Chapter 117 - Hundred And Seventeen
The sun was setting, painting the sky in deep shades of orange as the carriage rolled to a stop in front of Eric’s private residence. The long, emotionally draining day at the Carson estate was finally over. Delia, weary to her bones, was about to open the carriage door and retreat into the quiet of the house.
But before she could move, Eric’s hand gently closed around her wrist. She turned and saw that his face was full of a sad, quiet regret.
"Are you angry at me?" he asked, his voice low.
Delia looked at him, confused. "Why would I be? Did you do something wrong?"
"I’m sorry I got into a fight with Philip," he said, his gaze fixed on their joined hands. "I shouldn’t have lost my temper in front of everyone. In front of you."
Delia’s expression softened. She slowly and gently removed his hand from her wrist, but instead of pulling away, she cupped his face in her own hands, her touch surprisingly tender. "I am not the one you should be apologizing to," she said softly. "It is your grandmother you should be apologizing to. You two hurt her deeply today with your fighting."
Eric leaned closer into her touch, his eyes closing for a moment as he savored the feel of her skin against his. "I will go back there tomorrow," he said, his voice a low murmur. "I will go and offer her a proper apology."
Delia smiled, a genuine, warm expression. She patted his head, a gesture an owner might give to a well-behaved puppy. "That’s much better," she said.
Before she could comprehend what happened next, her world tilted. Eric had pulled her from her seat and onto his lap, so that she was straddling him. Her eyes widened in shock, her hands flying to his shoulders to steady herself. "Eric," she said, her voice a breathless whisper.
He didn’t answer. He reached up and began to gently remove the pins that were holding her elegant bun in place. One by one, he pulled them free, and her long, dark curls fell down, framing her face and tumbling over her shoulders. He took a few of the soft strands in his fingers and played with them, a look of pure adoration on his face.