He searched frantically for something to talk about, but it was so hard to concentrate.
Every time she touched him, even on the sleeve of his coat, it set his heart racing.
They’d arrived at the carriage he’d come in. He’d sent the other home. Olivia gazed up at him, her beauty in the moonlight nearly bringing him to his knees.
How could it be that only days ago he’d thought he hated her? He should have known from that moment three years ago that he’d only ever be able to love her. It felt like she was the only reason he existed.
“I wanted to talk,” he said feebly.
She raised an impatient brow, and he couldn’t contain his grin. It was so very like her to be completely unaffected by being accosted by a blackguard then watching Alex knock the blighter down.
“Well, I assumed as much. Are you trying to figure out how to form coherent sentences? Because I’ll probably freeze to death before you manage it.”
Alex growled at her impudence, but in truth he was as enamoured of her feistiness as every other part of her.
And he would tell her so. But first, he would do something he’d been itching to do from the second he’d laid eyes on her again.
He threw everything he felt into that kiss, reaching up to capture her face in his hands, loosing himself in the feelings she brought out in him. Her response was immediate and intense, and it was only seconds before they were both caught in the storm of their desires.
Alex knew he could stay like this forever. As long as it was Olivia he was holding.
Nine
When he finally let her up for air, Olivia sagged against the carriage, her heart hammering, her mind utterly dazed.
“What has become of you, Miss Darington? Allowing yourself to be accosted by a man at Scandal Lane of all places?”
Olivia tried to match his serious expression, but she was just so terribly pleased to be with him.
“You’ve led me astray, Lord Fincham. Not content with ruining my childhood, it seems you’re bent on ruining my reputation, too.”
“Oh, I have many, many more ways of ruining that, love. Far more enjoyable than a mere kiss.”
In an instant, he looked positively wicked, and Olivia’s heart took off in response.
“Walk with me?” he asked softly.
She looked upwards, watching as snowflakes began to fall heavily from the sky.
“Alexander,” she hissed, “it’s snowing. We cannot go marching about Hyde Park.”
“Where’s your sense of adventure?” he asked.
He moved away from her and opened the door of his carriage. This one emblazoned with the Fincham crest.
To her surprise, he pulled out a giant, heavy blanket and threw it over her shoulders then reached back inside and grabbed a basket.
Olivia couldn’t help but laugh.
“You’ve thought of everything,” she said.
He turned and took a lantern from his smiling coachman then turned hold out his hand to her.
“What on earth are we doing?” she asked as she took his hand.
“You’ll see. Have some patience,” he scolded.
He was enjoying himself immensely, so it seemed.
