As Holly was strolling through the small garden, she didn't know that she was being followed. She was humming a tune when she heard a noise. She jumped " Who's there?" No one answered, did she really expect anyone to answer? She started to take a few steps when she heard a giggle coming towards her.
"There you are, I have been looking all over for you." Lindsay smiled at her friend.
Holly smiled as she jumped at Lindsay sudden appearance," You scared me."
Lindsay laughed" I didn't mean to scare you, but you should have seen your face."
" I bet it was the funniest one yet, so what shall we do now?"
Lindsay grabbed her hand and they ran across the lawn and headed for the maze. Before they went in the entrance, William stepped out of the shadows, " Lindsay, where are you going?"
" Oh Brother it is such a nice night for a game of racing through the maze, don't you think?"
William chuckled" you know that I always win, and besides we need more players for this game."
Lindsay smiled" I shall go and round up everyone for a wonderful game, Holly will stay here and wait for me to come back."
Holly blushed at the thought of staying with William as Lindsay went to go and get the others. " Are you sure you won't need any help gathering everyone here?"
Lindsay was already running away, Holly watched as she was left with the one man who could bring her to her knees. She was attracted to William, always had been since she first laid eyes on him. He had so much power over her and he didn't even have a clue, she needed to keep herself busy. So that he couldn't take advantage of her, at school they warned them of men.
William watched as Lindsay was nervously pacing next to the wall of the maze. She was so beautiful with the moon light shining in her hair. It made her glow like a star in the heavens above, no one could hold a candle for his Holly. Whoa, wait a minute here, she is not his Holly and never will be. He had to find a wife that was duchess material, not someone who stirred his fancy.
Holly tilted her head to the side to watch a firefly dance through the sky. She wanted to run after it and catch it, but with William here she didn't dare. Her mother was counting on her to be on her best behavior. She just couldn't help it she was happier being herself, not some up tight lady trying to catch a husband. She wanted love, not to be used for her dowry and an heir. She doubted that William was after that, but she knew that he didn't want someone like her.
William couldn't help the urge to speak to her" It's such a lovely evening don't you agree?"
Holly blushed as his voice broke the silence" yes I do think it's such a lovely evening, I love to look at the stars in the sky."
He was shocked at how proper she was, he thought she wouldn't answer and keep on ignoring him like most of them do. " I have to agree, there is the archer right up there."
She looked in the direction he was pointing to " yes and over there is the north star."
He was amazed at how she knew what the north star was, most girls didn't even know what a star was let alone the north one. " I see that you know one, must be a lucky guess."
Holly smiled" my father and brothers taught me the different stars, Oops! please I beg of you to not repeat this to my mother."
William laughed as her eyes grew wide when she knew that her mother had asked her not to do anything unlady like. " I promise Ms. Campton, your secret is safe with me."
Holly sat down on the stone bench and William followed her and sat next to her. She was on one end and he the other. Their hands were just inches away from each other, William felt a strong need to hold her small hand in his. He wanted to find out if her skin was a soft as it looked. He could feel the heat coming off of her arms, as he scooted closer. Her perfume was intoxicating, she smelled like roses and something else he couldn't put his finger on. Before he realized what he was doing he had her hand in his.
Those eyes that haunt him every minute of the day looked at him with anticipation, like she wanted him to touch her. He took his finger and gently moved his finger in circles on top of her hand. She shivered with want, she knew that this was heaven and it was only his hand. She wanted to feel his lips on her skin.
William felt the fire start in the pit of his abdomin, she was like a wildfire coursing through his veins. What just a touch of her hand on his could do was dangerous. He felt the need to kiss her hand, he raised it to his lips to place a kiss on her knuckles.
" We are back, and not everyone wanted to play."
His sister's voice brought him out of the trance he was in. He dropped her hand like it burnt him, he stood up and walked over to the crowd that was gathering at the entrance. Holly was blushing profusely, he almost kissed her hand. She was acting like a wanton, not like a lady. Thank goodness no one saw what was going on, or she would have been so embarrassed.
