The toes of her white satin slippers and her fine white stockings were smeared with ugly red stains. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I need to take your slippers off, and your feet have swollen to twice their size.” Damn it, her toes could be crushed.
“It looks worse than it is, I’m sure.”
But her voice was shaky, and when Lachlan glanced at her face, he could see she’d gone pale. His jaw went hard and his thighs tensed, and she must have noticed it, because she tried to slide her feet off his lap. “You look angry. Perhaps this isn’t a good idea, Lachlan.”
He cupped one of her heels in his palm to still her. “It’s all right. I’m not angry. I won’t even scowl.”
Hewasangry. He was bloody furious, but she didn’t need him falling into a rage right now. She was hurt, and in more pain than she was letting on. He wasn’t calm, gentle or patient, but for Hyacinth, he’d do his best.
“Settle back against the sofa, and try and relax. I know it’s difficult.” He rubbed his palm back and forth across one of her ankles in a slow, soothing motion until he felt some of the tension drain from her. “There. That’s better.”
She sighed, and let her head fall back against the sofa’s arm. “That feels…nice.”
Lachlan thought so, too. Fartoonice.
He cleared his throat. “I want to take off your slippers before your feet swell any more. Will you let me do that? You’ll feel better when the silk isn’t cutting into your skin, but it’s, ah…it’s going to hurt when I take them off.”
“It already hurts.” She lifted her head and gave him a wan smile. “So you may as well go ahead.”
He nodded. “Rest your head against the sofa again, and close your eyes.”
She obeyed, and after a brief struggle, Lachlan managed to slip the tip of his finger between her heel and the back of her slipper. He slid it down as gently as he could, then nudged the top loose to free her toes. A small gasp of pain escaped her, but then she clamped her lips shut. Lachlan had the distinct impression she was trying to be quiet to make this easier onhim.
“There. That’s the worst of that foot done.” He resumed his steady, rhythmic stroking of her ankle until her breathing steadied. “One more,aingeal. Lie back again, and close your eyes.”
By the time he slid the second slipper free, his hands were shaking. Perspiration misted her face and neck, and she was so white, alarm shot through Lachlan. “It’s all done now. Take a deep breath.”
“Are they…how bad is it?” Her eyes were tightly closed still, as if she were afraid to look.
Lachlan studied her feet, but he couldn’t see much. “I can’t tell. Your stockings. Can you remove them?”
“Yes, all right.” She sat up, but then lay back down immediately, and what was left of the color in her face drained away entirely. “In a moment, perhaps. I’m a bit dizzy.”
“I’ll do it. That is, with your permission, I’ll take them off for you. I don’t have to lift your skirts to do it, but just slide my hands under…”
Lift your skirts?Slide my hands under?
Christ. Did he have to sound so eager?
“Yes, I—I think that would be best. That is, it’s a bit awkward for both of us, but if you’re willing…”
Willing? There wasn’t a man alive who wouldn’t be willing to slide his hands under her skirts. He was more willing than any of them, which was precisely the reason he shouldn’t be doing it.
“I wouldn’t suggest such a thing, but if the blood dries the silk will stick to it, and it will be much more painful to remove them,” she added, her cheeks reddening.
“Right, of course.” For God’s sake, she wasn’t his lover, and this wasn’t some bloody seduction. She was hurt, her head dizzy with pain, and he was sitting here like a scoundrel, thinking about untying her garters.
“Lachlan? If you’d rather not, then—”
“No, I will. You’re right. We don’t want the blood to dry. All right, then. Lie back, and…”
No! Don’t lie back.There would be no lying back of any kind while he was foraging around under her skirts for her garters.
“This will only take a moment.” He fumbled about, his fingers clumsy, but at last he managed to slide his hands under her hems. Smooth silk over warm skin filled his palms, and her legs, the slender, sweet curve of her calves…
The longest moment of my life.
Chapter Fourteen
