He hadn’tintendedto say it so abruptly, but now that the words were out the open between them, it wasn’t as if he could retract them—norwhat itimplied.
“I see.”
Ridge waited for her to say something else, but when her voice fell silent, he turned on his heel. He would rather leave with her anger or frustration, rather than her tears.
When he would have strode away from her,though,he heardhersay, “Ridge, wait.”
He pulled himself together, and then turned back to face her.The way she moved toward him,as if in slow motion, her copper hair escaping its pins to fly about her face, it was as if he had encountereda siren thathad come on land for the sole purpose ofenticinghim to his death. It would be a demise he would gladly endure, if it meant he could livewith herin eternity.
He didn’t move as she placed a tentative hand upon his chest. Her eyes caught the moon’s glow and shone with the same darkpassionate fire that resounded in his soul. “Kiss me?”
She was giving him the choice to accept or deny her request, but it wasn’t as if he could have resisted her. It had been likethisfrom the moment he set eyes on her in that inn, looking forlorn as if the entire world had come crashing down around her shoulders. He wanted to be her savior then, and dammit, he still did.
He swept her into his armsandbrought his mouth down on hers. In all his life he’d never had a drink that was as intoxicating as the sweet taste of her lips. And her instant response made him crave more.
Ridge backed Isabella against the stone, shielding her from view in case Logan or Liverpool decided to take an evening stroll, and let his hands start to roam. He loved hearing the slight catch in her breathing, for he knew the same desire was coursing through her veins.
Twicenowhe’d touched her and brought her to completion whilehe’d denied himself, but he was content just allowing his hands to caress her body. If this was all he ever had of her, it would be enough to send him to his grave. And he would go gladly.
He dared to pull down a section of her bodice and let his gaze takeinher soft, creamy breast with its hard, rosy peak. His cock kicked urgently against his trousers, almost painful in his need tosink into her wet heat.But before that time came, if it ever did, he didn’t want any barriers between them—no regret, no reservations, and certainly not Wistenberry.
The very idea that the viscount hadgiven up such a woman made Ridge yearn to slit his throat the moment he was in his grasp, but because of Isabella he wouldn’t act onthe impulse, even ifWistenberrydeserved nothing lessthan a cold-blooded end.
But right now—this moment—was all about Isabella.
He lowered his head and took her nipple into his mouth, sucking gently. She clutched the lapels of his jacket.“Ridge…”She moaned his name and so he rewarded her byfreeingher other breast and feasting on them both.
He could see the fluttering pulse beat at the side of her neck, but when he started to lift her skirts, the sound of male voicescaused him to freeze in place.Hewaited until heheard Logan and Liverpool moving in the opposite directionbeforehereleasedthe air in his lungs on a harsh exhale.
He reluctantly covered her beautiful body and said, “Come to my roomwith me.I’ll finish what I started in a more private setting.”
The color was high on Isabella’s face, her lips parted as if still anticipating his kiss, but as his words penetrated her consciousness, he could tell the moment she pulled away from him, and not just physically. “I can’t.”
“Can’t, or won’t?” he prodded.
“Both.” Her eyes were misty. “ButI…”Shelifted her chin. “I can’t seem to resist you.But I must.I can’t go through this again.”She took a stepawayfrom him. “Goodnight, Mr. Claymoore.”
She walked away andRidgelet her go, but something insidetold himthatshehad said more than goodnight.
She had told himgoodbye.
***
Isabella covered her mouth with her hand totry tohold in the torturous sobs that wanted to escape. She had known Ridge Claymoore for less than two weeks, and yet, in that time, she had broken down in tears twice,whilstshehad shedbuta single tear when her husband had abandoned her.
Either the man was either completely unbearable, or she was in danger of falling in love with him.
She stopped halfway to her chamber and put a hand out on the wall to steady herself as her breathing ceased entirely.Could it be?There was absolutely no inexplicable reason she should give her heart to Ridge, and yet, she was in true danger of succumbing to that emotion. It was almost laughable at how she had imagined that the fascination she’d expressed for Simon could have been misconstrued as to what she was feeling toward Ridge. There truly was no comparison.
She closed her eyes. This was very bad, indeed. How might two, such very different worldscoexisttogether? Granted, Ridge wasn’t a servant, but he was a commoner and without a fortune at his disposal, it might as well be the same category. Then again, it wasn’t as if she cared about the opinions of society, she never had, but even if Ridge might reciprocate her feelings, there was nothing to be done for it. Any possible romance had been doomed from the beginning because she was a married woman, and he was an agent for the Crown.
And yet…
The thought of never seeing him again was like stabbing herself in the chest. She had been foolish to walk away from him.
“I’m leaving for France tonight.”
His words pierced her heart—until she realized this didn’t have to be the end. She hadmade the choice to walk away. She should rush back and grab on to him with both hands, holding happiness in her grasp for as long as she could.
