“This conversation could already have been over,” he told her. “You’re the one delaying the answer.”
She shook her head. There was some light coming through the window now. Not a lot. Just enough for him to make out the blush that had creeped up her neck and settled into her cheeks. She was adorable. “We did not...” She blew out a breath and waved her hand. “...complete it.”
He grinned. “I didn’t shove my cock between your legs and take your innocence.” He said the words to shock her. Daniel had a perverse notion to see if she could blush more than she already had. He was delighted to discover her cheeks could stain a brighter shade of pink.
“No,” she forced the word out. “Now can you please leave.”
“I’ll have to dress first,” he told her. “I can’t walk out of here naked. It would be quite scandalous.”
She pinned him with a gaze so menacing it should have terrified him. Instead, it made him laugh. Iris smacked him. “Get out of my bed.”
“If you insist,” he said in a casual tone. Daniel slipped out of the bed, not bothering to cover himself. He bent over and started picking up his scattered clothing.
She gasped. “Do you have no shame?”
Daniel glanced over his shoulder and smiled. “Should I?” He winked.
Iris stared at him. She might be scandalized, but she did not look away. While he dressed, and he did it as slow as possible, she kept her gaze on him. She tracked each movement and almost seemed disappointed when he was fully dressed. Daniel slid his boots on and then stood to stare at her. “Did you enjoy that?”
“I did,” she said. “If I have to be accosted in my own bedchamber, I should have something in return.”
“I would say your climax was gift enough,” he drawled.
Her mouth fell open as if she was going to disagree. “As nice as this was. You should already be out of my room and in your own.”
Daniel grinned. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. Perhaps next time we both can come out of it as happy.”
“You’re such a scoundrel,” she said in an exasperated tone. “This is not happening ever again.”
“We’ll see,” he replied with a hint of roguishness in his voice. “I’m glad you’ve given in and decided to use my given name.” He bowed. “I’ll see you at breakfast.”
Daniel turned to exit her bedchamber. When he opened the door, he froze. Standing outside of her chamber about to knock was Iris’s sister, Violet.
“Lord Hampstead,” she said, then frowned. “I thought this was Iris’s chamber.”
He stood there like a fool, not sure how to answer. Should he pretend she had the wrong room? Would she even believe that? What would happen if she left in search of the right room, only to discover she had the correct one all along? He cursed under his breath. Violet looked past him and met Iris’s gaze.
“I see,” she said in a concerned tone, then stepped aside. “Go to your own bedchamber. I will talk to you later. Right now, I need to speak with my sister.”
Daniel glanced over at Iris, then at her sister. He wanted to stay and help her. It was his bad, inebriated decision that landed him in her bed. The entire situation was his fault, and he should own up to it.
“Go,” Iris told him. “Now is not the time for you to pretend you’re a gentleman and not a scoundrel.”
The muscles in his cheek twitched at her words. They would talk about this later, but for now he would heed to her wishes. She belonged to him, and she would realize that sooner rather than later. Whether she liked it or not. They were bound together now. There would be no turning back.
Eight
Violet turned around and stared at Iris. Heat crept up her neck and settled into her cheeks. Her sister was going to lecture her, and there would be no avoiding any second of it. Iris couldn’t slip past Violet and run away as much as she would like to. She was still wearing her bedclothes and she couldn’t very well leave her bed chamber yet. There was only one thing she could do.
Iris slid out of bed and pulled the bell to summon her maid. She would have Mary come in and help her dress. It would help to keep her lecture to a minimum. Violet wouldn’t want to spill too many details with the maid in the room with them. Hopefully, it would not take long for Mary to arrive.
“Are you going to say anything for yourself?” Violet demanded. She folded her arms over her chest and glared at Iris.
“What would you like me to say?” She lifted a brow. “You’ve already decided as to what you believe happened. You always make assumptions and then think you need to tell me what I should do. So,” Iris said in a noncommittal tone. “Why don’t we get that part over with and I can go about my day.”
“How can you be so flippant about this?” Violet’s voice took on a shrill tone that was ear piercing in its intensity. “You were in bed and a gentleman was leaving your room. Why are you acting as if nothing of import happened?”
Because nothing had... Daniel would have done all of that with any woman. She was a convenient, warm body next to him. He had fallen into her bed in a drunken stupor, and when he found a woman at his side, he decided seduction would be a good idea. Iris would not let that determine how she would live the rest of her life. Even if the pleasure had been overwhelming and she would remember it for the rest of her life. “Why are you acting as if you walked in on us in the middle of a good tumble?” Iris rolled her eyes. “Lord Hampstead did not take my virtue. He entered my room by mistake.”
