Free Celine by Kathleen Bittner Roth

to young women? One takes quite the risk being alone with him.”
    Celine set her jaw. As if Trevor were a winged angel. Cornering a lady in the dead of night was more the devil’s work. His gaze ran the length of her. Blast it all, a fishing line cast her way could not have hooked her any better than his sultry regard.
    Something new and forbidden stirred in her. Damn her unruly emotions.
    She blinked, and swore she heard a soft chuckle. Lord, she only hoped she appeared a little more composed than she felt.
    A silly schoolgirl, that’s what she was. No, schoolgirls didn’t get their senses roused at the mere sight of a man. Damnation, he’d just been with another woman. If she were any closer, she could probably smell the other woman’s perfume. His musk. Her mouth went dry and an odd misery settled in the pit of her stomach.
    Trevor shifted his attention from Celine back to Cameron. “By the way, don’t you have anything better to do, Cousin, than sit around in a tree?”
    â€œSuch as?”
    â€œSuch as perform a bit of work?”
    â€œEgads. You know what they say, Trev, the meek shall inherit the work.”
    They both laughed easily.
    Celine sat quiet and aloof, feeling left out of the camaraderie the cousins shared as they playfully bantered back and forth. Still, she wasn’t able to shake the image of what Trevor had so recently been doing with Mrs. Beaudrée, her imagination lowering her previous fine spirits.
    â€œYou weren’t at the Beaudrées’ very long, Trev. What’s the matter, somebody beat you there?” Cameron taunted.
    â€œHer barrister came to call. Guess I’ll pay my . . . ah . . . respects later.”
    Celine’s heart gave a leap. She heard a rustle in the bushes to her left. “Shh. A rabbit.” The animal was gone as fast as she had seen it. She glanced toward the men to see if they, too, had caught a glimpse, but Trevor’s cheek rested on his knee and his head was bent in her direction. He studied her as if he held secret thoughts. A corner of his mouth curled upward.
    He was thinking of last night, she just knew he was. Well, she would ignore him and his silent messages. After spending most of the night in contemplation, she had decided not to acknowledge what had occurred . She was determined to keep some measure of control. Nonetheless, a light-headedness crept in as she regarded those dark, almost midnight-black eyes.
    Trevor leaned back. Arms crossed behind his head as a pillow, he stretched his long sinewy legs out in front of him, and crossed them at the ankles. His magnificent body lay before her like a banquet . He certainly was well made. Longing, dark as sin, threatened to break through her years of repressed emotions.
    He smiled—a knowing smile.
    Enough of being toyed with! Lord, but she wanted to bolt. Climb on her horse and ride away from both of them. No, from him. She rose and brushed at her skirts. “I need to be on my way, Cameron. I am to meet with Justin to finalize my trip to San Francisco,” she lied.
    True, she intended to meet with him regarding her plans to leave Carlton Oaks, but it would be his first knowledge that her plans were imminent.
    Cameron stood, but Trevor was already on his feet and beside her horse. “I’ll help you mount.”
    There was little she could do to refuse without being rude, but when she placed her booted foot in his cupped hands and touched his shoulder, her pulse tripped.
    She nearly laughed out loud when she spied Cameron on his horse and ready to ride. Once beside her gelding, Cameron nudged Trevor out of the way. “Sorry, old chap,” he jested.
    Trevor only grunted and made for his own horse. The three of them headed back down the narrow ribbon of road to the plantation house, with Trevor forced to ride slightly behind Celine and Cameron.

    Justin handed a pink camellia to Celine and continued to stroll silently along the garden