She nodded. “Ah. The siren.”
He stared. “The what?”
She made a general motion toward the door. “The lady in pink.”
“Er...” He actually turned that way, as if to reacquaint himself with the woman. “Yes. And others.”
Finally, her visit threatened to become interesting. “A bit warm for the likes of me, are they?”
This time she got a full-blown scowl, with dark brows almost meeting in the center of his forehead. “That is not for you to ask, young lady.”
She couldn't help it. She chuckled. “I am not thirteen, my lord. If you wish me to stay away, I will be delighted. As long as I am assured of a few of Cook’s brambleberry tarts, of course.”
“Extortion now?”
“Until I can get an answer, yes. There should be some reason for me to stay.”
This time he chuckled, his features suddenly easing, his hands on his hips. Hisslimhips, Felicity couldn't help noticing. His blasted elegant hands.
“Oh, there are reasons for you to stay.”
She sighed. “And am I ever to find out what they are?”
“In time.”
“No,” she retorted, finally losing what patience she had left. He was too distracting for her own good, and she knew better than to believe in miracles or myths. “I think not. Either I know or I go. Now that I have learned where we are, it should be possible to find transportation back north. Hopefully I can reach the school before my position is given away.”
And with that she gathered every ounce of courage she possessed and attempted to walk past him out the bedroom door.
She should have known she would fail. Just as she came abreast of him, he caught hold of her arm.
“You are going nowhere.”
She sharply lifted her head. “I beg your pardon?”
Blast him if he wasn't grinning again and her arm wasn't tingling again. “It will be much to your benefit to stay, Miss Felicity Chambers.”
“Not unless you have a wife and six children tucked away somewhere in need of instruction or a brace of girls who require deportment lessons in order to make their come-out.” She was even angrier that her voice suddenly sounded so breathless. “Please let go.”
He did, which surprised her. He was still blocking the door, though, which frayed her determination to get past him. There was just too much of him, and that too much seemed to throw off the most amazing heat. She thought she might be blushing again. And he’d gone very still. Even more oddly, he seemed to be staring at her as if he couldn’t look away
Felicity froze, suddenly feeling like a rabbit caught in a dog's sight. Her breath seemed to seize. She couldn't move; couldn't look away from the hypnotic green of his eyes. She couldn't believe it, but he looked surprised. Maybe as surprised as she felt?
She never had the chance to ask. With one fluid movement, he cupped her face in his hands and bent to kiss her. She never even got the chance to protest or agree or even catch her breath. Suddenly she was surrounded by him; by his scent, his strength, his just-callused hands. His delicious mouth.
And it happened again. That flash of light, the shock of electricity that lit the room. A sweet, melting something that robbed her breath and set her heart pounding.
Before she could comprehend any of it, he pulled back. She blinked. Then she blinked again, caught in between breaths, her body in turmoil. What had happened? What had he done to her? Did he feel even a fraction of what she did?
Obviously not. Instead of blinking as if finding his body rearranged, he stepped away, easily letting her go. And when she stumbled a bit on suddenly shaky knees, he grinned.
“Damme if the duke doesn't have better taste than I gave him credit for,” he mused, suddenly sounding quite merry.
Felicity feared she was gaping. “Pardon? The duke?”
“The very one. You are quite correct. The command came directly from him, even though in my hand. He wished you to present yourself here for my perusal. At least he was that kind about it.”
Felicity feared she wasn't breathing. “Perusal?” she demanded. “For what?”
