He’d said that if someone asked for more, he would push that person away. That statement cut her deeper than she’d wanted to admit. It made her think of her encounter with the man. Not when he’d almost kissed her years ago. The one after. She’d gone to him to ask for his help after her father arranged her marriage.
And he’d done exactly what he described earlier today. Pushed her away. Not gently as he’d said he’d try to be. It had not been gently. She knew he’d been drunk when he’d done it. Now he didn’t recall it.
She was just another lady he’d escaped. She would be again once he was finished with this painful connection they were now exploring. She couldn’t be so foolish as to forget that.
The door to the parlor clicked shut and she pivoted to find Robert standing at it, leaning against the surface and staring at her. He looked…ragged. Worn out. She’d seen his emotion before when he talked to her about losing the attachment to his friends, but this felt different.
“I don’t know what I did to anger you today.” He moved forward and she scrambled to her feet, ignoring it when her book clattered to the floor. “But I don’t want whatever it is to come between us.”
She stared at him, uncertain of how to respond. “Robert—” she began.
He cut her off by taking a long step toward her, gathering her into his arms and dropping his lips to hers. She wished that she were strong enough to freeze. To refuse when she’d just been considering the folly of this affair and all it could lead to.
But she wasn’t. She wanted him, and when he touched her everything else fell away. She opened her mouth to him, eagerly welcoming his tongue as it swept against hers. She lifted against him, losing herself in desire, in longing, in pleasure.
He cupped her backside, grinding her against him as he moaned low and insistent into her mouth and let her know he was as moved, at least physically, as she was.
She had no idea what would have happened next, in those desperate moments where all her hesitations faded and were replaced by the uncontrollable feelings he stoked in her. She didn’t get a chance to find out.
The door to the parlor opened behind them.
“Katherine, we heard you were in here and thought you might want to join the duchesses for—oh my!”
Katherine pulled away from Robert, staggering back and staring over his shoulder at the door. Emma and Meg stood there together, eyes wide as they looked from Katherine to Robert and then back again. Katherine knew what they saw. She could guess what they thought.
Shame rushed up in her, erasing all the pleasant feelings Robert had stirred in her with his passionate embrace. She glanced at him. His expression was stricken.
“Katherine,” he said softly.
She ignored it. Ignored her friends, and did all she could do. She ran.
Robert stared as Katherine raced past Emma and Meg out the door of the parlor. He strode forward, ready to stop her, but Meg placed herself in front of him. “No, don’t,” she said, placing a hand to his chest.
“Why?” he snapped, unable to temper his tone even though he’d known Meg for a very long time and had always liked her. “You all wanted so desperately to protect her from me—is this the next step in the evolution of your plans to separate us?”
Meg blinked up at him and Emma caught her breath. He felt their regard heavy and hard on him, and his face suddenly felt hot.
“No,” Meg said carefully. “You are both adults and there is nothing any of us would do to break apart what is clearly a consensual and mutual attraction. She’s upset.”
“Yes, and that upset seems to come from embarrassment at being caught,” Emma said gently. “If you follow her, that will not ease her mind. She will still believe she’s being judged by our group.”
He blinked. “Y-Yes. She does fear that if the duchesses recognized her true…I think she refers to it as her nature…that you would despise her.”
Emma pursed her lips and glanced at Meg. “It isexactlyas I told you.”
“Then we must do the other thing you said,” Meg said with a nod. “Check to be sure her aunt is resting so we won’t be interrupted, then go tell the others. I’ll find Katherine and bring her to you.”
Emma gave Robert a long look and then slipped from the room.
Meg tilted her head. “I recall the first time I met you. What was I? Ten?”
He forced a smile. “Yes. A most annoying sister.”
She laughed. “I think you must still think that, considering how you are glaring at me so angrily.”
He turned away. “Then I am being rude. I would not wish to bring down the wrath of either James or Simon. Your brother and husband have enough issues with me currently.”
“Yes, your wager. Except I think you aren’t so invested in that anymore. You need to evaluate the fact that you care about Katherine.”