Lindsay smiled to herself, she knew what she just walked up on. Her brother was about to kiss Holly's hand, if she would have known she would have waited a few more minutes.Now she knew that they both were attracted to each other, she was going to get them alone more often. Then he wouldn't be able to resist Holly.
William waited for everyone to partner up, Holly stood by herself. Lindsay was partnered up with one of the other guests. He didn't want to take a chance of something happening to an innocent like Holly. So he made sure he was partnered up with someone else, he watched as Gabe walked over to where Holly was standing waiting for a partner.
" Ms. Campton, I see everyone is partnered up and you are left by yourself."
" Yes it does seem so does it not?"
" If you would like to join Jessica and I, we would be happy to have the extra help of navigating this maze."
" I wouldn't want to ruin all of your fun, I am fine by being my own team."
" Come now Ms. Campton, we don't want to see one of our guests left out because she didn't have a partner."
Holly got a gleam in her eye" I assure you sir that I am quite capable of beating everyone to the middle, with out the help of a partner."
William saw that gleam in her eye, well she has some guts about her. He smiled at his partner as they readied themselves to be the first person through the maze. Holly was determined to beat everyone to the center. No one has ever beat any of the Grosmonts, they had played in this very maze as kids. They knew it like the back of their hands, except they had been out of the country for some years. But it should still be easy, he had the confidence to know that he couldn't fail at this game.
As the signal went off, everyone started to run for the entrance. Everyone but Holly, She watched as everyone was scrambling in different ways. She walked in the entrance and started to work her way to the middle. She came upon several dead ends, but then she turned around and went a different way. She came upon husband and wives teams who took advantage of the dark corners. She giggled as she looked the other way. She came upon the center of the maze with a huge fountain in the middle. She sat down on one of the stone benches to wait for someone to appear. After an hour she started to get a little sleepy and laid her head down to take a nap.
William lost his partner in the maze somewhere, everyone was everywhere but in the center. The couples were in the dark corners doing what he wished that he could be doing. The single people were chasing each other through the maze. He laughed and headed for the center, maybe his partner would show up. He could at least be out of all the mess of people running back and forth. As he approached the center he saw a sleeping form on a stone bench. He wasn't the only one who decided to get out of everyone's way.
Holly stretched as she sat up after her nap, she had been waiting for a long time for the others to find the center of the maze. She stood up and started to walk around the fountain and dipped her fingers in the cool water. She looked around at the garden that was manicured perfectly. She didn't see the other person that had joined her in the center. That was until he walked up to her from behind.
Holly jumped as she felt someone walk up and run a finger across her shoulders. The sparks of electricity that ran down her spine made her weak at the knees. She felt his warm breath against her skin, she knew who it was William. She sucked in her breath as he placed feather light kisses against the exposed skin of her neck. She felt a wetness form between her legs, she felt a desire that she had never felt before form in the pit of her stomach.
With each kiss it felt like a fire was racing through her veins, she craved more. William couldn't help himself, he needed to touch her. Just touching her sent sparks through his fingers and lips. He could feel the fire build with each kiss he placed on her delicate neck. He craved more than was allowed, how was he going to walk away now. She was coursing through his veins, she made him crave her in ways she had no idea about.
He came face to face with her and lifted her chin so that her face was looking up into his. " I want to taste those lips." With that he lowered his lips to hers and gently kissed her upturned mouth. She tasted of sweet summer berries, her lips were stiff at first. They loosened up as he moved his over hers. She started to kiss him back and he was surprised at her eagerness to kiss him back. He pulled her against him as he deepened the kiss. It was like they were the only two in existence, no one was any wiser of the show in the middle of the maze.
As he released her, he set her back down on her feet. She kept her eyes closed, he realized what he had just done. He turned around and walked away before she opened them. The disappointment she felt when she finally opened her eyes was devastating. She knew it had to be a dream. She didn't want to wake up from that wonderful dream, but she did. He left her there after he kissed her with such passion. He was a rake, and he took advantage of her innocence. Well she learned her lesson when it came to William Grosmont. Even though he made her heart flip flop in her chest, she didn't need to be used like that. She was not a trollop, but she was just acting like one, wasn't she?