Might he be sleeping?
Might he resent me interrupting his rest?
Esme pushed the thoughts away. She had come too far to turn back now. Her knuckles had scarcely made contact with the grooved wood of the door when it was flung open.
Adam stood in the doorway and gazed at her. He was still fully clothed in the black-and-gold tunic he’d worn for dinner, though his tousled hair looked as if he had dragged his hands through it many times.
“Esme,” he breathed. “I hardly dared hope it would be you.”
Standing on the threshold, Esme’s courage all but failed her. She swallowed hard and lifted her chin.
“I missed you, after dinner.”
“I missed you, too.” He gestured with his hands. “By the time I finished speaking with your father, you had already retired for the evening.”
“You and father clearly had much to discuss.” She tried to keep her voice trembling with a combination of nerves and impatience.
“We did.” A smile broke over Adam’s face, making him appear younger and more carefree.
Or is that my imagination?
He peered over her shoulder, looking all the way down the empty corridor. “Is it safe for us to talk here?”
“As safe as anywhere.” Esme grabbed her courage with both hands and stalked past Adam into his chamber. The sight of his familiar shirt, abandoned atop of the bed, made her pause, her flesh tingling with excitement.
This was Adam’s private chamber.
They were alone.
And Lord, how she wanted him.
But beyond all else, she wanted to know what had transpired in her father’s solar.
He stood with his back against the fastened door. Esme slowly swiveled to face him, trying to read from his expression whether the outcome was good or bad.
Adam’s green eyes glowed like a cat’s, but the rest of his face was in shadow. The candle in her hand quivered.
“Well?” she demanded.
“’Tis dark in here.” Adam took the candle from her, then used it to light the wall sconces. Slowly, the chamber came to life with a flickering glow. With painful slowness, he positioned Esme’s candle atop a blanket box, then he came to stand before her. “This is not how I imagined having this conversation.”
“Oh.” She was momentarily thrown, but his large hands smoothed her hair from her face, and she found herself melting into his touch. “How did you imagine it?”
“I imagined inviting you for a walk by the lake.” He chuckled softly. “I am quite taken with the place.”
She half closed her eyes, surrendering to the sonorous pleasure of his voice as well as the gentle pressure of his palms. “I thought it was the swans that had stolen your heart.”
“Aye, the swans are mighty fine creatures.” He skimmed his thumbs over her cheekbones. “But my heart already belongs to another.”
Esme’s breath caught in her throat. “And what would you have said, down by the lake?”
Adam gave a low chuckle. “In truth, I have spent less time imagining the words I would use and more time imagining what I might do after I said them.” He put his hands to her waist and pulled her closer, so she could feel the warmth emanating from him.
The air seemed to leave her lungs. “What might you have done?”
“I might have kissed you.” His lips hovered inches from hers. “Perchance I might have done more than just kiss you.”
Esme’s lips parted involuntarily. “I would have liked that.” She wanted him to kiss her now and wondered why he did not.
