Edwina worries her lip as I face her. She arches a brow in a silent question.You really think you can do this?
I step in close and hold her gaze, my unspoken answer written in the wicked curve of my lips.My beautiful bespectacled hellion. I’ll make you pay for doubting me.
Out loud, I say, “Tell me, dearest, how would you like me to make love to you tonight?”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
EDWINA
My mind goes blank at the question. Why would he ask me such a thing? And in front of so many people?—
Oh right.
My book.
He’s reciting a line from my book.
Apparently, we’re not merely reading the excerpt like I did before. We’re…
Acting it out?
The thud of my racing heart reaches all the way down to my hands, making the book shake as I open it to the right chapter. I may have writtenThe Governess and the Rake, but I don’t have the whole thing memorized. William stares at me, frozen in character, as he waits for my reply. I take a few moments to gather my composure. Once I think I can face William without losing my senses, I pivot toward him.
I scoff. “Make love to you? Why would we go straight to lovemaking when we haven’t even kissed?”
William steps toward me, a wry grin curving his lips. “Allow me to amend that.”
As William reaches for my cheek, I pause, glancing at the book again. He freezes once more, holding patiently in place with his hand hovering in midair while I scan the scene. There are several lines of the heroine’s internal thoughts as well as descriptions of body language, but William is already embodying the rakish hero’s every move. The stage play must have kept its script quite close to its source material. If I do what William’s doing and act out the body language, I don’t need to read anything but the dialogue. Well, I have that memorized at least.
I place the book on one of the nearby shelves and fall back into the scene. William resumes motion, and his fingers brush my cheek. I knock his hand away and step back. “Don’t you dare touch me like that. Without affection. With that cold and loveless look. I know what you’re doing. You’re trying to scare me away. Trying to convince me your feelings are merely physical. That I’m nothing more than the dozens of women you’ve dallied with before.”
The book club ladies utter sounds of approval, which calms my nerves.
I’m no actress, and I know my performance is stilted, but I doubt anyone’s paying attention to me when they can simply watch William. I’m even stunned by him. By the way he reacts to my words with every part of him—expression, posture, motions. He truly is a brilliant actor.
He snatches his hand back and turns to the side. “You are nothing more than another dalliance, Dolly. If that isn’t enough for you, then you can leave.”
“Leave? Leave your room or…or the manor?”
He shakes his head, jaw set. “How can you perform your duties as my nephew’s governess when you’re constantly lusting after me?”
My mouth drops to show Dolly’s indignation. “Lusting after you? Is that all this has been? Lust?” I approach William and he turns his back to me. “I healed you, Alexander. I stitched your wounds after your duel with Lord Herringbone when everyone else would rather see you punished for your recklessness. And I…I healed your heart.”
“You know nothing of my heart.” William’s voice trembles in a perfect imitation of Alexander’s poorly hidden emotional state.
“If that’s really what you think, I’ll leave. I’ll leave the manor, my position as governess, and we can go our separate ways.” I force a quaver into my voice. “I’ve had enough of your moods. Of feeling your love only to have it torn away again and again. If you won’t accept my love now, you’ll never get a chance again. Goodbye, Alexander.”
I whirl on my heel and take a step away. I ensure my right hand is within reach, for William is supposed to grab me by the wrist?—
The front of his body collides with the back of mine and his arms wind around me. I’m so startled, I let out a squeak. Well, I suppose that’s a valid response from Dolly, but why is William holding me around the middle? Did the script change this part of my scene?
He clutches me against him, squeezing me tight as he buries his face in my neck. Another action I didn’t write. “Forgive me, Dolly. Don’t leave. You know me too well. You know the very core of my being.”
A shudder runs through me at the feel of William’s hot breath on my neck, the way his muffled voice reverberates through me. It takes me a few moments to recall what I’m supposed to say next.
“I won’t fall for your hot and cold demeanor anymore,” I say, voice breathless without any effort on my part. “Tell me how you feel once and for all.”
He releases my middle and takes me by the wrist instead, spinning me to face him. He steps toward me, forcing me back until I come up against the bookshelf. With my wrist still in his hand, he pins it over my head, against one of the shelves.
