Needy?Gabe caught himself up on the word. He’d never thought of himself as ever being needy.
But watching the young boy’s reserved, intelligent face, his quick, shy responses to Ethan and Jim’s noisy repartee, Gabe suddenly remembered what it felt like to sit on the outer, yearning to be accepted, to truly belong. Grateful for any crumb of approval.
He’d forgotten he’d ever felt like that.
He glanced at her face. His words had annoyed her.
“He’s a fine, spirited boy. He’ll grow out of it,” Gabe told her soothingly. Gabe had grown out of it.
“My son is not needy, and I doubt you even know the meaning of the word,” she told him.
It was meant to be a reprimand, but she’d unwittingly offered Gabe an opening he couldn’t resist.
“Oh, I assure you, I understand what needy means, especially after this afternoon,” he murmured, his voice deepening. His gaze dropped to her mouth and he sighed suggestively. And even though he was only teasing her, the memory of their earlier kiss rose up and he had to battle with his body.
The color in her cheeks rose. “If you were any sort of gentleman, you would not refer to that incident.”
His gaze dropped to her mouth and stayed there. “It was a particularly sweet incident. As are your lips.”
“You will not flirt with me here!” she ordered in an undertone.
“Won’t I?” He gave her a look of faux-innocent surprise. “Where shall we go to flirt then?”
She narrowed those glorious eyes at him. “We shan’t go anywhere.”
“You don’t want to go somewhere?”
“No, I am not budging from this place.”
“Excellent, I thought you were leaving in the morning,” he said instantly. He raised his voice. “Listen, everyone, the princess says she’s not leaving after all. She has decided to stay on here.”
Her jaw dropped but before she had time to refute his outrageous misinterpretation of her words, her son came flying across the room and flung his arms around her.
“Oh, Mama, thank you, thank you! I did want so much to stay, and Jim has told me of a place where we could go fishing and could we go tomorrow please? I have never been fishing and perhaps I could catch you a fish for your supper. Mama, you know how much you like fish!”
Over her son’s head she glared at Gabe, who hoped he was not looking as smug as he felt. She’d walked so neatly into his trap, and he was rewarded with another day, at least. More if he could persuade her. His letters were speeding on their way.
“It will be perfectly safe,” he reminded her. “Nobody knows you are here and there is nothing to connect this place with Miss Tibthorpe.”
He saw her consider his words, biting her lip thoughtfully. He watched, reliving the sensations that had coursed through him as he’d nibbled on that very lip. He could still taste the wild, dark honey taste of her. His body throbbed with remembrance. And need.
She remembered, too, he could tell by the way she abruptly stopped biting her lip and flickered a self-conscious glance his way. She saw he was watching and flushed even deeper.
He could also see she was quietly furious about the way he’d tricked her, yet she told her son that very well, they would stay another day, and that yes, if Mr. Renfrew would escort them fishing and guarantee their safety, she would allow it.
“I’d be delighted,” Gabe said.
Nicky straightened. “Thank you, Mama, sir.” Scarcely able to contain his excitement, he still managed a creditable bow and ran back to the chess game.
She gave Gabe a wry glance. “I do hope you enjoy your fishing.”
He laughed. “No, you don’t.”
“You’re very rude,” she told him. “How would you know what I think?”
“I told you, your face gives your thoughts away.”
“Nonsense!” she retorted. “Nobody else has ever indicated anything of the sort.”
