmm?" He looked at her and smiled kindly, his scowl instantly disappearing. "Yes, Nanny?"
"Don't you think you should have properly introduced me to your colleagues? My stars, stars, stars, I do believe Lord Featherstonehaugh truly thinks we are MARRIED!"
Wilkes nodded thoughtfully. "Actually, I am hoping he DOES think that. And, you know, I do believe I would like him to continue thinking that!" Nanny looked her confusion. Wilkes patted her hand. "I caught the look in his eye... he is very interested in you, Nanny... as a woman."
Still puzzled, Nanny then felt a twinge of hurt. Sir Wilkes didn't appear to be that interested in her himself, but he obviously didn't feel that she was worthy enough for his colleague, either, so hoped to hold the other man off by pretending that Nanny wasn't free! Vainly she tried to tell herself that she shouldn't mind so much... after all, she knew much better than to aspire to someone above her station, much, much, much! But if he felt her so unworthy, why did Sir Wilkes want people here at the picnic to think he had MARRIED her, for Lord's sake? It was all too, too, too much to think about!
Wilkes wasn't even aware of her hurt feelings. He was still absorbing the jealousy which had filled him when Cholmondeley had bent over Nanny's hand. Why hadn't he, Wilkes, thought of ever kissing her hand? He was most disgusted with himself! Then again, Nanny had never jumped away from him as she had from Cholmondeley. Satisfied, Wilkes held her hand more tightly. "And with regard to my retirement...."
"I... I had no idea you were planning to retire..." Nanny murmured.
"It's time," Wilkes shrugged. Truthfully, had he not owned the company, he probably would not have stayed with it so long. He was more than ready now to retire and relax.
Nanny longed to ask him what he planned to do after he retired, but suddenly she was terrified that he would say he was leaving the Plaza and returning to England. Instead, she changed the subject and tried to look as if she was enjoying the picnic as much as Eloise. It made it easier that right then Lord Featherstonehaugh was calling everyone into one place with a stentorian voice and organizing some games in which all were to participate.
For the next couple of hours, Nanny thought she would die laughing at the antics of everyone around her. People ran regular races and wheelbarrow races, raced with eggs balanced precariously on spoons, raced with their legs encased in potato sacks (Eloise and Wilkes participated in this one, and Eloise won!), adults and children alike sat on small tricycles and raced around an obstacle course, and finally the three-legged race was announced. Eloise asked Wilkes to be her partner at the same time as Lord Featherstonehaugh begged to be allowed to participate in this race with Nanny. She agreed when she saw Wilkes and Eloise already getting organized. Wilkes' face darkened when he saw Nanny's leg being tied to the leg of his business associate, both having an arm around the other's waist, but Eloise distracted him and the race started. Not far into the race, Wilkes looked over to see Nanny and Featherstonehaugh get all snarled up midway down the course and fall in a tangled heap, laughing. His jealousy almost overwhelmed him, and he put a spurt on with Eloise so that the two won the race handily.
Wilkes, however, still felt he had missed out on something with Nanny, so when everyone was told to make two lines, he made sure that he was standing behind Nanny. For the balloon brigade game, he had the joy of seeing Nanny bending over in front of him to receive the gelatin-filled balloon from between Eloise's legs, then the arch of her body as she reached both arms up over her head to pass the balloon back to him. Wilkes was almost dizzy with the delight of seeing her in such positions and almost dropped the balloon, but pulled himself together, glad to be able to bend over himself in an attempt to hide his immediate and very powerful arousal as he passed the balloon back through his legs. Before he even quite got himself under control, the next game had started where an orange was being passed down the lines under everyone's chin while they stood with their hands firmly anchored behind their backs. Nanny had squatted to try to get the orange from Eloise, and between them they had dropped it, making Nanny roar with laughter.
