Page 82 of The Wedding-Crashing Duchess

The memory alone made Augusta’s heartbeat change, “It was different. I have seen Ronan look at me countless times. He stares when he is thinking. He stares when he is annoyed. Sometimes I think he stares simply because he does not know what else to do. But this was not like that.”

Charity waited.

Augusta swallowed. “He looked at my mouth.”

“And you thought he was going to kiss you,” Charity said.

Augusta nodded.

“And did you want him to?”

Augusta looked at her sister and realized that lying would be pointless.

“Yes.”

Temperance’s expression softened almost instantly. Alethea came nearer, and Charity’s thumb moved gently across Augusta’s gloved hand.

Augusta laughed nervously. “There. I have said it. Are you all satisfied?”

“Not remotely,” Temperance replied, though affection had replaced the mischief in her voice. “But I am trying very hard to behave.”

Charity smiled. “What happened?”

“He did not kiss me. He remembered the mark on my face, wiped it away, and stepped back. Then I went upstairs.”

Temperance stared. “That man requires assistance.”

Alethea laughed.

“What?” Temperance demanded. “He was already there.”

“Perhaps he was trying to be careful.”

“That is precisely the problem with men when they decide to be careful. They always choose the least convenient moment.”

Charity shook her head. “Do not listen to her. I think it says something good about him that he stopped.”

Augusta knew that. That was part of the problem.

If Ronan had simply kissed her, perhaps she could have blamed everything on surprise. Instead, he had stopped himself, and she had spent half the night thinking about the restraint it must have taken.

“He promised me time,” Augusta said. “On our wedding night. He told me we did not need to rush anything and that he wanted us to become friends first. I think perhaps he remembered that.”

Alethea nodded. “That would make sense.”

Temperance leaned back. “It is very noble. I still wish he had kissed you.”

“So do I,” Augusta said before she could stop herself.

The room went silent again.

Augusta closed her eyes.

Temperance whispered, “Oh, this is much worse than I thought.”

“Do not make it sound like a disease.”

“I mean, you are in trouble.”