She stretched her hand out to touch him again, but he grasped on to it.
“Stop, Kat. I’m warning you, your charm will not work with me.”
“Malcolm, please—”
“And stop calling me Malcolm.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t like the way it sounds when it comes from your deceiving mouth.” He dropped his focus to her enticing, delicate raspberry lips, imagining what her kiss would taste like. Honeysuckle? Whatever the taste, he was quite certain it would be heavenly. But he couldn’t think this way. Ever!
“What do you want me to call you then?” she said hesitantly. “Mr. Worthington is too formal. I’m your wife and should address you with some kind of endearment.”
“You are my wife in name only, and I plan on keeping it that way.”
She swallowed, and his gaze dropped further to the slender column of her throat. The urge to press his lips to that location overwhelmed him. His grip loosened, but she didn’t pull her hand away. In fact, she moved closer.
“Malcolm.” Her voice softened. “I will not give up. I deserve a second chance.”
Between her intoxicating scent and her alluring mouth, he was a drowning man. How could he resist? But he had to. He tried to remember how she had deceived him since they were first married, hoping it would cool his ardor, but her sweet charm made him weaker.
Confused by mixed emotions, he growled in anger, and then stepped away. “You are wrong, Kat. Women like you deserve no second chances.”
He turned and stalked back to the house, resisting the urge to look at her. He couldn’t risk a glance. He didn’t want to think that he could have taken her in his arms and kissed her. Being attracted to her was dangerous—especially when he had never been before.
*
Camilla rode thehorse hard, disappointed in how the morning had gone so far. The cool breeze from last night’s storm stung her cheeks, dried her lips, and unraveled the ringlets in her hair. She didn’t care, because riding this way usually healed her. Yet today, it hadn’t. She still couldn’t believe she had allowed Malcolm’s nearness to affect her. And his touch nearly had her melting to the ground.
Today’s outing was to ride to the neighboring towns and sell the dagger she had bought, but sadly, none of the shops would offer the price needed to pay Kat’s medical bills. If only Camilla could trust Malcolm enough to ask him.
When she pictured his wounded face from this morning, guilt gnawed at her conscience. It seemed he had been the person truly wronged by her sister’s actions. But he wasn’t the one who had gone mad and died, either. She must remember her sister above all else.
Was Malcolm the real reason for her sister’s melancholy? Camilla had begun to think differently. Now that she knew him a little better, she didn’t think he was at fault. From what she had observed and heard about her twin, Kat had done some despicable things to his children. Because of this, Camilla was drawn to his family. She wanted to show James and Lizzy a caring side, and to do anything she could to gain Malcolm’s trust.
Although she really shouldn’t feel attracted to Malcolm. Eventually she would discover those illegal things her sister had hinted about, and at that time, she would have him arrested. As soon as she accomplished this, she would take his adorable children and raise them as her own.
But the more Camilla thought of this plan, the more her heart crumbled. For some odd reason, she didn’twantto discover he was doing something unlawful. The fluttering emotions in her belly and the tingling in her bosom—caused by Malcolm—were new and powerful. Against her own principles, she had enjoyed the way he looked at her with his smoldering gaze.
She glanced behind her to see Timothy crouched over his horse, eager to catch up. She slowed her horse until her servant rode beside her. She had already informed him about why she played her twin sister’s role. Eager to help, Timothy had told her she could count on his assistance.
“Mistress?” he asked, out of breath. “Where are we going now?”
“There is one last town we can try, but I fear, because we have had no luck thus far, that our trip has been for naught. We will travel home after I visit a few more shops.”
“I promise to do all I can to help you, but I fear being on the horse this long has bruised my backside.”
Guilt tightened her chest. She should have thought of poor Timothy’s frail body and perhaps taken the carriage. But horses were faster than a carriage, and she didn’t want to be gone all day.
“Forgive me for torturing you this way, but when we return home, I’ll let you rest the remainder of the day.”
“Bless you, mistress.”
As they came into town, she ran her hand over the package inside the saddlebag. After she had purchased the jewel-encrusted dagger, she changed her mind about selling it, and instead wanted to give it to Malcolm, hoping she would gain his trust quicker. But after the jolt of pleasure she had received from his soft touch and heated gaze this morning, she’d quickly changed her mind again.
The last thing Camilla needed right now was for the doctor to inform Malcolm his wife had died and debts needed to be paid. At least giving the doctor some money would keep him quiet for a little while longer.
Another hour later, and after being turned away from yet another store, tears stung her eyes. Panic edged its way into her mind. Would she ever get the money to pay Kat’s bills? Needless to say, she would have to collect money in a different way. Now she must pick up the small amount of pride she still had and return to Malcolm’s house.