Finally, after Eloise had flopped full-length on the ground and picked it up under her chin before getting to her feet again, Nanny had the orange firmly tucked under her chin. She turned to Wilkes, still grinning, and he realized that he had a silly smile on his face, too. Nuzzling Nanny's neck with his chin, he surreptitiously managed to kiss her neck and chin and ear a few times before getting the orange firmly under his own chin, and by her trembling and suddenly rapid breathing, he knew that she was as affected as he was by their propinquity. Once he had passed the orange on safely, he turned back to Nanny, who hadn't moved.
Stepping closer and whispering so only Nanny could hear, Wilkes murmured, "I DO wish this was over and we were already home and, you know, alone, Nanny."
Nanny's face reddened instantly, but he saw the concurrence in her eyes before she turned to speak again to a bouncing Eloise. Wilkes looked away triumphantly, and encountered Featherstonehaugh's quizzical look. Feeling very pleased with himself, Wilkes merely nodded at his colleague and turned his attention back to Nanny and Eloise.
The rest of the day passed with tons of food being consumed, games such as croquet, limbo, quoits, lawn bowling and horseshoes being organized, as well as contests like watermelon eating and seed spitting. Before the evening meal, the crowd gathered for a short program to propose accolades and toasts to Wilkes and to present him with a gold watch. Eloise was outwardly thrilled to be in the front row of the audience in a place of honour, and Nanny was just as thrilled although she carefully hid that from everyone.
More food was brought out and the celebrations continued on into the evening. At dusk, everyone found a place on blankets which had been provided, and watched "absolutely divine, divine, divine" fireworks, as Eloise enthused. All in all, it had been a fabulous day for everyone... and Wilkes was convinced that his enjoyment of what he had first feared was all due to the fact that Nanny and Eloise had attended the picnic with him.
As he handed her into the back seat of the taxi cab after Eloise, Lord Featherstonehaugh reiterated his delight in meeting Nanny at Wilkes' retirement party and his hopes that he would see her again. Ignoring Wilkes' black look at his colleague, Nanny thanked the man sincerely. Disgruntled, Wilkes climbed into the back seat as well after saying his farewells, then as the cab pulled away from the park, he felt his discontent begin to seep away. An exhausted, dirty but throughly happy Eloise fell asleep with her head in Nanny's lap and Nanny spoke quietly with Wilkes as she brushed Eloise's forehead softly.
"Eloise and I had a lovely day today, Sir Wilkes. I must say, I was so pleased to have been asked to attend, and I do, do, DO thank you!"
"Tosh, tosh, tosh, think nothing of it, Nanny. It was MY pleasure! The fireworks were magnificent, weren't they?"
"Aoww, for sure, sure, sure..."
"Actually, I must say my favourite part was the orange pass...." Wilkes said, glancing at Nanny to view her response.
To his delight, she coloured faintly, but a smile curved her lips.
Encouraged by the soft smile and wanting to totally erase her memory of Featherstonehaugh, he continued. "I was wondering if, that is, well, if..." he hesitated.
"Yes, Sir Wilkes?" she asked inquiringly.
He looked down at the sleeping Eloise, then back at Nanny. She had forgotten until now what it was like to be in that defining moment right before a kiss, when everything disappeared except the need for human contact, the need to know that she was still desirable. Somehow she KNEW he wanted to kiss her... but he was hesitant to do so, perhaps because of Eloise. Nanny took a deep breath, then a determined light flashed in her eyes and she leaned over and kissed Wilkes on the lips. Once again, just like on Christmas Eve, he was so startled that it was over before he fully realized what was going on. She smiled at him, and he smiled back, hoping he didn't look like a lovesick schoolboy, crazy about a woman who wasn't crazy about him in return. He hoped he looked, well, you know... grateful, but not consumed with wanting her, needing her, never wanting to let her go. Even as he hoped it didn't show, he knew that he did indeed want Nanny close for the rest of his life. How had that happened? It was the very last thing he had ever expected to happen at this point in his life. There just HAD to be a way to make it work between them!
