“Robert?”
He grinned and kissed her nose. “The very one. I cannot tell you how glad I am that your cottage is only one story tall.”
“Robert, what are you doing here?”
“Falling madly in love?”
“Robert!” She tried to keep herself from laughing, but his good spirits were infectious. “Really, my lord. What are you doing here?”
He swept his body into a gallant bow. “I've come to court you, Miss Lyndon.”
“In the middle of the night?”
“I cannot think of a better time.”
“Robert, what if you had gone to the wrong room? My reputation would be in tatters.”
He leaned against the windowsill. “You mentioned honeysuckle. I sniffed about until I found your room.” He sniffed in demonstration. “My olfactory senses are quite refined.”
“You're incorrigible.”
He nodded. “That, or perhaps merely in love.”
“Robert, you cannot love me.” But even as she said the words, Victoria heard her heart begging him to contradict her.
“Can't I?” He reached through the window and took her hand. “Come with me, Torie.”
“N-no one calls me Torie,” she said, trying to change the subject.
“I'd like to,” he whispered. He moved his hand to her chin and drew her toward him. “I'm going to kiss you now.”
Victoria nodded tremulously, unable to deny herself the pleasure she'd been dreaming about all evening.
His lips brushed hers in a feather-light caress. Victoria shivered against the tingles that shot down her spine.
“Are you cold?” he whispered, his words a kiss against her lips.
Silently, she shook her head.
He drew back and cradled her face in his hands. “You're so beautiful.” He pinched a lock of her hair between his fingers and examined its silkiness. Then he moved his lips back to hers, brushing against them back and forth, allowing her to accustom herself to his nearness before he moved in closer. He could feel her trembling, but she made no move to pull away, and he knew that she was as excited by the encounter as he was.
Robert moved his hand to the back of her head, sinking his fingers into her thick hair as he darted out his tongue to trace the outline of her lips. She tasted like mint and lemons, and it was all he could do not to pull her through the window and make love to her right there on the soft grass. Never in his twenty-four years had he felt this particular brand of need. It was desire, yes, but with a stunningly powerful rush of tenderness.
Reluctantly he drew away, aware that he wanted far more than he could ask her for that evening. “Come with me,” he whispered.
Her hand flew to her lips.
He took her hand again and pulled her toward the open window.
“Robert, it's the middle of the night.”
“The best time to be alone.”
“But I'm—I'm in my nightdress!” She looked down at herself as if only then realizing how indecently attired she was. She grabbed her blankets and tried to wrap them around her body.
Robert did his best not to laugh. “Put on your cloak,” he gently ordered. “And hurry. We've much to see this evening.”
Victoria wavered for but a second. Going with him was the height of nonsense, but she knew that if she closed her window now she would wonder for the rest of her life what might have happened this full-mooned night.
She rushed off her bed and pulled a long dark cloak from her closet. It was far too heavy for the warm weather, but she couldn't very well traipse around the countryside in her nightdress. She buttoned the cloak, climbed back onto her bed, and with Robert's help crawled through the window.
The night air was crisp and laden with the scent of honeysuckle, but Victoria only had time to take in one deep breath before Robert yanked on her hand and took off at a run. Victoria laughed silently as they raced across the lawn and into the forest. Never had she felt so alive and free. She wanted to shout her glee to the treetops, but was mindful of her father's open bedroom window.
In a few minutes they emerged into a small clearing. Robert stopped short, causing Victoria to stumble into him. He held her firmly, the length of his body indecently pressed against hers.
“Torie,” he murmured. “Oh, Torie.”
And he kissed her again, kissed her as if she were the last woman left on the earth, the only woman ever born.
Eventually she pulled away, her dark blue eyes flustered. “This is all so very fast. I'm not sure I understand it.”
“I don't understand it, either,” Robert said with a happy sigh. “But I don't want to question it.” He sat down on the ground, pulling her along with him. Then he lay down on his back.