“I’m not.”
“You are. You’re grumpy and brooding.” Suddenly, she was annoyed, too. “If you’ve changed your mind about us?—”
“I haven’t. Open the bloody door, and we’ll talk inside.”
“No, I want to know now?—”
Quick as lightning, he reached for the doorknob. The door swung open, and she stumbled backward with it. He caught her, herding her inside and spinning her around. She was once again up against a closed door, only this time he was leaning over her, a hand next to her head.
“You left,” he said.
Her head whirled from the sudden movements and his oddly accusatory manner. “Are you referring to this morning?”
He jerked his chin, his gaze ominous.
“Then I did,” she said slowly. “I couldn’t risk Mr. Valentine seeing us together.”
“That is the only reason?”
She furrowed her brow. “What other reason would there be?”
“Maybe you’re the one with regrets this morning.”
When she stared at him, he stared stonily back.
He’s…serious?
“Of course I don’t regret last night.” She was shocked that he could harbor any doubts in that regard. “Being with you was the most beautiful experience of my life.”
“Then why did you leave without waking me?”
“Because you looked peaceful sleeping, and I didn’t want to disturb your rest.”
“And nothing else prompted your stealthy departure?” he pressed.
Pondering the matter, she realized there was another reason.
“I suppose…I suppose everything seemed so perfect last night, and I didn’t want that to change.” She expelled a breath. “I wasn’t sure how things would be between us in the light of day. When we were back to being Lord Ethan and Mrs. Wood. If we might be awkward with one another, or if things would be different. Maybe…maybe I was scared to find out.”
“You should have woken me.” His tone softened. “We could have talked about it.”
“You could have summoned me this morning,” she countered. “We could have had a discussion then.”
“You’re right,” he said after a pause. “We’re a pair of fools.”
“Do you…” Her throat cinched. “Do you think what we did was foolish?”
“Probably.” He leaned closer, and her heart thumped when she saw passion flaring in his eyes. “But I don’t give a damn because it was the most sensual experience of my life.”
“Truly?” she breathed.
“How could you doubt it?” He outlined her mouth with his thumb. “We set the bedsheets on fire, you and I.”
“It was like that for me too. But I didn’t know if you felt the same way.”
“The morning-after jitters. It happens to everyone.”
“You included?”
