Chapter 14
"Did I forget to mention how much I have missed you," Gilles whispered as Lysette lay her head on his chest.
"You did, but I forgive you as always," she said as her fingertips glided over his damp skin.
He chuckled," Did you expect me to get you into bed so quickly?"
She couldn't surpress a smile. "I had my hopes, but I wasn't certain."
"What do you mean?"
"How do I know that you haven't become infatuated with someone else since I left the city?"
He smiled broadly, relishing her jealousy. "Well how do I know that you haven't taken a fancy to Erik and lured him into this very bed?"
"Don't be ridiculous," she hissed. "Besides he's a strange man."
"That he is," Gilles murmured. "Speaking of Erik, he and Meg should be returning." He sat up throwing back the sheet to search for his trousers.
Lysette fell back against the pillows, watching her lover scramble for his clothes. "It's almost sunset, you know. Not exactly the best time for traveling on country roads."
He grinned slipping on his wrinkled dress shirt. "Is that your clever way of trying to convince me to stay the night?"
Slowly she slinked across the bed like a cat until she reached him. Taking hold of the waist band of his trousers she pulled him close, her lips inches away from his. "You can stay if you like."
"If I like," he chuckled thrusting his fingers through her dark hair. "You little vixen..."
The sound of a slamming door downstairs pushed them apart as they quickly pulled on their clothes. Gilles left the bedroom first, smoothing back his sandy hair trying to affect his usual gentlemanly posture as he walked down the stairs. It was there he found Erik stalking through the front vestibule. He looked agitated with his hands clasped tightly behind his back.
"I was touring the rest of the house," Gilles blurted nervously. "I think that I will send a few of my men here to help you and Lysette with the rest of the renovations."
Erik stopped and gave Gilles a brisk nod. "Good...thank you."
"Where is Meg," Gilles asked. "You didn't lose her out there in that jungle, did you?"
The front door flew opened as Meg rushed inside. "Erik..." All of her pre planned insults petered out when she saw Gilles standing beside Erik.
"Ah there you are ma petite," Gilles said.
"I'm sorry we took so long," she apologized quickly. "But, I'm ready to go now."
"Actually, I was about to ask Erik if we might extend our visit through the night," Gilles looked over at Erik.
Erik unclasped his hands staring nervously at the floor. "Yes...of course."
"You are both very welcome," Lysette called out from the top of the stairs.
Meg noticed the look that passed between Gilles and Lysette. The thought of having to remain in the humiliating situation simply to accomodate their affair made her rush to protest. "I'm sure that we can make it back to the city before sunset."
"But sunset is less than an hour away," Lysette countered quickly. "It will take you at least two hours to return to the city."
Meg's dislike of Lysette deepened in that moment as they stared eachother down. Lysette cast a quick, but pleading look at Gilles.
He looked into the dark, beckoning eyes of his mistress and then at the hardened face of his niece."Meg, I think it would be best if we stay the night," he said.
She opened her mouth to protest, but the look of resolve on Gilles' face stopped her. "Well if I'm going to be forced to stay then I will need you to draw a bath for me and turn down my bed."
Lysette threw Meg a mocking smile. "Of course mademoiselle. I would be glad to take care of you." She stood aside and waited for Meg to take the stairs.
"Good night," Meg murmured sweeping past Gilles towards the stairs.
"Sleep well ma petite."
As she mounted the stairs she heard Erik's voice rise up behind her.
"Good night Meg."
She stopped on the stair and gazed down at Erik. His eyes were filled with unspoken apologies. Immediately she felt ashamed of all of the harsh words she had wanted to wound him with only moments before.
"Good night," she whispered.
Meg lay awake listening to the night sounds outside her windowwhile Erik paced the floors of his bedroom. Only Gilles and Lysette were together downstairs, drinking Cognac and playing cards. Erik waited by his door until the house went dark and the laughter downstairs ceased. It was then that he grabbed his cloak and made his way downstairs for his nightly walk. As he walked down the hall he passed Meg's door. He stopped staring hard at the heavy oak door as if he could see what was behind it. Memories of her in sleep latched onto his thoughts.
