He frowned as he led her inside the gate. “A woman of your beauty and intelligence should be fighting off the suitors, not sitting home alone on a Saturdaynight.”
“Well, I’m not alone now.” Despite her nerves, she couldn’t deny the connection she felt to thisman.
Resting a hand on the small of her back, Alexander guided her up the steps. White columns framed the dormer with large windows radiating light through thinly veiled curtains. Real pine needles pricked at her palms as she ran her hand over the Christmas garland lining thedoor.
Stepping over the threshold into such elegance tugged a sigh from her lips. A massive Christmas tree in a sitting room greeted her as Alexander led her to a dark gray leather sofa. “May I take yourcoat?”
Fumbling for the knot on her belt, Elizabeth tried to keep the heat from blooming on her cheeks. Alexander slid his hands under hers, deftly undoing the belt, then flicked the buttons open one-by-one before easing the wrap from hershoulders.
Alexander looked her up and down with her coat draped over his arm, then shook his head. “You hide so much, Elizabeth. Your body, your heart. I hope soon you’ll stop hiding fromme.”
The dress was amistake.
Shrinking back, she hugged herself tightly. “I’m sorry if my fashion choices disappointyou.”
A closet door snapped shut as Alexander turned back to her. “You arenota disappointment. Don’t ever think that.” Two steps later, he pulled he against him, eyes smoldering. “I want you, Elizabeth. In my silks, in my bed, in my life. I can’t explain it to you. Hell, I can’t even explain it to myself. You are the single most intriguing, beautiful, and infuriating woman I have ever met and by God, you smellamazing.”
When his teeth nipped along her collarbone, Elizabeth’s knees threatened to buckle. “I don’t know that I can resist you much longer,” shewhispered.
“So don’t. Surrender.” More kisses to the sensitive flesh behind her ear, and she ached to do justthat.
God, he knows how to kiss awoman.
Elizabeth shuddered. “I can’t. You scare me. Your life. You have...staff.” She managed to extricate herself from his embrace and backed towards thesofa.
“I do. Samuel is my household manager. He and Thomas, my driver, have small flats on the lower level. My chef, Donatella, lives in the SouthEnd.”
She nodded,dazed.
“I won’t apologize for my wealth,Elizabeth. I was fortunate to be born into a family of means, but I’ve worked hard to keep Fairhaven Limited and Fairhaven Charities solvent for years. I’m more than my bank account. As areyou.”
They stared at one another until the silence grew uncomfortable. Alexander sighed, then schooled his features back into an unreadable mask.Wine?”
“Yes, thankyou.”
Anything to change the subject.Please.
The delicate crystal goblet rested heavy in her hand as she sank down onto the couch. Alexander raised his glass. “To a fulfilling evening, Ihope.”
He had good taste in Bordeaux, she’d credit him with that. Unable to stare into his eyes a moment longer, she trailed her gaze over the rest of him. What she wouldn’t give to unbutton thatshirt.
By the time she realized she’d been staring, Alexander had draped his arm across the back of the sofa only inches from hershoulders.
Resisting the urge to scoot away—or climb into his lap, she stammered, “I-I like you. I’ve missed you this week. But I still don’t know why you want a relationship with me. I’m not fishing for compliments here. I really want to know. How can you think I’ll possibly fit into yourworld?”
Alexander raised a brow. “Despite the abysmal cut and fit of that dress, you are stunning, Elizabeth. But that isn’t why I wanted the pleasure of your company tonight. I enjoy talking to you. You’re smart, witty, and you laugh at my poor jokes. You care. You were livid with me this morning, once you knew I was concerned about my brother, you worried about him too. In today’s society, we’ve all grown less and less compassionate. We go about our lives without forming deep, personal connections. But I think I could have one with you. And I think that feeling is mutual. Ever since that day in the rain, I’ve been unable to stop thinking ofyou.
“Do you know what drew me to you in the first place? What compelled me to do more than help you up and offer you a ridehome?”
Elizabeth tried to still her nervous fingers so she wouldn’t spill her wine. “No.”
“You were soaked to the skin, clearly a bit frightened of me, of being in a limo with a man you knew by reputation only, and determined to give nothing of yourself away. But the moment I held the glass of scotch to your lips, you told me everything I needed toknow.”
“I don’t understand,” shesaid.
The energy that passed between them calmed her pounding heart as he slid the wine glass from her hand and set it aside. Alexander looked at her like she was the only woman in theworld.
No one’s eyes should be that green. No man’s touch should be thatreassuring.
