I wish I could have grown up faster.Her eyes heated.Then I could have taken better care of you, my dearest friend and love.
“In truth, I killed not one person, but two.” Hadleigh’s face was taut with self-loathing. “That is the kind of man I am. A bloody murderer. Now do you wish to be with me?”
“Yes.” Her voice quivered, not because of uncertainty but the opposite.
“Devil take it, Livy! Just once, don’t be so goddamned stubborn.” Rage and anguish smoldered in his eyes. “You should want nothing to do with me.”
“That will never happen,” she said firmly. “You made a mistake—a grievous error that led to tragic consequences. But you were younger than I am now when this all started, and it is obvious that you repent your actions. You take responsibility for what you did. You have tried, to the best of your ability, to make amends. What more can you do?”
“Nothing.” The word dripped with frustration and pain. “I can never change what I did.”
“Exactly. The only thing youcando is learn from your mistakes,” she said earnestly. “According to my mama, a mistake can be forgiven if one makes proper amends.”
A ghost of a smile flitted over his mouth. “You told me that the day I rescued you.”
“Because it is true. And regardless of what you have done, you will always be my hero.” She touched his arm, his muscles bulging at the contact. “Because I know who you are, Hadleigh. The true you. That is why I love you and why I will always be here by your side.”
The longing that rippled over his handsome features hugged her heart. She recognized that she’d always felt the desire to take care of him. To look out for him, the way he looked out for her. As a girl, she’d cheered him up and eased his solitude. As a woman, she could do so much more…if he would only let her.
“My little queen.” His voice jagged, he framed her face between his palms. “Ah, God. How can I resist you?”
He bent his head, his mouth claiming hers.
His kiss was gentle yet masterful, a far cry from her first clumsy attempt. There was no smooshing of lips, just soft pressure and brushes that sent wisps of heat over her skin. He slid his fingers beneath her wig, anchoring her as he courted her mouth with slow, drugging kisses. Caresses so sweet they stirred her very soul. Utterly awash, she surrendered to him. Their mouths clung as if they had nothing to hold onto but each other.
When his tongue swept against the seam of her mouth, it felt natural to open to him. To receive the wet, tender thrust that sent a wave of awareness through her body. The tips of her breasts throbbed, molten warmth gathering at her center. She felt dizzy, overcome by sensation yet wanting more. More of his kisses, more of him. He delved deeper, sliding his tongue against hers, and she moaned with desperate need.
He broke the kiss, resting his forehead briefly against hers.
“You’re so bloody sweet,” he said raggedly.
“Oh, Hadleigh.” She had to catch her breath. “Does this mean you do like me as more than a friend?”
He stared at her…then let out a guffaw. His laughter was infectious, and she joined in, enjoying the lighthearted moment, the burst of sunshine after the rain. When they both calmed, he took her hand and kissed the knuckles before tucking it against his thigh.
“Iamattracted to you,” he admitted. “That is the problem.”
“Why is it a problem? You told me about your past, and it doesn’t matter to me.”
“I haven’t told you everything. And, no,” he said, cutting off her argument, “there’s not enough time to do so tonight. We’re back at Lady Fayne’s.”
Livy hadn’t even noticed that the carriage had stopped.
“Beyond that, I am too old for you,” he went on. “Your parents are bound to disapprove and rightly so. And while you and I are attracted to one another, we may not be compatible. There are things I want that are not suitable for a young virgin.”
“As Papa is older than Mama by a dozen years, they would be hypocrites for disapproving of our age difference. And clearly age has no bearing on marital bliss: look how happy my parents are,” she argued. “As for the other matter, how will we know unless we, um, try?”
He gave her a stern look; for some reason, it added to her tingling arousal.
“There is no way in hell I would dishonor you in that fashion,” he said. “If we decide to pursue something beyond friendship, then that path can only lead to marriage. Our physical relationship is not like a hat to be tried on and returned if the fit isn’t right.”
“But isn’t that the point of courtship?” she persisted. “As long as we don’t do anything, um, irrevocable, I see no problem with us spending time together to see if we are a match.”
He inhaled deeply. “Let me think upon it.”
“How long will you—”
“I will call upon you tomorrow.Ifyou stop pestering me about it.”
