“What is that?” Seraphina asked curiously.
“Me.” Lord Thorne winked with a grin as he answered. He paused for long enough to squeeze Elizabeth’s shoulder reassuringly before finishing the last of his wine. “I shall go and save him from her clutches, but I do believe this will mean that you technically owe me one.”
Perhaps another time, Seraphina would have attempted to argue with him … but the desire to be near Tristan again was too much. “I accept those terms.”
Lord Thorne saluted the pair of women dramatically before turning off to Tristan’s side. He certainly did not appear happy to be discussing anything with the woman holding him captive. He did, however, appear to breathe a sigh of relief the moment Lord Thorne made contact with a hand on his shoulder. Tristan then practically shoved his friend at the old woman.
As the melodies of the waltz filled the air, the dance floor came alive with swirling gowns and twirling couples. Seraphina’s heart quickened as the music seemed to match the rhythm of her pulse, and she felt a mixture of excitement and trepidation. The tension in the room was palpable, an undercurrent of hidden desires and unspoken emotions.
Amidst the lively scene, Tristan’s gaze locked onto Seraphina’s, and their eyes met across the crowded ballroom. His lips curved into a knowing smile, a silent invitation that sent a rush of warmth through her veins. At that moment, all worries and doubts seemed to dissipate, leaving only the undeniable pull between them.
He made a gesture towards the side door on the far end of the ballroom — her heart was beating in her ears as she nodded that she understood. Surreptitiously, Tristan excused himself from his aunt and Lord Thorne and moved with practiced ease through the throng of guests. She watched him weave through the guests as her own feet started to carry her after him.
She felt as if she were not being nearly discreet enough for how quickly she left the room.
It did not matter once the sounds of the ballroom started to fade into the distance behind her, and it mattered even less as Tristan grabbed her from around the first corner of a hallway she walked past. Seraphina’s startled yelp instantly silenced by his lips on hers, a searing kiss that was far too short for her liking.
“I have missed you.” With a small nod and a conspiratorial grin, Tristan led her away from the main ballroom, their fingers brushing against each other’s as they navigated the estate corridors. Soon, they found themselves in the expansive library, a haven of solitude amidst the bustling festivities.
The moment the door closed behind them, the air seemed to shift, charged with different energy. The room’s silence enveloped them, and their eyes locked in a silent acknowledgment of the unspoken desires that had been simmering beneath the surface.
Without a word, Tristan closed the distance between them, his hands finding their place on her waist, his touch sending shivers down her spine. Seraphina’s breath caught in her throat as she met his intense gaze, the weight of his emotions mirrored in his eyes. Their lips met in a kiss that was at once familiar and electrifying, a culmination of the tension that had been building between them.
The kiss was passionate and consuming; their bodies pressed close as if the world outside the library ceased to exist. Time seemed to stand still as they explored the depths of their desires, each touch and caress igniting a fire that burned hotter with every passing second.
In that stolen moment, surrounded by the scent of old books, Seraphina and Tristan surrendered to the emotions simmering beneath the surface. The boundaries of their world blurred, and for that fleeting instant, they were free to indulge in the passion that had ignited between them. He held her close, his touch searing at every point of contact as his tongue delved into her mouth, learning her - possessing her in every way she was willing to give him.
Tristan walked them back until her shoulders met the nearest bookcase, his body trapping her against the surface and surrounding her with the indulgent smell of old books. His hands moved up her ribs until his hands could encompass her breasts, massaging them as he kissed down her neck. His knee slipped between her legs, providing more of the delicious friction that she was coming to adore so strongly. Her body arched up into his, seeking more contact as his name left her lips in soft prayer.
“Tristan, please,” she breathed, not even fully aware of just what she was asking him, as if he could somehow read her mind. Desire fogged her mind, lust making her incapable of thinking clearly as he lifted her leg to hook around his hips. Seraphina reached above her head, holding onto one of the sturdy shelves of books, allowing herself to be lifted up into his arms more easily. Her skirts lifted, bunching around her thighs, and it did not even occur to her that she should be ashamed of the wanton behaviour she exhibited — she wanted him.
She had certainly read enough to know the gist of what could happen next - and what more fitting a location to have things happen than in a library? Their shared love of books had been a binding agent that brought them together, and there was no telling if or when they would be allowed alone together again.
Seraphina was certain about him, and she just needed him to understand.
“Tristan …” Her voice was strained, breathy as a deep pink burned her cheeks. Tristan pulled back, his lust-filled gaze locked on her eyes in silent understanding of her desires. She could see the moment of realization settle over him as his eyes widened fractionally as he understood.
“Oh, dear Sera …” he whispered.
Her heart dropped. It felt like the sting of rejection, and he had hardly even said a word.
“No! No, it is not that …” Tristan quickly amended, seeing the look on her face. “When that moment happens, which I want more than nearly anything, it should be under the right circumstances … when I make you mine, dear Sera, it will be somewhere that I can ravish you thoroughly, where I can claim every part of you until we are both satiated … certainly not rushed here in someone else’s library where we could be interrupted at any moment … no matter how badly I desire you.”
His hands gripped her more tightly as he spoke for emphasis. His eyes lifted to hers, something deeper swimming underneath in the depths that she could not fully process. Something that threatened to pull her under.
She was of a mind to let it.
Chapter 25
The turning of a door handle had never been quite so loud.
It was a small jingle of polished metal, but it could have rivalled a gong for how loudly it resonated in her head. Panic surged through Seraphina’s veins, and her eyes widened as she realized they were no longer alone. In a flurry of movement, Tristan swiftly ducked behind the heavy draperies, his presence disappearing from view just as the door swung open.
Lillian’s entrance was accompanied by a gust of air, and her discerning eyes swept over the room, searching for the source of any commotion and landing on the sight of her daughter, clearly flustered and floundering for an excuse. A knowing smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she caught sight of Seraphina, who was standing amidst the disarray, her flushed cheeks and slightly tousled hair betraying her momentary lapse of composure. The urge to simply run came to mind, but she knew it would be of no use to even try. She had been spotted.
“Mother!” Seraphina answered in a voice just a touch too high to be casual. She likely looked a right state, but attempting to correct herself would only damn herself further, and she knew it. Instead, she stood ramrod straight and blinked awkwardly at her mother, who looked around the room as if searching for something.
The last time they had been interrupted, there had been a great many more places for Tristan to hide. The likelihood of being caught was so much higher in this small, confined space.
