Quite frankly, I did not possess the needed resolution to resist, nor did I wish to. Still, I managed to break away, answering with a flat, “No.”
Her jaw fell open and her eyes widened. “You… but…”
“Me—But nothing. You and your feminine wiles are not subtle, minx.”
“Will… Please?” It was the please that finally did it. The please and the big downturned olive eyes.
“Fine, but I won’t dance.” I shoved my legs through my trousers irritably. I didn’t want to be putting these on, and in my present state, they were more than a little uncomfortable.
“All right, but one dance though.”
“Am I speaking? I feel like I’m speaking and words are coming out of my mouth and those words have meaning. Butyou seem neither to hear nor understand the ones you do not like.”
“Precisely, so you may as well give in. Two dances, the supper set I think. And the first.”
“What happened to one?”
“You know you want to dance with me.”
“I want to dance with you between these sheets,” I said, nodding to the bed beside us. “I have absolutely no interest in the rest of theton’sinvolvement.”
“Oh, very well. I suppose I shall be able to find some other partner.”
The sound that ripped from my chest was in the vicinity of a growl. What was this woman doing to me? “You are a tease.”
“I am a delight, and you know it. Three dances.”
“I don’t know three dances.”
“I’ll lead.” She held out my waistcoat for me to slip my arms in. I turned in her grasp and she slipped the buttons through the fabric.
“You will be the death of me.”
“Very likely,” she answered pertly. She straightened the knot of my cravat and ran her fingers through my curls, smoothing them. “There, all respectable again. No indication that I spent the evening debauching you beyond belief.”
That would not do.
I kissed her, hot, hard, fierce, desperate, pouring every ounce of regret, and irritation that I had to leave into her. Finally, I pulled away. She looked thoroughly tupped and, by the way her thumb traced my lower lip with an indulgent smile, I feared I did too.
“Get to work. Before I tie you to the bed.”
“Goodbye, love.”
“Goodbye, William. Be home by six?” Her lower lip caught between her teeth and I caught a hint of the vulnerability she was trying to hide.
Home by five then, and perhaps flowers on the way.
“Six.”
I was very,very late. And I cared very, very little.
All the clerks were in when I finally walked through the office door after a considerably longer walk than usual. Kit, on the other hand, was not there, though he had been at some point if the tarts were any indication. They had been well enjoyed before my arrival, all but a few were little more than crumbs. I grabbed one without regard for flavor.
I hadn’t yet made it to my chair before Bates was out of his and hovering in my doorway.
“Good morning, sir. I’m glad to see you’re well. When you weren’t in, I went upstairs to check on you and there wasn’t an answer. Mr. Summers told me you were staying elsewhere?”
“I am perfectly well, thank you. In the future, you need not concern yourself with my whereabouts.”
