“I do like it.” He came over and cupped her shoulders with his big hands. “More than you know. When it comes to a mission, there is no one I trust more as a partner. But this ain’t a mission. This is shite from my past thatIneed to clean up; it doesn’t involve you.”
“I’ll help you,” she said determinedly. “You know I can hold my own—”
“And then some. Which is why you need to guard the parcel.”
He glanced pointedly at the table, where the package Lady Fayne had entrusted to them lay. The item seemed unremarkable. Wrapped in plain brown paper, it was about the size of a book but lighter in weight.
Pearl had no idea what was inside, and it wasn’t her business.
“If that parcel is something o’ value,” Hawker went on, “and I reckon it must be for someone to pay for private delivery, then I don’t want that thing anywhere near my enemies.”
Pearl hated that he had a point.
“Were you part of a thieving gang?” She furrowed her brow. “Maybe if you gave back what you took from them—”
“I told you I didn’t steal anything from those bastards.” Frustration colored Hawker’s voice. “Look, I’m going to deal with the situation, but I can’t do that knowing you’re at risk. Just this once, will you do as I ask and stay put for a few damned days?”
“You can’t handle these men on your own,” she insisted. “And what is your plan, exactly? After you track them down, then what? Do you even have a head count? What if there’s an army of cutthroats waiting to ambush—”
“Christ, woman. There’s no need to nag—”
“Nag?”Pearl narrowed her eyes.
“Question, I mean,” Hawker said hastily. “Look, I ’ave a plan. Trust me on this.”
“Trust goes both ways. I’m as good a fighter as you are. Better when it comes to handling weapons. Why don’t you trust me to stand with you against your foe?”
“It’s not you I don’t trust, it’s those damned bastards. You don’t know what they’re capable of.” Hawker balled his hands. “But I do, and I won’t ’ave you getting involved. And that’s final.”
“You don’t want me involved? Fine.” She lifted her chin. “Then I won’t be involved with youat all.”
He looked stunned. “Is that a threat?”
She crossed her arms. “A fact.”
Hawker let out a string of oaths. When he was done, he raked a hand through his hair and glowered at her. She met his gaze squarely. Swearing again, he turned on his heel, stomping toward the door.
“Where are you going?” she called after him.
“To see to the ’orses. I need to think. And I can’t do it with you breathing down my neck.”
The door slammed behind him. She glared at it.
Pig-headed man. Bacon for brains. Just because he has brawn, he thinks he can handle any situation by himself.
Fuming, she set about tidying the room. She knew she should have left it to the maids, but she’d always found cleaning soothing. Picking up Hawker’s discarded smalls from the floor, she rolled her eyes. Clearly, he didn’t give a farthing about order. In fact, they had little in common. Imagining a future with him was pure folly.
“What in blooming hell am I doing?” she muttered.
Tossing his undergarment into his valise, she braced her hands on her waist. Unfortunately, the pressure of her fingers activated the memory of Hawker’s hands gripping her there this morning, holding her steady as he drove his cock into her from behind. He’d pushed into her so slowly, stretching her, filling her, hitting that spot inside her that made her moan his name…
That is just lust. It won’t last. It never does.
His voice rumbled seductively in her head.“I love the way you feel around me, Pearl. How tightly you ’old me as if you’ll never let me go. Makes me want to give you everything, be everything you need…”
She told herself that words uttered in the throes of passion didn’t mean anything. Yet Hawker was as attentive out of bed as he was in it. During their bath, since the copper tub hadn’t been big enough to hold them both, he’d insisted that she go in first to enjoy the hot water. As she’d steeped in the fragrant suds, he’d sat behind her, washing her hair and massaging her scalp until she’d sighed with pleasure.
He'd asked her things no one had before. What were her childhood dreams? Did she enjoy fighting? Did she want children and, if yes, how many? If she were stranded on an island with only her valise, what would she pack? From serious to trivial, his questions conveyed his unabashed interest in her and made it easy to let down her guard. To share and laugh and play. To allow herself to dream of love again…
