I shifted out from in front of him, declaring, “I thinkwe’re done here.”
He caught me with an arm around my belly and pulled me back.
I looked to where I stood but a moment before, then I lookeddown at the toes of his boots that were again amongst my skirts.
Then I looked up at him.
“Did you just deny my departure and do that physically?”
“I did, as I disagree.We are not done here.”
“A warning, Lord Remington,” I said low.“When I wish not tobe somewhere, I do not allow a man to waylay me.”
“Do you not?”
“It would seem we’re destined to wed,” I pointed out.
“It’s lovely to know you understand the concept of acontract.”
I allowed myself to smile.
His eyes raced to my mouth with that.
So he watched my lips say, “And it’s lovely to know Ihaven’t scared you off and you have more mettle than I first assumed.”
His lips twitched, accepting my score.
And then I shared softly, “So I will be your wife, and I maygive you daughters.I urge you, your grace, to consider for a moment how youwould feel if another man prohibited me or them from going when we wished togo.”
His gaze came to mine.
“Countess,” he whispered, appearing contrite.
In other words, he got my point.
“Call me crazy, but I’ve enjoyed ourtête-à-tête.However, it would mean a great deal to me if you would make an effort to learnwhen to back me into a corner, and when…not.”
My heart skipped in my chest when he immediately steppedaside.
Okay, um…
Why was that the sexiest thing a man ever did around me?
Feeling weirdly nervous all of a sudden, I touched my wethair and moved to the door, mumbling, “I must be off.I fear my toilette priorto dinner will take twice as much time.”
I stopped after I opened the door and turned back to him.
Damn, he was good-looking.
Also, he liked ass too, since when I turned, his eyes wereaimed at mine before they came up to my face.
“I’m very sorry about your mother and sister.I’m alsosorry, with what happened to them, that what I did with the horses concernedyou.I’ll make a point not to do something like that again.”
“I would be obliged, Countess.”
I dipped my chin.
He watched me intently.
