But she waved him off. He’d switched to a foreign language for a reason and she wasn’t offended at all. Everyone deserved the right to a private conversation. Closing the door as quietly as she’d opened it, she glanced up and down the length of the hall. Maybe a walk in the garden beneath his room would give her a chance to clear her head and sort out her muddled thoughts.
Choosing the direction of the open reception hall and sitting room, she found the door—and a lot more people than she’d realized were in residence. A maid polished the tables and a guard stood just inside the door. Both nodded to her politelywhen she made eye contact and, when she hesitated, the man at the door gave her an inquiring look.
“I don’t suppose you can tell me where the garden is?” she asked.
“Are you planning to go outside, ma’am?”
It was an odd response.Why else would she be asking where the garden was?“Yes, Basti—er—His Highness is on the phone. I thought I would get some air.”They’d let her go outside, wouldn’t they?
“Of course, ma’am. If you’ll give me a moment?” He touched a finger to his ear. “Miss Blake is stepping outside to take some air. She requires an escort.”
She most certainly did not. “I’m perfectly capable of?—”
“Meredith.” Terry’s greeting threw her lifeline, and she spun around to find him approaching from another hallway.
“You’re still here.” Guilt-flavored-relief swamped her. She’d all but forgotten Terry and his possibly precarious position thanks to defending her during her mad reunion with Sebastian.
“Of course.” He gave her a questioning smile. “Gerard said you wanted to take a walk outside.”
“I do and I don’t really need an escort.” However, if they required her to have one, at least it was someone she knew.
“Well how about a friend, then?” He kept his tone light and gestured toward the sitting room. “The doors are right there.”
Nodding gratefully, she followed him to French doors that opened onto a wide, stone veranda. The entire house was surrounded by a wide expanse of green and fresh air touched with a hint of salt wrapped around her as soon as she stepped outside. Steps led down from the veranda toward the garden, a wild profusion of colors decorated the garden with roses being the most prominent. Someone took very good care of it and, while she knew next to nothing about gardening, she knew what she liked.
Not slowing, she kept going until she was completely out of the house and amidst the floral scents. Dragging the sweetness into her lungs, she paused and tilted her face up to the sun. She needed to calm the riot in her system.
When she’d broken up with Bastian, she believed it to be the right thing to do. But seeing him now—she couldn’t imagine never seeing him again. So how the hell did she reconcile needing him and wanting him with the position she’d have to occupy to be with him?
“Meredith, are you all right?” Terry was right behind her, close enough for the sound of his voice to make her jump. “I’m sorry.”
She was the one who should be sorry. Terry was her friend, and she kept forgetting he even existed. “I’m fine.” She let out a shaky breath. “I just have a lot to think about.” Being with Bastian made thinking impossible, but when it was the two of them—it always felt like it was just the two of them. All of his beautiful, powerful male force focused on her. He was a relentless addiction in her blood and, like any good addict, could she possibly make good choices when it came to him?
Terry touched her shoulder. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you where we were going.”
“It’s all right.” She’d already forgiven him the deception. At the end of the day, Bastian would have gotten his way with or without Terry’s assistance. “You did tell me to turn the job down.” Sebastian was his employer.
“Yeah, but I could have done more, especially if you didn’t want to be here.” He gave her a shoulder squeeze.
“Really, it’s?—”
“O’Connor, you can leave us now.” Sebastian’s voice cracked over the quiet and Terry’s hand fell away from her. She turned to find Sebastian’s dark brooding gaze locked on Terry until he backed up a pace.
“I’ll be nearby if you need me, Meredith.” Terry nodded to the edge of the garden, then inclined his head to Sebastian before walking away.
Once Terry was out of earshot, Meredith lifted her brows. “You were a little rude.”
“He oversteps alot.” Sebastian answered curtly and closed the distance between them. “Why did you leave?”
“You were talking to your brother. I really didn’t think you wanted to discuss family business in front of your mistress.” Two could be tart, and she was tired of dancing around the topic. He didn’t have the right to act all lord of the manor in one breath and become a coaxing lover in the next. The shifting behavior confused the hell out of her.
Sebastian’s harsh expression changed to one of shock. She didn’t think she’d ever seen him wear such a look before, but when he spoke, danger edged his words. “Mywhat?”
Chapter 7
Sebastian
Her words struck him like a physical blow and all the air whooshed out of him. His temper had never been a pretty thing—he’d always been more like mallet in comparison to Armand’s scalpel. Due to that, he’d long endeavored to contain his reactions—to leash them lest his tempestuous emotions land him in scandals, per his father’s advice.
