A Scottish Love

Chapter 7

(contains some sex themes)

Evander gazed at Miss Cora, who was deep in thought, bent over the beginning of a painting in Earl Leighton's rose garden. Brown hair piled neatly on her head shone with red and gold highlights in the mid-morning sun. Her rounded breasts peeked out of the very top of her painting smock, her honey colored eyes shining with intelligence, her hips swaying as she moved around her easel to position it in just the right place.

He felt the color rise in his cheeks and swallowed hard. She was so beautiful to him. As lovely as Miss Alice was, she was too thin and pale for his taste. Not to mention, they did not suit each other, and he felt as if they would kill each other if they were wed. Miss Cora, on the other hand, had a little meat on her bones, a sweet face, and a sharp wit he found irresistible. They fit together perfectly.

Why her parents had persisted in trying to force a match between him and Miss Alice was a mystery to him.

Evander moved closer to her, until he was two paces behind, and stopped. A sketch of the garden lay upon the paper, her small hand putting the finishing touches of the pencil on the paper.

"Lord Banner, how are you doing today?" Miss Cora asked quietly, without turning around.

Most lords would be offended at the lack of courtesy. Others would be shocked at the level of familiarity she used, to a man not a member of her family, even a fiance. Evander saw the greeting for what it was in truth.

She knew he was there. She knew he was watching her. Instead of becoming furious at him, she asked him lightly how he was doing. She was so unconventional. He loved it.

Heat shot through him at the thought. "You can call me Evander, if you like."

Cora turned from her easel, suddenly pulling his head down to hers, and laid her soft lips on his. His heart leapt for joy. She must have feelings for him, as he did for her. Deepening the kiss, he ran his tongue across her lips, diving in when she gasped. His mouth slanted against hers, his tongue meeting hers as she moaned against his mouth.

She pressed herself against him, her soft body driving him wild, her passion burning him with desire. His arms tightened around her, his hands moving on their own to grip her firm ass, and she arched into him with another moan. He was going to burn into a cider at this rate.

Pulling his mouth from hers with effort, he watched her little face color at her fowardness. It made him smile down at her in fondness. God, he loved her. "Marry me. Tonight."

"You want to...marry me...tonight?"

"Aye," he said firmly. "We'll go to Gretna Green, and marry as soon as we get there. Unless," he waggled his eyebrows again, "you want me to throughly ruin you right here in my friend's rose garden before we go."

Miss Cora smiled a beautiful smile at him. "You really love me?"

"Lass, I love you so much that I want you for my wife right now, I want to run my hands through your hair and make love to that beautiful body of yours. I want to be with you forever."

Miss Cora shyly bit her lip, swollen from his kisses, and he nearly took her right there. "When should I be ready?"

Evander smiled. "Meet me here, in the rose garden at midnight. I'll be waiting for you."

She nodded, slipping her arms around his neck and tugged him down to her lips again, giving him a sweet, innocent kiss. He shivered at the touch, longing slamming into him.

He hoped they made it to Gretna Green before he lost control and made love to her. Imagining her naked body quivering under his was making him lose his senses.