Read Online Her Christmas Pleasure by Karen Erickson - Free Book Online
Authors: Karen Erickson
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repair. All because of a woman he loved like no other.
That realization alone made his heart thud to a frightening dead stop. He rubbed his hand against his chest absently, nodding in agreement with whatever the earl just murmured to him. The countess left them and made her way across the room toward Celia.
“I say, Morton, are you unwell? You don’t look so good.” The earl shook his head, making a low tsking noise.
“Er, I’m a bit tired, my lord.” He’d made love to Celia throughout the night. And when she’d slept like the dead he’d lain there watching her, unable to sleep. Too desperate to savor the final moments of sharing his bed with her.
Damnation, he didn’t know what to do. To be with her one more time would only be a sick sort of torture. A reminder that soon it would be over and he would leave.
Never to see Celia again.
“She’s a vision this evening.” Urswick’s comment startled Damien from his thoughts.
“Your wife? She is, indeed, lovely tonight.” The countess was clad in a festive green gown, and her smile could light up the room.
“No, not the countess, son, though I appreciate the compliment.” Urswick chuckled, shaking his head. “I’m speaking of Celia. There’s a special glow about her this evening.”
Indeed there was always a special glow about Celia, but Damien had to concede that the earl was right. She was even more beautiful than usual, wearing a crimson velvet gown that clung to her curves lovingly, the vibrant color complemented her creamy complexion to perfection. A whimsical circle of ivy sat atop her head, around a pile of intricate curls. Her cheeks were rosy, as was the skin on her chest, and her tinkling laugh made his heart tumble over itself.
She was quite simply breathtaking.
“Don’t you agree?” Urswick prompted.
“Undoubtedly.” Damien bobbed his head like a fool.
Urswick cast him a strange look. “You two seem to be getting on quite well as of late.”
Had the earl noticed the lusty glances he sent Celia’s way when he believed no one else was looking? The last thing he wanted was to offend his host, a man he looked up to and considered a father figure. A man he never wanted to disappoint. “We have always been…friends.”
“And nothing more?” Urswick’s brows rose.
“Absolutely not, my lord.” Damien stiffened his shoulders. What did the earl suspect?
“Does she not interest you?”
He didn’t know how to answer. Words clogged his throat, and he couldn’t speak.
“My wife believes Celia has taken a fancy to you,” the earl continued. “The countess is unsure how she feels in regards to that fact. Her loyalty to Lawrence is expected.”
“Sir, I could never—” Damien started, but Urswick cut him off with a look.
“Do you protest because she was married to my son? It’s not necessary, you know…depriving yourself of a woman you may care for because you’re afraid of offending me.”
“Lawrence was my best friend.” Damien’s heart was heavy. “Even if—if I were interested in Celia, I wouldn’t want to overstep that boundary.”
“He is gone. He’s been gone for a long time. And I hate seeing young people deny themselves those they want.” The earl gave him a pointed look. “I have a suspicion that despite your denials, you might hold a bit of interest where my daughter-in-law is concerned.”
Damien remained silent, absorbing the Earl of Urswick’s words. He’d tried his hardest to be discreet but perhaps he had been too obvious in his feelings for Celia.
“If you care for our Celia, I suggest you inform her of that immediately. Before you leave the country and her indefinitely.”
“But Theo…” Damien cleared his throat and continued. “Theo deserves and needs a father who can guide him properly. A titled gentleman who understands the intricacies of the nobility. A subject I have no knowledge of whatsoever since I am a mere servant’s son. And your servant, I might add. If only for a
That realization alone made his heart thud to a frightening dead stop. He rubbed his hand against his chest absently, nodding in agreement with whatever the earl just murmured to him. The countess left them and made her way across the room toward Celia.
“I say, Morton, are you unwell? You don’t look so good.” The earl shook his head, making a low tsking noise.
“Er, I’m a bit tired, my lord.” He’d made love to Celia throughout the night. And when she’d slept like the dead he’d lain there watching her, unable to sleep. Too desperate to savor the final moments of sharing his bed with her.
Damnation, he didn’t know what to do. To be with her one more time would only be a sick sort of torture. A reminder that soon it would be over and he would leave.
Never to see Celia again.
“She’s a vision this evening.” Urswick’s comment startled Damien from his thoughts.
“Your wife? She is, indeed, lovely tonight.” The countess was clad in a festive green gown, and her smile could light up the room.
“No, not the countess, son, though I appreciate the compliment.” Urswick chuckled, shaking his head. “I’m speaking of Celia. There’s a special glow about her this evening.”
Indeed there was always a special glow about Celia, but Damien had to concede that the earl was right. She was even more beautiful than usual, wearing a crimson velvet gown that clung to her curves lovingly, the vibrant color complemented her creamy complexion to perfection. A whimsical circle of ivy sat atop her head, around a pile of intricate curls. Her cheeks were rosy, as was the skin on her chest, and her tinkling laugh made his heart tumble over itself.
She was quite simply breathtaking.
“Don’t you agree?” Urswick prompted.
“Undoubtedly.” Damien bobbed his head like a fool.
Urswick cast him a strange look. “You two seem to be getting on quite well as of late.”
Had the earl noticed the lusty glances he sent Celia’s way when he believed no one else was looking? The last thing he wanted was to offend his host, a man he looked up to and considered a father figure. A man he never wanted to disappoint. “We have always been…friends.”
“And nothing more?” Urswick’s brows rose.
“Absolutely not, my lord.” Damien stiffened his shoulders. What did the earl suspect?
“Does she not interest you?”
He didn’t know how to answer. Words clogged his throat, and he couldn’t speak.
“My wife believes Celia has taken a fancy to you,” the earl continued. “The countess is unsure how she feels in regards to that fact. Her loyalty to Lawrence is expected.”
“Sir, I could never—” Damien started, but Urswick cut him off with a look.
“Do you protest because she was married to my son? It’s not necessary, you know…depriving yourself of a woman you may care for because you’re afraid of offending me.”
“Lawrence was my best friend.” Damien’s heart was heavy. “Even if—if I were interested in Celia, I wouldn’t want to overstep that boundary.”
“He is gone. He’s been gone for a long time. And I hate seeing young people deny themselves those they want.” The earl gave him a pointed look. “I have a suspicion that despite your denials, you might hold a bit of interest where my daughter-in-law is concerned.”
Damien remained silent, absorbing the Earl of Urswick’s words. He’d tried his hardest to be discreet but perhaps he had been too obvious in his feelings for Celia.
“If you care for our Celia, I suggest you inform her of that immediately. Before you leave the country and her indefinitely.”
“But Theo…” Damien cleared his throat and continued. “Theo deserves and needs a father who can guide him properly. A titled gentleman who understands the intricacies of the nobility. A subject I have no knowledge of whatsoever since I am a mere servant’s son. And your servant, I might add. If only for a
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