“Then you would be more dangerous than the phaeton,” he pointed out.“Don’t be hypocritical.”
“The phaeton is my spirit animal,” she said.“And my least favorite constellation.Now tell me how to drive it.”
He grinned.“First, relax.Horses can sense the driver’s state.”
“Then we’re dead,” she moaned.“Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to hand the reins to someone who can’t drive?”
“Many people,” he said with a straight face.“This is my first time bending a rule.It’s a risk for both of us.Please don’t crash or I’ll never do it again.”
“Beast.”She lifted her chin.
He curved his hands over hers and adjusted her grip.“Hold the reins this way.If you want the horses to turn left, move like this…”
The slow-moving horses listed in an easterly direction.
“And if you want them to turn right, move the reins like this…”
The horses began to plod and in a westerly direction.
“And if you want them to race hell-for-leather—”
“No!”she squeaked.
“Good.”He sat back.“These aren’t racing horses.They would do their best and then sputter out in a trice.”
He taught her how to pull the reins to practice stopping and starting, then helped her guide the horses half a mile down the road before turning around by the evergreens.
He paused the horses, then rubbed his thumb against her cheek.
“How are you feeling?”he asked softly.“Was it too much?I wanted to give you a small adventure, but I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
She stared back at him wordlessly.
Every nightfall, she tilted her face to the sky and wished upon her Duke.Gloria was done waiting for the stars.Life was too short.Last time, Christopher had kissed her.This time, she was going to kiss him.
She placed her hands on either side of his face and pressed her lips to his.This was dangerous.This was reckless.She was perched high in a phaeton, her mouth locked on a gentleman who would be gone within a week.Her hands trembled.She held on tighter.
His mouth was firm and familiar, his kisses hot and deep.As though he, too, had dreamed of nothing but tasting her once again.Of their bodies cleaving so tightly together that nothing could tear them apart.
This was not playing it safe.This was teetering at high speed.Leaping head-first into deep water.Perhaps the only thing that waited on the other side was more heartbreak.
She wasn’t certain she was brave enough to find out.
Chapter 10
Madge opened the front door for Christopher as he was still striding up the walk.
He grinned at her, then turned to hang his hat upon its usual spot on the rack.
“I presume you’ve come to check on the pudding,” Madge said as she closed the door behind him.“You know where to find the kitchen.”
Christopher was halfway there before he realized the maid was right.Checking on the pudding’s progress had become a daily ritual.As though this cottage was starting to feel like home.
Frowning, he dipped his nose to the fragrant cloth and went in search of Gloria.
She had not been in the kitchen or the front parlor.Nor was she in the observatory.He hesitated before tapping on any strange doors.He didn’t wish to burst in on her in her unmentionables.
To be sure, he mightwishto spend some quality time in her bedchamber, but he would never presume to—
