Love at First Glance (5 page)

           
“I don’t know why I invited you here on a whim like I did last night.”
Johnathan
was making his way across the room to the chair where Lillian sat.

           
“I’m not sure either. Like I said, I don’t normally do this. You know, go home with strange men.”

           
Johnathan
gave her and understanding glance. “Believe me, Milady, I don’t pass judgment either way. I’ve been in my share of awkward situations.”

           
Somehow his confession made Lillian feel better about standing in the
parlor
of a man that she didn’t even know.

           
The attraction between the two of them filled the air. Lillian could barely contain herself and she wasn’t sure what she wanted to happen in that moment. All she knew was that she wanted something to happen between them in the small amount of time that they had together that afternoon.

Chapter 6

           
Lillian rose from her seat and began to tour the cottage. It was far from the opulence in which she was used to living. But something about the house spoke comfort.

           
“Where did you say that you were from?”

           
Johnathan
poured himself a glass of scotch. “I was actually born here in England, but my parents moved to America when I was just a baby. I lived all over. We
traveled
much of my childhood before my parents settled in Ohio.”

           
“Interesting. I’ll have to hear about your travels someday.”

           
Lillian ran her hands over the gold embellishment of the fireplace mantle. “This is beautiful. Such a quaint little place.”

           
Johnathan
sipped his drink, all the while keeping his eyes trained on Lillian.
           
“I know it’s definitely not the luxury that you are used to living in, but I like it all the same.”

           
Lillian turned to
Johnathan
. “Oh, I really didn’t mean anything by that comment. I’m sorry if I’ve offended you.”

           
“I’m not offended,”
Johnathan
said with a laugh. “I am pretty well off if you really must know. Besides, it takes a lot to get an invitation to your mother’s parties. By the way, how did your date go last night?”

           
Lillian didn’t know how she wanted to respond to his question. It put her in an awkward position. She nervously smoothed her hair.

           
“
Mr.
Aimsley
is a charming young man,” was all she could think to say.

           
Johnathan
put his glass down. “Is that all that you can think to say about him? Charming?”

           
He was approaching her and as he did, Lillian felt a sudden surge of passion. It was getting in the way of her ability to think, her ability to reason, and her ability to speak.

           
“Well. I don’t know what else to say about him,” she finally replied.

           
By the time she did,
Johnathan
was standing so close to her that she could smell the scotch on his tongue as his warm breath tickled her cheek.

           
“Did dancing with him make you feel like you did when you were with me?”

           
Lillian shook her head, trying to look away from
Johnathan
. She was scared that if she looked in his eyes, she would be ready and willing to do whatever he asked of her.

           
“I didn’t think so.”
Johnathan
tilted Lillian’s head up so that their eyes would meet.
           
“Lady Lillian, would you let me kiss you?”

           
Lillian nodded.

           
His lips were soft and thin. He tasted like scotch and peppermint. She had never been this close to a man before and she had certainly never kissed a man like the way that
Johnathan
was kissing her right now. She wasn’t sure what to do next.

           
She needed air, but didn’t know how to get it.
Johnathan’s
arms were wrapped around her and he was pulling her even closer to him.

           
“Are you mine for the next few hours?” he asked.

           
Lillian was breathless. She nodded.

           
“No, Lady Lily. I need to hear you say it on your own.”

           
Lillian couldn’t take it. She would pledge whatever he asked. “I am yours for the next few hours. Yes,
Johnathan
. Yes.”

           
She wasn’t sure what she’d gotten herself into, but Lillian was ready to take the journey with
Johnathan
wherever it led.

Chapter 7

           
Lillian could barely contain herself but she didn’t want to seem too forward. It was already enough that she was willing to hop into a stranger’s bed so quickly. She never knew that she had it in her.

           
Part of her wanted to pull back and the other part of her wanted to dive in head first and through caution to the wind.

           
For once, she wanted to completely break the rules and discover the happiness and euphoria that she’d been longing for.

           
She resolved to let
Johnathan
lead.

           
“I’ve never made love to anyone before.” Lillian wasn’t sure if she should have confessed that to him in the heat of passion.

           
“It’s okay. I can teach you if you let me.”

           
Lillian wanted that more than anything.

           
Johnathan
kissed her neck and trailed kisses up to her earlobe as he expertly unbuttoned her dress. Lillian had never been ashamed of her body before, but suddenly she felt a bit self-conscious.

As if
Johnathan
could read her mind, he commented, “You are beautiful. Let me see you.”

He stood back and admired Lillian as she disrobed. Her dress fell first, then her slip and undergarments. She stood there in all of her glory, naked as a babe as he looked on in awe.

Johnathan
walked over to her and gently moved her hands that she had crossed to cover her bosom.

She was suddenly shy and terrified to let
Johnathan
see her naked body.

“Come here, my love,” he beckoned to her.

Lillian walked over to him.
Johnathan
held his hand out for her. “You are an amazing woman. Why cover up your body like that?”

