“My stomach… it’s all aflutter,” she whispered. “I do not know what is happening to me.”
“What do you want me to do with you?” Peter slipped his fingers inside her collar and gently stroked the swell of her breasts.
“I…”
It was obvious that he had stunned her. She was speechless. Her eyes darted this way and that before landing on his lips. His thumb caressed the swell of her left breast as he moved his face closer to hers, their lips almost touching.
“I am at your service, Miss Fitzroy. Tell me what you want to experience next.”
She gulped. “You… you are a rake. Lady St. Vincent said as much yesterday. I promised I would heed her warning. I swore I would be vigilant. But last night… in your room… Now… I feel… I feel…”
“What do you feel?” he prompted as he withdrew his hand and wrapped his arms around her waist.
Slowly, Miss Fitzroy raised her hand to his face and gently brushed her thumb over his lips. He kissed it slowly. This time, unlike last night, he did not nibble on the pads of her fingers or take them into his mouth. He watched her gape as she explored his lips with her thumb. He had never seen desire in such curious eyes.
“I could help you with anything, Miss Fitzroy,” he whispered as she pulled her fingers away from his mouth and pressed them to her own lips.
“I do not…”
Her voice came out in the same breathy way it had been throughout this entire interlude. But then, suddenly, she blinked hard and jerked away as if his touch had burned her. She thrust both her arms behind her back and held them there as if she were pinned.
“Miss Fitzroy… Lavinia… What is…?”
Before he could ask what was wrong, she backed so far away from him that her shoulders collided with the hedge.
“I do not need anything from you, Your Grace,” she said. The tremor in her voice was long gone.
“You don’t?” He was slightly confused by this quick change of tone.
“I do not need you, nor do I want you.” Miss Fitzroy lifted her chin haughtily and refused to meet his gaze.
She stepped around him and marched awkwardly toward the path ahead.
“Very well, Miss Fitzroy. I shall give you space now, but I will not consider this your final word.”
Miss Fitzroy spun on her heel and faced him. “You think I do not know my own mind. You think I am incapable of controlling myself around you?”
“I think you are curious about me, Miss Fitzroy, and as you said before, your curiosity cannot be denied.”
Her upper lip curled as she snarled at him. “I will not ask you for anything again.”
“Yes, you will,” he drawled.
“I won’t,” she insisted.
“You will,” he assured her. Then, he waved his hand toward the sky. “Just as surely as I know the sky is blue today, I can say with certainty that before the week’s end, you will need me. You may even beg for my help.”
“I will beg for nothing.” Fury darkened her pretty face as she spun away from him a second time and stormed off into the maze.
“You will,” he whispered to her departing figure.
Peter knew that there was no chance Miss Fitzroy could hear his final words, but that did not matter. He had seen the gleam of desire in her eyes. He had felt the way she shivered at his touch. There was no chance she would stay away from him now. None.
Before the week is through, I will make her mine.
CHAPTER 7
Imust avoid him!
