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Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Two

Phillip probably should not have done that. He did not have regrets over kissing her in public, but he probably should have given her some warning. Fyre lived up to her name. When she raged, she raged.

And he fully expected to get the brunt of her wrath.

Fyre touched her lips with shaky fingertips, blinked almost as if having to nudge herself out of the shock of his action, and lifted her gaze to his once more. He hated that her hand still shook as she lowered it to her side.

Everything in him demanded that he gather her close and not let her walk away. To make her stay and face the portal to chaotic hell he had pushed them into. But he only held firm, refusing to release her gaze.

“What have you done?”

Her question was so low he nearly missed it.

“Claimed my woman.”

When she stepped back from him it took every bit of his resolve not to pursue her and draw her back close to his chest.

Where she fucking belongs. With me. By me. Touching me.

The voice in his head was so loud with its assuredness, he nearly winced from the force of the thoughts. No matter how true they were.

“Your woman.”

Fyre didn’t make it a question. To him, it sounded as if she were mulling it over, not sure she agreed.

People were gathering. He didn’t give a fuck about them. His concern was Fyre. And he didn’t take his eyes off her.

Comments were flying back and forth, people who he had heard speak highly of her, whispering about him having kissed a dark-skinned woman on the street. In the middle of town. Phillip growled low in his chest. Apparently their support of her only went so far.

She heard him, her eyes widening a tiny bit more. And he decided fuck it. Moving into her he curved his fingers around her upper arms, bringing her back that small amount that she’d retreated from him.

“You do not know what you have done.”

“Wrong,” he countered. “I know exactly what I did, Fyre. Every second since I saw that fucker touching you, I’ve known what I was doing. I can tell you how many steps that I took to cross from where I was to here. How if you had not cried out, I would not have stopped hitting that excuse for a man. And, how fucking much I want to kiss you again.”

“I will be an outcast.”

“No.” His words were firm and unyielding. “You will be my countess.”

Her eyes flew up to his, wide and uncertain. “You should not say things like that, my lord.”

Beneath the reprimand, he could hear the longing.

“You are exactly right, I should not say them. I should ask you first.”

“Not what I meant.”

“You know me, Fyre. I am an earl who lives by his own rules no matter the consequences.” In his peripheral vision, he noticed her brother watching from the fringes as well. “Tell me, will you be my countess?”

She tried to look away but he captured her chin and held her still, locking onto her eyes once again.

“We are in the middle of town.”

“I know, and once you answer me, we will be heading to the doctor to get your wrist looked at.”

“I brought him over, thought he could be of some use here.”

They both looked to see Mr. Tennemin walking over the dirt street with the town’s doctor keeping stride with him.

“Thank you,” Phillip said, gratitude filling him.

He looked back to the woman whose soft skin still rested between his fingers. “Fyre?”

She bit her lower lip and he tsked, before using his thumb to roll it from her white teeth.

“Yes.”

Her response was soft but sure. His heart nearly burst from his chest. Moving his hand from her chin, he slid it back to cup her nape, pushing his fingers into her hair before he kissed her again. This time he lingered over the kiss, nibbling along her lower lip and swiping his tongue along the seam.

When she opened beneath his perusal, he groaned as he pushed in to tangle with her tongue. Struggling to remain decent in public, he ended the kiss and rested his head against hers, breathing just as hard as she was.

“We need to let the doctor look at your wrist.”

He remained at her side while the doctor escorted her off of the street. Scanning the faces there, he held the ones who showed signs of disgust or anger with a glare, but smiled, slightly, at the ones who looked genuinely happy for them. Probably more for Fyre than him, but people tended to like her more between the two of them.

As the doctor wrapped her left wrist, Phillip stood there, spinning his signet ring as he watched this other man touch her. Yes, it was in a purely professional manner, but it didn’t make him like it any more.

Skimming the crowd, he spied James and beckoned him forward. The boy came and looked up at him.

“Can you do something for me? Head to Mr. Larson’s shop and get me a silver chain. Tell him to put it on my account.”