“I don’t know. It just didn’t feel right letting you look over me like this.”

“Lillian. A woman is made for a man to admire. Your shapely hips. Your beautiful red hair. Your rounded, full breasts. Lady Lillian, you are gorgeous. I was taken by you immediately when I saw you.”

As he spoke,
Johnathan
undressed as well. His words comforted Lillian and made her want to hear more. She suddenly felt empowered and free after hearing
Johnathan
speak.

She helped him pull the last of his garments off and they were standing there in the
parlor
admiring each other’s natural beauty.

Johnathan
picked Lillian up and carried her down the hall to a bedroom. He laid her on gold sheets made of silk.

“I know this may be a bit much to say so early, but I could quite possibly be falling in love with you, Lillian. Do you believe in love at first sight?”

Lillian lay there beneath her lover. She wanted to believe that he would be gentle and loving for her first time.

“I do. I do believe in love at first sight.”

Johnathan
smiled as he whispered in her ear each thing that he planned to do to her. Lillian was ready for it to happen. She wanted him to make love to her. She wanted to feel every inch of
Johnathan’s
body on hers.

When he entered her, Lillian was sure that the stars had descended from the heavens. His length fit inside of her perfectly. Lillian lay still at first, then her hips began to move with
Johnathan’s
.

His thrusting motions were sweet and gentle. Lillian could feel him inside of her, passions exchanging from one body to the other.

Lillian could do nothing but hold on to him tightly and call out his name. Pain gave way to bliss as he made love to her until his body shuddered and hers did as well.

“I’m almost positive that’s what love feels like,”
Johnathan
said trying to catch his breath. He pulled Lillian closer to him and lay there with her tucked safely under his arm.

“It’s very close to the way that I imagined it to be,” she replied. There was a rush of feelings taking over and she wasn’t sure exactly what she was supposed to do with it. She hadn’t counted on meeting a man that she would be carelessly throwing around the word Love with.

“Very good.”
Johnathan
kissed her on the forehead and gently moved a lock of hair out of her face.

Lillian giggled. “How often do you meet a woman and fall in love with her so quickly?”

Johnathan
shook his head. “Never.”

Lillian nodded and just lay there enraptured in the moment.

“Lady Lillian. I know this will sound strange, but I would like to keep this, this relationship that we have between us for now.”

Lillian sat up and looked
Johnathan
in the eye. “Any particular reason why?” she said, eyebrow raised.

“No one would believe that you and I met and fell in love so quickly. I would hate to interrupt your world and I’m not sure if your parents would be so ready to meet the man that has deflowered their daughter. I think it best that we get to know one another first. We already know that there is the potential for a great love here, I would just like for it to develop on its own.

“I believe that love shouldn’t be forced. It should be allowed to develop between two people naturally. Nothing forced. And I believe that it could happen between you and I.”

Johnathan
caressed Lillian’s face, planting small kisses on her cheeks and her jawbone.

He was almost too good to be true.

“I would love that,” came flying out of her mouth before she could contain herself.

“I wish you could lay here with me all day, but I know that you must get back home. When can I see you again?”

Lillian quickly tried to figure out how she could get away from the Manor to see
Johnathan
again.

“I can probably get away again on Friday to London. I’ve been telling my mother that I would like to go to the tailor for a few new dresses. Maybe you could meet me there?

“I would go anywhere to meet you, Lady Lillian. Just name the time and place.”

Wrapped in the covers, Lillian rolled over and wrote down the time and the place on a notepad that was sitting on the nightstand on her side of the bed.

“I really must get going. I will see you in two days.”

Johnathan
lay in the bed while he watched Lillian get dressed.

“I do hate to see you go, my love. How will I manage to contain myself for the next two days?”

She looked into his deep green eyes. “I should think that a man of your
caliber
can surely contain himself for a few more days.”

Lillian tried to be serious when she spoke, but they both burst out laughing.

“I love a woman that can be playful. I find it very attractive.”

Lillian could not stop blushing. “Two days seems like an eternity to not hear your voice.”

Johnathan
just sat back and admired her. “Would you like me to walk you back to the market, my love?”

Lillian was standing in the mirror attempting to fix her hair the way that it was when she arrived in the village.

“Actually no. I think it best if I come back alone. I have my maid waiting for me.”

Johnathan
shook his head. “I can’t believe how quickly all of this has happened between us. I just want to know that it’s real.”

Lillian nodded. It was real. At least as far as she was concerned. But she wanted to play it safe. She wasn’t sure how to explain what was happening between the two of them.

“Until Friday, my love,” she said as she blew him a kiss.

She didn’t want him to get out of the bed and kiss her lips. It would be the thing that would make her stay even longer. So she rushed out of the front door before he could touch her.

Lillian could barely make it down the street. Her legs were weak and her head was swimming. She wasn’t sure what she’d just gotten herself into.

           
But she was sure that she was falling in love with
Johnathan
Bailey.