Without a word, he put a hand on the back of her neck and drew her head closer again, covering her lips this time in an insistent kiss that seemed to go on and on as they each tasted and changed angles and shifted closer, trying not to disturb Eloise enough to awaken her. Nanny was not prepared for the riptide of pleasure that surged through her, a heady wave of heat that raced through her veins like a hot tide as her bones turned to water and her skin prickled. She felt strangely giddy and weak, her insides jangling and alive in a way she had never felt before... or at least not in years and years.
At last Wilkes broke away from her with a soft groan, burying his face in her neck for a moment. "Nanny, my..." He bit off the rest of his words, and for a moment there was no sound but that of their ragged breathing.
Then the taxi was pulling up to the Plaza Hotel, and Eloise was stirring. Wilkes sat back abruptly, as did Nanny, but they continued to stare at each other. Wilkes' brown eyes were smouldering as he gazed at her, and Nanny's were wide, softly-glowing pools of dark blue. The tension between them was so thick it was almost tangible. The cab driver opened the door and Nanny felt as if she had been freed from a trance. She was still shaking slightly. She got out, helped by the cab driver, then took hold of Eloise's shoulders to guide the tired child into the hotel. Wilkes walked beside her, his hand resting very lightly on her elbow. When they stepped into the elevator, his hand slid over to the small of her back and remained there. Nanny's body temperature soared again, and she sneaked a few peeks at the lips that had given her such joy only moments before.
Then those same lips quirked into a faint smile and Wilkes murmured in her ear, "I DO hope you are looking at my face.... not, er, not lower... because were you to check out my lower body, you would see something most, ah, improper, shall we say?"
Nanny's face went bright red, and her eyes almost automatically dropped then widened at the sight of the tenting in his trousers. "Oh my LORD!" she breathed, thoroughly ashamed by the sudden longing to touch that washed over her, and resolutely turned to face the doors of the lift again.
"I DO apologize, Nanny" he whispered. "I have made a dreadful blunder drawing attention to my, er, circumstances in such a way. You are a lady, and I should not have...."
Nanny bit her lip, then her eyes met his again. "Naow, Sir Wilkes," she said almost inaudibly. "My stars, stars, stars, even if I were a lady, I could only be.... flattered... that I could... that you... that..." she floundered.
His hand at the small of her back slid up her side and he pulled her close enough so he could breathe in her ear, "I wish you were MY lady... you know, would BE my lady..."
She almost jerked away from him in surprise, but then the elevator was jolting to a stop and Eloise was whining that she was tired, tired, TIRED and needed to get into bed NOW! Wilkes realized that this was most definitely not the time to mention that he wished to court Nanny with a view to marriage. He tried to tamp down his aroused impatience, deciding that he would merely kiss her again tonight and leave all possible courting thoughts for at least another day or two. Nanny ushered Eloise into their suite, and the child promptly headed for her bedroom.
"I'll be in to say goodnight in a minute, pet," Nanny called after her.
Then she rawther nervously turned to Wilkes and what she was about to say died on her lips at the intense, hungry look on his face. Wilkes put his arms around her, drawing her near while they stared at each for a long moment, then he said, "I'd like to, you know, kiss you again... if I might?"
Without another word, Nanny leaned closer and pressed her lips to his, a quick, bittersweet moment he didn't want to ever end. When she made a move to pull away, he tightened his embrace and deepened the kiss, forgetting his private avowal to not frighten her away with his desires. She made a guttural sound in her throat, but he was not finished with her. His hands slid down her body to cradle her buttocks and hold her close to his body. Her arms slipped around his neck and her fingers were entwined tightly in his hair as she gave himself up to his ravishment.
Nanny wanted this sensual delight, beyond anything she could possibly have imagined, to last forever, and Wilkes intended to make the most of having her in his arms. He had a feeling it would be a while before she let herself be here again, especially when she heard his plans, however tentative they might be, for the future....
"NAA-AAA-AANNNN-YYY! I'm ready to say goodnight!"
O o O o O o To be continued....