A few seconds ticked past while he churned her words, and her blood cooled a few degrees. “And those books,” he said, pointing, “are of use to you in your endeavor?”
“Aye, they are,” she said, nodding, relieved the conversation had taken a different angle. “The thing about fashion and style is, when you know the past, you can see the future.”
Surprise shone in his eyes. “Is that so?”
“What’s in the past always comes around again is what I’ve found in all the books I’ve read. But in a way that feels new.”
“Would you mind showing me your favorite?”
Tilly understood his question wasn’t one simple question.
It was a question that didn’t only have an answer.
It was a question that led to consequences.
“All right,” she said, unable to say anything else.
The thing was, she might have a curiosity regarding those consequences.
It was no wonder Lord Rhys had been a rake.
Seducing would’ve been as easy as breathing for him.
Like she’d known he would do, he came around to her side of the table.
Consequence number one.
She flipped pages until she found her favorite illustration, and he bent over her shoulder to inspect it.
Consequence number two.
On her next inhalation, she filled her lungs with air and his scent of amber and citrus.
Consequence number three.
Oh, those consequences just kept adding up, didn’t they?
They fueled a feeling inside her—a wild, effervescent feeling…a reckless feeling.
“What is it you like about this one?” he asked, his voice low and velvet, closer than she’d expected.
A few further consequences presented themselves—consequences that led down paths one couldn’t turn back from.
On a deep breath, she settled back, putting precious inches between herself and the mouth that had asked the question.
Lord Rhys blinked.
It occurred to Tilly no woman had ever deviated from the path he led her down.
Something opaque registered behind his eyes, and he straightened before cocking his hip against the table, putting even more inches between her and his mouth.
She should feel better, steadier in her intentions.
She wasn’t sure she did.
For certain parts of her had begun to wonder what his mouth would feel like.
Certain parts of her wondered about his intentions.
