“Freddie told me,” she explained. “Well, just the bit about you not having proposed. I think even she lacks a direct line to your brain,” Phoebe added with another one of those coy smiles he wanted to devour.
“Then I suppose I don’t mind being the object of society gossip for once.”
As Will moved to kiss her, this time Phoebe leaned back. “So… you are unattached then?”
He swallowed. “I am.”
But I don’t want to be.
The thought flared through him, but he couldn’t manage to say the words. Phoebe’s casual manner gave him pause. For all his wealth, power, and renown, Will found he was rather desperate. Desperate for her.
This time, when he moved to kiss her, she didn’t resist. Will wrapped her in his arms as she melted under his lips, giving herself up to him.
Ever since he walked into that police station, Phoebe had dominated him: his thoughts, his actions, his whole bloody life. It was only during these stolen embraces with her that he felt remotely in control. And even that changed from one moment to the next.
She sighed against his mouth and Will grew rock hard. As he shifted in his seat, Phoebe responded by nestling deeper into his lap. His fingers tightened over her soft thighs and he had to stop himself from digging into her tender flesh. From marking her as his own like some boorish lout.
The carriage suddenly rocked to a halt and they jolted apart. For a moment they simply stared at one another in a daze as they both caught their breath. Will then managed to pull back the curtain and glance out onto the street.
“You’re home.” He didn’t even try to hide his disappointment.
Though every part of him cried out in protest, Will would send her on her way. It was the right thing to do. Thehonorablething.
Then Phoebe had to go and spoil it all.
“Would you like to come upstairs?” she asked. “My flatmate is away visiting family.”
Will slowly turned to her as the blood roared in his ears. He swallowed hard at the innocent look in her eyes. Had he misread the question and did she simply mean to offer him some tea and not herself? Either way, he couldn’t possibly accept.
“That is not a good idea.”
“Why?”
“Because,” he rasped. “I… I’m afraid I won’t be able to control myself.”
There. A little brutal honesty to clear the air.
She nodded slowly, as if she was considering this frankly scandalous admission.
“Is that supposed to be a deterrent? Because it isn’t working,” she said with a seductive little smile that made it perfectly clear just what exactly was on offer. And made him forget time, space, and his own name.
“Phoebe.” He tried to sound authoritative but it resembled more of a plea for mercy.
She responded by threading her fingers through his hair. “I know that you must go back to Mayfair to find your duchess, even if she won’t be Lady Gwen. But I still want…” Will’s breath caught at the partial admission. Then she let out a huff and threw up her hands in frustration. “I’ve tried ignoring it and failed miserably,” she conceded. “So perhaps it’s better to simply…”
“Explore it,” he finished.
“Just for a night,” she reasoned as she shifted her hips.Deliberately.
“You’re quite ruthless,” he said with a weak laugh, feeling like an untried lad again.
“Why thank you,” Phoebe beamed before she turned serious. “What do you think?”
Will couldn’t look away from her expectant gaze. He had certainly enjoyed dalliances before. Why should this be any different?
Because Alex would castrate him, for one.
And because you never once felt anythingcloseto this—and you haven’t even bedded her yet.
