She was the most obstinate,stubborn, irritating woman he’d ever had the misfortune to meet.
And yet…
Dominic couldn’t help but admire her bravery, however foolish, the pert line of her nose, the mutinous set of her chin, and the sparkle of life in those blue eyes. She was so tantalizingly beautiful that he wanted to gather her into his arms and kiss her until they were both clinging to a tenuous strand of self-control.
But since he was forced to retain his distance, for Amos’s sake if nothing else, Dominic sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. He was about to say he wasn’t going to argue with her any longer and she would be going back to Mayfair if he had to drag her there kicking and screaming, but then Amos interjected. “I can help with that.”
Dominic jerked his head around. He had never known the other man to cart about women’s apparel to produce at a moment’s notice, but nothing would surprise him. Amos was prepared for most any situation that presented itself, no matter how odd it might seem at the time.
He returned from his bedroom carrying a simple brown linen. He held it up, and Miss Givenwald boldly walked forward. “Thank you, Mr. Amos.” She shot Dominic a triumphant look before she glanced toward the bedchamber door. As Amos waved a hand, she disappeared inside.
As soon as they were alone, Dominic walked over to him. “Have you lost your bloody mind?”
Amos snorted. “I can see why you have lost some of your focus lately.”
“And yet, you decide that it is best if she trots after me like a pup after its master in the most dangerous part of the city?”
“Wasn’t it your townhouse in Mayfair that was broken into this morning?” Amos pointed out.
“And my office just before that,” Dominic returned with a snap.
Amos shrugged. “It’s better to keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Or in this instance, you can protect her better if she is with you rather than running all over the East End ducking around corners trying to keep you in sight.”
Realizing that Amos had a point, Dominic leaned his head back against the wall. “I must have really done something unforgiveable in the past to suffer like this now.”
“I wouldn’t see any hardship in keeping Miss Givenwald close. She is quite comely.”
Dominic gave a sharp bark of laughter. “That is the worst part of all.”
“You told me you wanted to take a wife. She’s as good as any.”
“Asuitableone,” Dominic corrected. “I have yet to discern if the lady is that, and finding a way to corner me like a fox in its own den is not the way to endear herself to me.”
Amos lifted a brow. “You would get bored with a chit that did everything you asked of her, admit it.” As Dominic remained silent, he pointed toward his bedchamber. “I guarantee that one will keep you heading for her bed night after night.”
Dominic stared at the closed door separating Miss Givenwald from his view as if he could look hard enough and peer through to the other side. In the short time they had known of each other’s existence she had managed to find a way to entice him. She was everything that he’d ever wanted—in a mistress. Butthen, he hadn’t been searching for a wife to settle down with until recently either. It could be that she would be the perfect choice as a bride, and as Amos said, Dominic doubted the passion that flared between them would ever wane. It was too strong, something he’d never felt before with any other woman.
He was still fixated on the woman behind the door when it suddenly opened and she popped her head around the frame. For the first time she appeared a bit uncertain. “I am having a bit of… trouble getting the hooks attached in the back.”
Before he quite knew he was moving, Dominic’s footsteps were taking him closer to her. She stepped out of the way as he entered the room and shut the door behind them. He had been in Amos’s bedchamber a handful of times and thought nothing of it, but with this tempting vixen standing in front of him, he found the room had suddenly gotten smaller and the bed was the only thing he could seem to focus on. His breathing turned shallow and it took a moment for him to remember why he was there.
She turned her back to him hesitantly, revealing the borrowed dress gaping at the back. He could see the laces of her stays beneath and rather than hooking the dress, he imagined sliding the offending garment off her shoulders and slowly removing the rest of the clothes from her until she was standing there in nothing but her stockings and shoes.
He tried to swallow but it was difficult to manage as his throat had closed up on him.
He reached out his hands and blinked when he realized that they were shaking. What the hell was wrong with him? It was as if he was the inexperienced one in this scenario. She seemed completely unaffected. But as he reached out and brushed a finger across the bare skin of her smooth spine, she flinched and he could tell she wasn’t as composed as she might pretend.
This knowledge made it possible for him to concentrate enough to finish fastening her dress. Afterward, he didn’t immediately move backward. Instead, he allowed his hand to brush theside of her slender neck. He heard a sharp intake of breath, and he leaned down to kiss his way along the smooth column. Her hair was pulled up into a simple knot, and he imagined removing every single pin, allowing the length to flow over her naked breasts and along her shoulders. He would wrap the length around his hand, fisting it in his palm as he drew her head back and smothered her mouth with so many kisses that she started to beg him for mercy.
“Your Grace?”
It was the unsure tone of her voice, along with the sound of his title crossing her lips that caused him to step backward before he turned his dreams into reality. He had not lied when he told Amos this was a dangerous game and Miss Givenwald an equally dangerous woman. “Let’s go.”
He threw open the door and breathed in a great gulp of air as he forced his raging desire to return to a dull simmer.
He couldn’t even look at Amos as he waited for his quarry to join him. She retained his jacket and he noted that she had left behind her cloak with her dress. That was good because it was also of fine quality and would do nothing but alert all of the thieves in the neighborhood like a red flag taunting a bull if she were to don it once again.
He finally glanced at Amos and offered him a curt nod as he opened the door and waited impatiently for Miss Givenwald. She had paused by Amos. “Thank you for your assistance.”
