The heat in the room seemed stifling after spending most of the afternoon in the cold. Moran paced back and forth like a caged tiger. I clutched at my gloves, unable to look at him. He was furious, and with good reason, I suppose.
“Would you like a sherry?” Ash moved to the cabinet to pour the sherry. His coat and neck cloth were gone, his waistcoat hanging open. I hadn’t exactly seen him completely unclothed, but I had seen parts I’d dreamed about seeing. The heat rushing up my neck added to my awareness of the absurdity of the situation.
“Yes, that would be lovely.” I kept my gaze locked on the floor. If I had listened to Moran in the first place, I would be home with my sisters instead of losing my job because I couldn’t tear myself away from the manuscript.
“Mrs. Worth,” Moran said, his harsh tone startling me. I snapped my head up to meet his glittering gaze. “Sit.”
With a nod, I perched on the edge of a wing-backed chair, my gaze darting across the room. Heavy curtains framed the window where the cat sat, its reflection showing in the glass. The music still played, adding to the room’s coziness. Thebookshelves overflowed, and if I hadn’t been about to lose everything, I might be eager to peruse the titles. “I would like to start out by saying I am sorry to have interrupted your evening. Time slipped by, and I, well... I am sorry.”
Ash brought over the glass and pressed it into my hand. He offered me a quizzical smile, studying my face for an uncomfortable moment. He didn’t seem concerned that I had seen him and Moran together.
“You...” Moran trailed off, starting to pace once more, his hands on his hips. His shirt collar was open, exposing his chest to my view. I tried not to stare, but it was hard not to admire his muscled body. “I am very upset with you, Mrs. Worth. I told you to go home, and you didn’t listen.”
A tear fell before I realized I was crying. “I was reading a manuscript, and I lost track of time.”
“Don’t cry,” Ash whispered, wiping the tear with his thumb before scowling at Moran. “It was an honest mistake. Stop glowering at her Moran, it isn’t helping.”
Moran deflated the slightest bit and threaded his fingers through his disheveled hair, reminding me of what I had seen. “I am sorry.”
“I understand you are upset with me.” I glanced from one man to the other. If I was to be fired, I might as well be open and speak my truth. “I am not offended if that is what you are worried about. I, well, I rather suspected there was more between you than friendship, and after I readKneeling at the Altar of Adonis—”
“—You read Lilian’s manuscript? That was in my safe. My locked safe?” The rage returned, Moran’s face turning a dangerous shade of red.
He had a safe. That would explain why I never saw the forbidden manuscripts. One mystery had been answered. “In my defense, it wasn’t locked away. It was sitting by the typewriter,and I, well, I went to get some paper and saw it.” The lie came easily, which added to my shame, but he didn’t need to know the entire truth. It wasn’t relevant.
“That isn’t helping matters.” He continued to tug at his hair.
Ash took my gloved hand between his warm ones and knelt in front of me. Up close, I could see the golden lashes around his arresting blue eyes. His pupils were a velvety black, and I wanted to lean in and stare deep into their depths. “What did you think about the relationship between Golden, Dark Knight, and Lady X?” he asked.
Angling my neck, I composed my response. I was a virgin, pretending to be a widow. Modesty told me to say that I was appalled. I wasn’t, nor would I ignore my growing lustful feelings. “The story was engaging, and the characters believable. Frankly, I couldn’t stop reading it.”
“So you weren’t offended?” Ash asked. Tension rested between us. Moran stopped pacing, the silence deafening despite the music in the background.
Honesty had done me well thus far. “No. I think it is very titillating, if not complicated.” I kept my gaze locked on his understanding face when I wanted to look at Moran to gauge his mood. He had the power to ruin my life.
“Yes, it is both.” Ash slipped my gloves off my hand, his touch gentle. “You are wet from the snow.”
I hadn’t realized my skirt was wet until he brought it to my attention. My feet felt like ice, but my body was overly warm. “I thought to walk home but got no further than a few steps.”
“It is a good thing you didn’t.” Moran huffed out a long breath and took the seat across from me. Outrage faded from his countenance. He clasped his hands together with his elbows on his knees, looking resigned. “I wouldn’t wish your death on my hands.”
“No, I echo that,” Ash said. “However, we need to discuss what you saw. If anyone finds out that we were physically involved, we could be jailed, or worse.” Ash continued to kneel before me, the heat of his body filtering through my clothing. His calmness in the face of tension was reassuring.
“I understand that, and I can assure you that the secret is safe with me.” I meant it sincerely because I had secrets I didn’t wish to share. Even without the lies I’d told, I tried not to judge others. “But I do have questions.”
“Of course you do.” A smile tilted the side of Moran’s mouth. With his hair and clothing in disarray, he looked much younger and, if possible, more desirable.
“The two of you were engaged. I thought, well, is that why the two of you aren’t married?” While I was innocent, it didn’t take a genius to figure that out.
The two men shared a look before Ash shook his head. “That’s not necessarily true. There are men like Moran and me who enjoy intimacies with both sexes. It’s more about who that person is than whether it’s a man or a woman.”
“Like Lady X.”
“Like Lady X.” Ash’s gaze drifted to my mouth, and my nipples pushed against my shirtwaist, the sensation shooting straight into my core. “You are a widow and free to follow your desires.”
“Ash...” Moran said in warning.
“No, please let him finish.” No matter how foolish the proposition was, boldness had taken hold of me. I had resigned myself to being a spinster, but wanted to experience passion’s kiss. If I could do so with these two handsome and appealing men, why not? I had nothing to lose. Well, my virginity, for one, but they didn’t know that.
