Page 72 of Every Rake Has A Silver Lining

The footman asked the driver, who stated it was approximately another two miles to Maidenhead. Thank goodness it was still daylight, and they would be traveling farther before spending the night. No doubt Simon would make some obscene joke about staying overnight in the unfortunately named town.

“Will we spend the night at Reading?” she asked the footman, who relayed the question to the driver, who in turn confirmed, barring any unforeseen circumstances, that was their destination for the day’s journey.

Almost a speck on the horizon, Simon finally turned and headed back.

Wind blew at Charlotte’s bonnet, catching underneath the brim and tugging it backward. She studied the sky, grateful the clouds were white and puffy rather than dark and foreboding.

Simon slowed his pace as he approached, then bent over, his hands on his knees, panting heavily. “That felt wonderful.”

Charlotte shook her head, hoping the bonnet was still firmly seated. “You are?—”

“Incorrigible. Really, Charlotte, you need to expand your vocabulary.”

She huffed. “I was going to say out of your mind.” Then shegrasped the footman’s offered hand and climbed back into the carriage.

The stretch between the impromptu stop and Maidenhead proceeded without incident—and without Simon’s constant restlessness. Once they’d changed horses at the posting inn and had some refreshment, they continued their journey in relative peace.

Indeed, once he settled himself back in the carriage next to her, he leaned his head against the squabs and fell asleep, snoring softly.

Oddly, the sound didn’t annoy her as she expected, but rather lulled her into a state of drowsiness herself. Even as she tried to read how Mr. Darcy explained Mr. Wickham’s dastardly plans for Georgiana, Charlotte’s eyelids grew heavy, and the print on the pages fuzzy.

Before she knew it, the carriage had come to a halt again, and she opened her eyes to find Simon grinning down at her like a fool, her head resting on his—ahem, broad—shoulder.

“Sleep well?”

She jerked upright. “I was simply resting.”

He laughed. “You were snoring.” He held up a hand. “A most delightful little snore, mind you.” He tilted his head and pointed a finger at her lips. “Although you do have a little drool right there.”

She slapped his finger away and quickly swiped at her mouth, then peeked down at her white gloves for a telltale sign of moisture—and found none.

“You, sir, are a liar.” She scooted away from him, only to have him follow her. His thigh brushed against her, but already pressed against the side of the carriage, she could go no farther.

“Not about the snoring.” He bumped his shoulder against hers. “Relax, Charlotte. Lots of women snore. It’s not something unique to men.”

“And how would you kno—?”Oh.

He gave an insouciant shrug but said nothing.

Curse the rogue. How could she forget about his dalliances? Did he think knowledge of his experience would win her over? Inwardly, she grinned, anticipating his disappointment.

Light within the carriage dimmed as dusk descended, making it impossible for her to continue reading. Even staring out the window was pointless when only blackness remained.

Pulling out his pocket watch, Simon said, “We should be reaching Reading soon. If we rise early tomorrow, we will make it to Swindon by late afternoon.” He stretched and yawned. “If memory serves, the inn has soft beds.”

“Separate rooms,” she said through gritted teeth.

A flash of disappointment flickered across his face, so brief she wondered if she had imagined it. “And here, I believed we were making progress after our kiss last night.”

Why did he have to bring up the kiss? Her lips tingled with the memory of his pressed against hers. Yet, she refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing how he affected her, and she balled her hands into fists. “You flatter yourself—as usual.”

“And you delude yourself.” He shrugged again. “So be it. You can only lie to yourself for so long.”

The carriage slowed, and the urge to jump out and race away as he did earlier gripped her with such ferocity, she grabbed at the cushioned seat instead, holding herself in place.

He exited first and held out his hand to assist her descent, but she refused. Unfortunately, when she stepped down, she stumbled on the uneven ground and tilted precariously.

With unmatched speed, his arm wrapped around her waist, righting and stabilizing her. “You’re safe. I won’t let you fall.” His whispered breath tickled her neck.

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