The silky blonde locks spilling across the pillow, the small rosebud lips parted by her soft breath...
The urge to push the door open, to pull her out of sleep and into his desire tore him up inside. He couldn't allow himself to be swept up in the dark, not again. He didn't want to feel that rush of passion and need only to be pushed away in the end.
Slowly he backed away from the door and headed down the stairs.
Meg loved the warm scent of the exotic flowers that overran the flower beds. After hours of trying to sleep she left her bed to walk off the nervous energy that coursed through her. She didn't stop to dress and walked the gardens in Lysette's oversized nightgown. The memory of that moment in the gardens was still very much alive in her mind.
He was so close that she could feel his warm breath on her face and see the need in his eyes...
But, when he left her standing alone it took every shred of her will not to run after him and beg him to stay. The humilation gave way to anger and she rode it all the way back to the house and through the front door. She had every intention of hurting him and telling him that he had lost his chance. If he wanted to be pathetic and mourn a woman who had never loved him then he deserved to be in agony. But, when she heard his voice and looked into his eyes she knew that she could never hurt him that way.
The sound of footsteps startled her. She turned around to find Erik standing on the walkway behind her.
He inclined his head to her. "I didn't think anyone else would be awake."
Meg folded her arms across her chest. "I was just on my way back into the house."
He held up his hand, "Meg, I'm sorry for what happened."
"No need to apologize," she whispered. "You had your reasons I'm sure."
"You mean Christine," he asked.
She emitted a curt laugh, "Who else?"
"Christine is part of the reason, yes. But, not in the way you think."
She took a seat on a weathered stone bench."Then correct my assumptions."
He moved closer to where she sat and leaned against the garden wall. "When Christine left, I was determined never to let myself feel that way again. I hurt so many people and became someone I never wanted to be because of it."
"Erik, we talked about this before," she sighed. "I told you that I forgave you! What else do you need for me to say?"
"Don't you see? I don't want to hurt you! I don't ever want to ever lose control that way again. If I did you would leave me too. I can't face that again!"
She rose from the bench and grabbed hold of his arm with all the strength in her slender fingers. "Listen to me, I'm not Christine! I know eveything about you Erik and I'm still here! I'm not here out of pity, I'm here because I want to be..." She reached up, cupping his face in her hands tracing the smooth white leather of his mask. Looking into his eyes, she guided his face closer to hers until her lips were a mere breath away.
"I want to be here with you," she whispered pressing her forehead to his.
He closed his eyes in surrender brushing his lips over hers. The achingly gentle kiss grew deeper until they were one, their bodies pressed tightly together. Erik pulled away for a moment looking down into her face. With a gentle hand, he brushed his fingertips across her cheek. "Beautiful...so beautiful."
She grasped his hand slowly guiding it to the open collar of her nightgown. "Please...," she whispered staring boldly into his eyes.
His hand rested against the warm, satin skin for a moment. He was falling quickly into surrender as she guided his hand deeper into the the soft white linen. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply and quickly.
"Wait," he groaned.
"What is it," she whispered.
He took hold of her hand and pulled her into his arms wrapping them both up inside the velvet shelter of his cape. Laying his cheek on her silky hair he fought to catch his breath. "Please understand me Meg...I want to..."
She closed her eyes in frustration whispering, "I know...I know you do."
"I don't want there to be any feelings of regret between us," he said pressing his lips against the smooth skin of her forehead.
She nodded her head, swallowing her need as she rested against the strong column of his body. "I understand."
With gentle hands he turned her around to face him. She looked away, trying to keep him from seeing her frustration. But, he captured her face in his hands forcing her to look him in the eye.
"It will happen," he whispered."I promise you."