“They entice me,” he said.
Her eyes widened.
He advanced, and this time she took a couple of steps back. Finally, she was understanding who was in charge of this cat-and-mouse game. He kept stalking toward her, and she kept retreating. The chase stirred his filthy desires, and he was hard before her back hit the stone relief on the wall. He planted his hands next to her shoulders. Feeling the odd shape beneath his right palm, he glanced over to see what lay beneath.
A satyr’s bearded face grinned at him. How apropos. He leaned into Gigi, so close that he could see the fire of the sconces leaping in her eyes.
“I warned you to get out of my way,” he said. “Instead, you throw yourself in my path at every opportunity. Tonight, not only do you attack me with a poker, but you do it while flaunting the prettiest legs I’ve ever laid eyes on.”
“I did not throw myself at you,” she said with an annoyed huff. “I thought you were a burglar, which is a reasonable conclusion since you are dressed in black and skulking around. I was defending my friend’s property, which is why I pummeled you—quite deservedly, I might add. Finally, although it is no business of yours, the reason I am dressed this way is because my exit from my brother’s manor involved the scaling of a tree. I also made far better time riding astride than sidesaddle.”
He stared at her. “You climbed a tree?”
“Anyone can climb down,” she said airily. “It is the ascent that requires skill.”
“A skill you happen to possess?”
“I may have done it once or twice.”
Right. Her smug expression betrayed that she was an expert tree-climber. In addition to “reckless” and “naughty,” he added “daring” to her list of traits.
“A singular female, aren’t you?” he murmured.
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Do not try to change the subject. We were discussing your purpose here tonight. Were you attempting to sabotage Miss Letty’s piping?”
He was more worried about his own piping. Specifically, the amount of pressure that was building up. It couldn’t be healthy for a fellow.
“I was not.”
Only because he hadn’t gotten that far. His plan this eve was to get the lay of the land—to find the spa’s weaknesses. Only after a thorough evaluation would he strategize a plan of attack. Tonight, he wouldn’t have done anything simply because he was too methodical and meticulous for such rash behavior.
“I don’t believe you,” she retorted. “I saw you with your hand down there. You were feeling around the pipes—trying to cause them to burst, no doubt.”
He shut his eyes briefly. Unfortunately, that did nothing to block out the image her words had seeded…
For the love of God, do not go there. Regain control before this situation blows up—Christ. Before it explodes in your…goddamn bloody hell.
Her scent tickled his nostrils. It was fresh, floral, and subtle, the opposite of cloying. She smelled carefree and fun, like a springtime walk through the woods.
I want to walk through her woods.
“Well, were you?” she demanded.
He tried to clear his head. Which was novel because his head was always clear…except when he was around her. Why did this chit have such an effect on him? A thought flickered in his head—Could this have something to do with drinking that damned Chuddums water?—before he firmly snuffed it.
He sent her a surly look. “Was I what?”
“Trying to cause a pipe to explode.”
That does it.
“My pipe was fine until you came along,” he growled.
She wrinkled her brow. “Your pipe? I don’t understand…”
Her huge eyes and the “o” of her lips conveyed her sudden understanding. She dipped her gaze downward. The wet wool of his trousers was plastered over the massive bar of his erection, and he could feel himself straining the seams. He’d never been harder in his life.
“Happy with yourself?” he asked darkly.
