“Good morning.” Collette swallowed hard as Ingles pulled the large double doors closed behind her. And then her stomach lurched. Because the inscrutable look in Addison’s eyes nearly overwhelmed the warmth she saw, reminding her that although this was the same man from yesterday, he was also very much a duke.
She darted her gaze away from him, toward the windows that lined one of the walls. “I doubt we’ll see more rain today.” Oh, yes. She was coming to quite appreciate this weatherly topic for conversation. For the second time in as many days, meteorological commentary was saving her from saying something utterly nonsensical.
One side of his mouth quirked up. “The streets were washed clean in yesterday’s torrent.”
“And the air.” She nodded.
“And the air,” he agreed.
Excellent. They were making excellent progress. “Makes one appreciate a good roof,” she added.
This time, she was certain she caught his chest shaking a little. “Indeed, along with a sound foundation.”
She twisted her hands together. Perhaps Chase’s idea to hire a tutor wasn’t such a bad idea after all. She only wished she’d had a lesson on handling proposalsbeforeAddison arrived.
More specifically, on how one went about declining one. She’d experienced little success with her prior refusals.
“Won’t you… sit down?” She remembered just in time that a gentleman wouldn’t sit until she was seated and lowered herself onto the edge of the nearest settee.
He chose to sit on the opposite end and turned his legs so he was mostly facing her.
“You didn’t catch cold from the rain yesterday?” He was very good at not showing any emotion in his expression. Did he resent being here? Was he even now, this very moment, berating himself for having kept her away from home for so long?
“Oh, no.” Whether he resented the situation or not didn’t matter anyway. “I was more worried that you would. What with standing in it listening to my brother go on and on and then having to drive yourself home.” He was the same man she’d spent hours conversing with the day before and yet everything seemed different now. “I hope you indulged in a long hot bath when you arrived home.”
An unusual expression flickered across his face. “Indeed.”
“I’m glad. One mustn’t be too careful with his or her health, and I’d never forgive myself if you were to take ill.” And that was true. Because if she hadn’t talked his ears off over their long, rather drawn-out tea, they would have not only returned before Chase became upset, but they also would have missed the rain altogether.
And despite hisdukishness… he had become somewhat… dear to her.
“Did you work on your book last night?” He’d been struggling with a particular passage. It was one of the things they’d gotten caught up talking about. A new idea he’d had.
His gaze met hers in surprise. “I did, in fact. Two chapters, they’re rough, as they always are, but I’m happy with what I have so far.”
“I’m glad.” She stared into his gray eyes, which seemed to have warmed, and in that moment found herself feeling all the emotions she’d felt yesterday, sitting atop his ridiculously tall vehicle and discussing kissing.
“But I haven’t come here today to discuss my writing.” He edged closer to her, flicking a glance toward the closed door as he did so. “Your brother told you to expect me?”
“He did.” And her brother had expected him to make her an offer. “But—”
“I didn’t do it intentionally—keep you out like that. It was reckless on my part, and Chaswick had every right to call me out for it. I hope you’ll accept my apology.” Even while apologizing, he appeared proud.
But his jaw ticked as though he was holding something back, and he was twisting the ring on his finger again. Was it possible he was nervous to speak with her today? It didn’t really make sense. She tilted her head. “You are sorry then? That we spent the afternoon together?”
“Not at all.” His eyes widened at that. “But I never intended to keep you so late. I should have realized.” His jaw ticked again and then he exhaled and ran a hand through his hair. “I did realize. I was just being selfish.”
He was being selfish? By spending time with her?
Her brother loved her. Her family loved her. Her sisters had always been her closest and dearest friends.
But no one had ever admitted that they enjoyed spending time with her to an extent that they considered themselves selfish to do so.
The compliment sent warm tingles trickling from her heart to her limbs.
“But you did nothing wrong.Wedid nothing wrong.”
He leaned forward, resting his forearms on both knees and staring down at the rug with unfocused eyes.
