“Shall we team up?” he suggested. “We could run through this next part together.”
Miss Fitzroy shook her head. “We promised Madeline that we would each pursue our own pathways.”
“But our paths have collided.” Peter’s eyes drifted back to her chest. She was still breathing heavily. “Therefore, we are stuck together.”
Miss Fitzroy’s shoulders sagged. “Do not say that, Your Grace. I have no wish to be stuck in this maze all night… with you.”
He had expected her to grumble a bit and reject his suggestion, but not even his mind had thought ahead to the consequences that awaited them if they could not find their way through the hedgerows.
“It really would not be so terrible to spend the night in this maze together,” he drawled, simply because he wanted to see how she would react.
“We cannot stay here together,” she snapped. “It would be most inappropriate.”
A lock of chestnut-brown hair tumbled into her eye. Gently, before she could reach up and brush it aside, Peter tucked it behind her ear. His fingertips brushed her soft cheek, and he could already imagine her skin on his.
“You don’t know what’s inappropriate,Lavinia.” Her sweet name finally escaped his mouth. He felt glorious.
Suddenly, the air seemed to grow hotter than it had been before.
Peter had not noticed that the space between them had shrunk. Her face almost touched his. He watched her eyes, dumbfounded yet curious at his suggestion.
“I… I certainly do not know what… how… about all things that are inappropriate.” Miss Fitzroy stumbled over her words in a charming manner.
“Would you like me to show you or perhaps tell you about all the things that others deem inappropriate?”
He let his words dangle between them for a moment.
“I… do not know,” Miss Fitzroy whispered. “I cannot deny my curiosity, but…”
“But?” he prompted.
“I want to hear… I mean… I want you to tell me something… something wicked.”
Her blue eyes grew round as saucers, and Peter had to press his lips together so as not to burst into laughter.
Miss Fitzroy, for all her bravado while heading into the maze, was just as innocent as he had imagined last night.
He mulled over what to do next so that he might give her a taste of the wickedness she requested.
“Very well,” he purred as he traced his fingertips over the side of her face. “I am going to touch you, Lavinia.”
“Touch me?” she breathed. “How?”
Peter shook his head slowly. “I will touch you gently, then I will ask you how you feel.”
She inhaled deeply. “I feel hot and… and…”
Peter snickered. “You’re eager. That’s good.” He slid his hand to her jaw and cupped her face. “What do you feel now?”
“My knees,” she rasped. “They are trembling.”
“And?” He tipped her chin higher so that she looked directly into his eyes.
“I feel lightheaded.”
He smiled. “What about your belly? Near your core. How does that feel?”
Miss Fitzroy gulped. He flattened his hand and ran his palm down the smooth line of her neck. He stopped when his fingertips reached the collar of her dress.
