Reaching into her sleeve, she removed the note she’d made while Eloisa fussed with her hair. “These are the men who weren’t there: Mr. Wallace,” she read. “Mr. Jones. Link, both reporters, and three compositors.” Caroline surrendered her list.
He didn’t have to do this alone!
But then suddenly he was dropping to his knees, cradling her hand in his. For a confused moment, she thought he intended to propose.
And her heart leapt.
“It’s not that I don’t want you there,” he said. He lifted her hand and held it to his mouth. “But in case you haven’t noticed, I’m easily distracted by you.”
“I don’t do it intentionally…”
“It’s not your fault—not at all. I’m the one to blame.” His voice dropped. “Even now, with your mother most likely listening at the door, I’m tempted to…” He dropped his gaze and swallowed hard.
“And that’s a bad thing.” It wasn’t really a question.
“Yes. No.” He shook his head. “A little. The thing is, I’d never forgive myself if something happened to you. I… care about you.”
“Oh.” Caroline wanted to hear more but couldn’t bring herself to ask. “Nothing is going to happen to me.”
“Because you will be here, in your mother’s home. Or at a ball. Anywhere but in that office.”
But she’d been involved in this from the beginning. And he knew that. “I’ll leave after I’ve turned my stories in,” she insisted.
He pinched his mouth together, shook his head, and then rolled his eyes. “I can’t keep you away, can I?”
“Not really. No,” Caroline said, frustrated with yet another male who considered himself impervious to danger. Did he not know he needed protecting too?
Maxwell glanced around the room and leaned forward.
This kiss seemed almost desperate. Hard and quick, like he was saying goodbye.
For a flash, she imagined herself begging him not to go, fearful of letting him walk away.
She couldn’t allow him to come into her life, make her feel irresistible, and then fight villains off without her—possibly getting injured. Or worse.
The kiss ended but neither moved.
“Please, promise me you’ll be careful.”
“Of course,” he answered.
And with that, he was gone.
Her mother’s sudden appearance the instant the front door closed came as no surprise. “What was that all about?”
“Didn’t you hear?” Caroline asked, one eyebrow raised.
“No.” Her mother frowned. “Josephine lost a ruby pendant and desperately needed my help finding it. I swear, if that girl’s feet weren’t both attached, she’d lose one of them.”
Caroline smiled weakly. “It’s only paste,” she said.
“Yes, well…” Her mother shrugged. “Now, tell me. What was so important that he’d cool his heels for over an hour?”
Caroline provided her mother with a very condensed version of the threat, only hinting that Reed would be upset if he learned how much time she’d spent alone with Max—a man who’d denied courting her more than once.
“What really bothers me—” Caroline frowned. “—Is that he won’t tell me his secret.”
Her mother’s brows shot up. “Why would he tell you his secret?”
