Nicholas chuckled at her anxiety. “Do you fear for my safety?”
“Yes, I do. Tony is an agreeable fellow most of the time, but there are occasions when he simply has no control over his temper. He mustn’t see you until I have been able to tell him that nothing untoward has happened.”
Nicholas stopped and turned her around to face him. “If he has such a violent temper, then I will not let you face him alone.”
Hethought to protectherfrom Tony. She might have laughed, but she suppressed the urge. “You would have to understand how it is between Tony and me to know that I am the last person who needs to fear him. We are very close, you see, so close that he regularly turns his life upside down for me when I stay with him. He always has, even abstaining from most of his usual pursuits for months at a time.Youshould be able to appreciate what that means,” she finished dryly.
He led her forward again, grinning. “I concede your point. Nevertheless, there is a reason for everything I do, and Iwillsee you to your door.”
She started to protest again, but they were already there. She tensed, praying they hadn’t been heard, that the door wouldn’t open. She turned to face Nicholas, whispering, “What possible reason could you—?”
But he interrupted roguishly, “You see, I now have an excuse to kiss you good night again.”
He folded her in his arms, his mouth coming down to sear hers. This was passion, hot, blistering passion that melted her into him. Nothing else mattered. In that moment, she was his.
Nicholas ended the kiss with passion riding him hard. He nearly shoved her away from him, though without releasing her, his fingers biting into her upper arms. He held her there at arm’s length, his breathing harsh, his eyes blazing.
“I want you, sweet Regina. Don’t make me wait too long before you admit you want me, too.”
It took Reggie a moment to realize that he had let her go and begun walking away. She had the wildest urge to run after him but steadied herself. It wasn’t easy. Her heart was racing and her legs were wobbly.
Get hold of yourself, goose, she scolded herself.You’ve been kissed before. But oh, never like that!
Reggie waited until she saw Nicholas step into his carriage before she reluctantly turned away, opened the door, and went inside. The entry and hall were brightly lit and, thankfully, empty. The door to Tony’s library-study was open and light spilled out of it. She moved toward it slowly, hoping Tony would be there and not out scouring London for her.
He was there, sitting at his desk with his head in his hands, the fingers twined in his thick black hair as if he’d been trying to pull it out. A decanter of brandy and a glass were beside him.
The sight of him looking so woebegone had a steadying effect on Reggie. Guilt helped her pull herself together. While she had been having the sweetest time of her life, the person who meant the most to her in all the world had been worried sick. And she hadn’t even rushed back here. She’d taken her time, enjoying every moment spent with Nicholas. How could she have been so selfish?
“Tony?”
He looked up in shock. Then surprise washed over his handsome features, and relief. He hurried to her and gathered her into his arms, squeezing so tightly she thought her ribs would crack.
“Good God, Reggie, I’ve been half-baked with worry! I haven’t been in such bad shape since James took you with him to—well, never mind that now.” He set her away from him so he could look her over. “Are you all right? Have you been hurt?”
“I’m fine, Tony, really I am.”
She looked fine too. No rents in her gown, no curls out of place. But she had been gone for three bloody hours, and the things he had imagined happening to her…
“I’m going to kill him first thing in the morning, as soon as I find out where the bloody hell he lives!”
So that’s why there had been no pounding on the doors, Reggie realized.
“It was all perfectly innocent, Tony,” she began, “a mistake—”
“Iknowit was a mistake, Reggie. That idiot driver of yours assured me of that. He kept insisting Montieth would bring you back at any moment, that he and Lady Eddington were, ah…that they…well, I think you know what I mean. Oh, bloody hell!”
“Yes.” Reggie grinned at his discomfort. “I do know what you mean.” Then she hastened to work him round. “The poor man thought you and his—”
“Don’t say it! And that’s no excuse anyway!”
“But can’t you imagine his expression, Tony, when he saw that he had the wrong lady?” Reggie giggled. “Oh, I wish I could have seen him.”
Anthony frowned. “How is it that you didn’t see him?”
“I wasn’t there. He left me at his house and went to the ball. You see his only intent was to make Lady Eddington miss the ball. You can understand how shocked he was when he saw her there. He didn’t know who the devil he had locked up in his house.”
“He locked you in his house?”
