His room was quite bare compared to the greenhouse, which felt more like him. This room did not even smell like him; she could only faintly catch the scent of cloves.
‘If you’re going to snoop, at least light a candle,’ Xander said. He walked past her to the desk, reaching into a drawer for a pack of matches.
Outside the windows, the sun was setting, casting the room in dark shadows. She hadn’t even noticed.
Xander pulled out a match to light the candle when someone called for him.
‘Xander, dear!’
It was Eleanora. Bisma’s heart leapt.
‘Oh, good, Mother’s here,’ Xander said, long strides heading directly for the door. ‘We can all have tea and I can introduce you properly!’
‘No!’ Bisma cried, grabbing his arm and pulling him back. He gave her an alarmed glance, his green eyes wide, but before he could object, she shoved him into the closet, following behind him and shutting the door.
‘Xander, are you home?’ Eleanora’s voice came closer.
Bisma covered Xander’s mouth with her hand before he could consider replying.
‘I’m meeting Lady Charlotte for dinner,’ Eleanora continued, ‘but the cook’s prepared a roast and potatoes for you, so do—’ This last part she said as she knocked and opened the door. Seeing the empty room, she said, ‘Oh, I must be hearing things.’
She closed the door and left, and a few moments later, Bisma and Xander listened as the house’s front door opened and closed.
Bisma released a breath.
It was then she realized just how close she and Xander were standing; their chests were practically touching. Her hand was still over his mouth; she felt his lips brush against her palm as he shifted.
Heat bolted through her.
She snatched her hand back, trying to step away from him, but there was hardly any room, and the clothes merely pushed her right back.
‘Well, that was dramatic,’ Xander said, giving her a funny look. But then he seemed to notice how close they were, how her head tipped back so she could meet his eyes, and his voice turned husky. ‘Not that I’m complaining.’
Her heart skipped a beat.
‘You’re ridiculous,’ she breathed, trying to regain her senses. ‘Why do you have so many clothes?’
‘On? Or in my closet?’
He gave her a wolfish grin, to which she responded with an unamused glare.
‘In your closet, you idiot.’
It looked like he had seven of the same white shirts and an array of colorful waistcoats. She spotted her favorite, theemerald-green one, and almost reached out to touch it, before she recalled she was not a lovesick fool.
‘Nothing wrong with a man who cares about his appearance,’ Xander replied easily. ‘As much as I’m enjoying this, can we get out of here now? My arm is cramping.’
She didn’t dignify that with a response. Instead, Bisma threw open the closet door and hurried out, Xander close behind her.
‘Let’s get back to work,’ she said, trying to catch her breath.
18
They returned to the greenhouse and worked in silence. Bisma needed to ask about Leilani, but how to do so without arousing Xander’s suspicions? He was unnaturally nosy and would only ask a hundred questions.
‘I’ve been thinking about who might be ordering the poisons to happen,’ Bisma said, keeping her tone casual. ‘A few months ago, I gave a client a slow-release poison for her husband. What if he found out and is trying to get revenge on me?’
Xander dropped what he was working on, his wide eyes focused solely on her.