“Yes, my lord.” He turned and dashed off, bare feet sending up plumes of dust as he ran.

The moment the man finished tending to Fyre, Phillip stepped in closer, tucking her against his larger body. Tremors pulsed through her and it ate at him to think she was worried about how bad things were going to be.

“Thank you, Doc.”

“Of course, my lord. Honored to be able to help.”

They shook hands, then he put his attention back on the woman he would love and protect for the rest of their lives.

He nudged her chin up so their eyes could meet. “Head up, baby.”

Despite the uncertainty he saw swimming in her eyes, she listened to him. Pride filled him.

“I do not think you know what you are doing, my lord.”

A true smile kicked up one half of his mouth. “I know exactly what I am doing, Fyre. I told you that. Exactly.”

“You are going to regret this one day, when you decide you truly want to marry.”

There was a definite challenge in her tone. The part of him that loved bantering with this woman and seeing the sassy side that would argue right back with him, the side he usually only got to see when they were alone, perked up.

Dipping his head closer to hers, he dragged his gaze over her smooth face and barely resisted the temptation to kiss her one more time.

“Why is that?” Phillip touched the pad of his thumb to the corner of her lush mouth.

“I will not let you go.”

Six words that were drenched in possessiveness and determination.

“I plan on holding you to that for the rest of our lives, baby.” He gave in to his need and tasted her lips once more. A short kiss that left him, and her, breathless.

“My lord.” James came back over, clutching a wrapped package.

“Thank you, James.” He took the small box and flipped the boy another coin. Arm still around Fyre, he repositioned the box between them. “Take the lid off.”

She did, and he grunted with satisfaction at the chain that lay there. It would be strong enough for what he needed. Brushing his lips over the top of her head, he shifted and reached into the box, withdrawing the chain.

“What are you doing, my lord?”

“Giving you my ring.” He pulled off his silver signet ring with its gray stone and slid it on the chain as he stepped around to her back. Reaching around her, he placed the heavy ring at her neck and moved the chain to her nape so he could hook it. “Feel okay?”

She didn’t speak while she lifted the ring in her hand and looked at it. He found himself holding his breath. Then she tipped her head back and his heart caught in his throat. Phillip was fully captivated by her brown eyes sparkling in the sun.

“I am never giving this back,” she murmured, nibbling on her lower lip.

“Not even when I give you a wedding ring you can wear on your finger?”

A soft smile filled her face. “Nope, not even then. This is mine.”

Leaning close, he kissed her again, not giving a damn about the people around them.

He spoke low, keeping the words between them. “Like I am, Fyre. Only yours. Always yours.”

* * * *

Her life had changed in so many ways since Phillip had made his public claim on her earlier in the week. Actually, she was close to having survived a full week after his announcement. Fyre still lived in the small cottage she rented and still worked for the few people she did. Phillip was not on board with that, he wanted her in his house and protected.

She wasn’t ready to give everything up.

“Fyre?”

She blinked and looked over to find that very man lounging in the doorway to his office. Her heart skipped a few beats as she watched him.

“My lord.” She began to rise from her seat but he waved her back as he strolled into the room, kicking the door closed behind him without slowing.

“I do not get any time with you, Fyre. I am not a fan of this arrangement.” His gray eyes remained pinned to her as he crossed the floor to where she sat in his chair.

Her heart kicked in her chest and she curved her fingers around the arms of his seat.

“We have the same amount of time as we had, my lord.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Are you laughing at me?”

She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing aloud at the mock affront in his tone. Summoning her most serious tone, she shook her head and replied, “Of course not, my lord. That would be ill-mannered of me to do so.”

Phillip bracketed her, one hand on the back of her chair and the other on his desk, and lowered his face to hers.

“Seems like you are.”

She shook her head again, then popped close to kiss him and sat back. “Never, my lord.”

“Not good enough,” he rumbled, bringing her close once more and pressing their lips together.

