“As it happens, I do,” she said airily. “There is naught you can do that displeases me, Adam.”
He could have gazed into her eyes forever. “Naught?” He raised a teasing eyebrow.
“Nay indeed. When I am with you, I feel happy and safe.”
His stomach contracted with a swell of emotion. “That is exactly how I want you to feel.” His words came out gruffly, because she had taken him by surprise.
But they were words that he needed to say.
They must proceed only with absolute truth and openness. Although many more honest expressions of emotion would see him blubbing like a boy.
“This is a grand state of affairs.” Determined to make his mood more playful, he put his hands about her waist and spun her around, her blue skirts flying.
“It bodes well for the future, does it not?” She sighed happily, resting her head beneath his collar bone, so that it was the most natural thing in the world for him to cradle it with his hands.
Her hair was slippery, soft and pungent with the scent of rosewater. Once again, he was reminded that he had neither washed nor changed his clothes since yesterday.
And it would be hard to do either with Crispin locked in his chamber.
A beat of silence fell, and Adam realized, belatedly, that Esme was looking at him expectantly.
“Why will you not join me in talking about the future?”
He should have guessed that she would pick up on his reticence. Esme was too quick-minded and alert to his moods for him to hide anything from her.
Instead of prevaricating, he traced his thumb along her cheekbone and looked deep into her blue eyes.
“Because I am the son of a farmer, and you are the daughter of an earl. Because you are in the springtime of your life, and I am well past midsummer.”
She frowned. “We have already talked on this, at great length as I recall.”
How he hated being the one to ignite such sadness in her expression. But the connection between them ran too deep to countenance falsehoods.
“We talked about why I should kiss you without hesitation.” He rocked her slowly, shuffling until they were away from the glare of sunlight coming through the shutters. “We talked aboutwhy we should not be ashamed of this bond that has sprung up between us. All of that I own, even in the bright light of day.”
“What then?” Esme was gazing at him with such heartfelt emotion he could have begged her to look away.
“We did not talk of a future between us. I am not sure I dare to dream of such a thing.”
Esme’s expression changed. Adam was braced for her anger, but when she spoke, her voice was gentle.
“That is where you are going wrong. You should always dare to dream, Adam.”
A smile stretched across his face as her words resonated inside him. Once upon a time, he realized, he had dared to do just that. “Mayhap you are right.”
“I often am.” She nodded in a most businesslike fashion. “But now you must leave me.”
He blinked at this sudden change. “How so?”
“We have much to do, this morn. First, I must wash and changeout of yesterday’s clothes.” Her cheeks pinked, prettily. “As much as I dare to dream of a future for us, that does not include me struggling out of my underthings in your presence. Not yet anyway.”
He could not help a low chuckle at her boldness. A chuckle that helped to dispel his sharp twist of desire at the picture she painted for him.
“Well, that is a future I look forward to,” he said huskily, leaning down for a parting kiss.
“Away with you.” She flapped her hands. “If you see Jennifer, pray ask her for a fresh bowl of water. Mine went all on the rushes.”
He had all but forgotten the smoke and his sharp fear that the fire would take hold whilst he wrestled with Crispin.