She had to agree. Kissing this man was incredible. He flicked his tongue along her lips and she opened beneath him, welcoming him in. Wetness slicked her as she shifted on the seat, needing more. Unable to get enough.

Growling low in her throat when he pulled away, she found his gaze on her, lit with happiness.

“We have to talk.”

The somber tone to his words churned her gut.

He tapped the end of her nose. “Nothing about us, baby. The other thing.”

“Let me put the books away.”

She did and he just sat on the desk and watched her. The amount of hunger in his gaze threw her, but he didn’t make a move other than to stand when she walked toward him. Unease filled her.

Fyre wasn’t confident in her ability to keep a man like Phillip satisfied. He had far more experience than she did, and even though his ring hung around her neck, losing him was still a viable fear for her.

For her to see him move away when he used to pull her close didn’t ease any of her fears.

“I have a carriage ready, thought we would take a ride since it is so nice outside.”

“If you wish.”

He clenched his jaw and nodded. “I wish.”

Outside, Phillip helped her into the seat of the open carriage then popped up beside her. With a snap of the reins they were off. No footmen, no maids, just him and her.

Fyre tipped her face up to the sun and smiled as the warmth beat down upon her skin. She loved it here.

“What are you thinking about?”

She didn’t open her eyes, just continued with her head back, embracing the heat. “How much I love this place.”

“Would you ever consider moving?”

That got her to look at him. He moved his gaze from the road to her and back again.

“Moving where?”

“Nowhere specific, just would you consider ever leaving the island?”

“I have not given it any thought, but I suppose so. Going to other places is intriguing to me. I think I would like to experience snow. I heard about that once and to be able to look around at a land covered in pristine white”—she shrugged and gave him a small smile—“that would be an experience I think I would like.”

“Snow is cold.”

She nodded. “I heard that too.” Angling toward him more, she fixed her gaze on his profile. “Do you like the snow?”

“No.”

His answer was so fast, she blinked.

“Why not?”

“Cold. The damn cold that never goes away. No matter how many fires you have burning or the heated bricks in the bed at night, there is just always a bone-chilling cold that never leaves me.” He cracked his neck. “Lucien’s wife, Ciara, grew up with snow. She lived in the mountains and during winter she had a lot of it. Ask her if it is fun.”

“Surely there are fun parts to snow?”

“Stuffing it down Lucien’s back and hitting him in the face with a snowball, yes.”

She laughed and loved the smile he sent her.

“You two must have caused a lot of trouble for your mothers.”

“Our governesses, yes. Our mothers had nothing to do with raising us.”

She flattened her lips. “And is that how you see your children being raised?”

His hands tightened on the reins and she thought perhaps that wasn’t a proper question for her to ask. Phillip stopped them and set the brake before looking at her. And it wasn’t just him turning his head, he faced her on the seat, expression serious.

“Are you needing to tell me something, Fyre?”

His thumbs stroked her skin as his warm hands made her feel safe and protected.

“About what?”

Phillip didn’t speak for a moment, just gazed at her like he was searching for something. Something she didn’t have, and Fyre was not sure she liked that.

“If you are looking to make fun of me, my lord, just take me home.”

“Baby, I am not making fun of you.” He curved his hand around to cup the nape of her neck. “I just forget how honest you are and that you do not play games.”

She didn’t know how to respond to that, so she just sat there quietly. Waiting for him to make it clearer what this thing was she had missed.

He moved his fingers along her skin and she trembled from his touch, wanting more of it. Everywhere. But she didn’t move, just waited.

“Are you carrying my baby, Fyre?”

She heard his question. The words made sense and yet, they did not. “Why would you ask me that? We are not married.”

“Baby, you asked me about how I thought about something in regards to children being raised. We have not been safe during sex. I have not been pulling out of you.”

It clicked, all of it, and she flushed.

“No, my lord. I am not carrying your child.”

“Not yet.” His eyes burned with a fire that should have worried her. Instead all it did was make her wish she was carrying his child already.

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