Page 74 of The Lady Was Lying
“Your Grace. Apologies,” the innkeeper replied. “Allow me to escort you to our finest set of rooms. Two bedchambers connected by a private parlor. You and your husband can dine in peace and then?—”
“No,” she interrupted. “One room is all we require. We prefer to sleep together.”
The innkeeper swiftly inhaled, but she didn’t even flinch. James swallowed thickly. He’d already known Belinda was forceful, but witnessing the confidence she displayed when asking for what she wanted was a heady delight, and he didn’t have it in himself to argue that they needed to get back into the carriage and continue their journey.
Even though staying meant they risked being discovered.
Stepping next to her, he placed his hand against the small of her back and was immensely gratified when she leaned into him rather than moving away.
“Your Grace,” the man said, bowing as he turned his gaze toward James. “Our?—”
Belinda cut him off before he could say more. “Show us to a bedchamber we can share, or we’ll seek other accommodations.”
“Of course.” This time, the innkeeper wisely agreed, shuffling out from behind the counter and heading for the stairs. “Just this way.”
“We’d like dinner brought to us as soon as possible,” Belinda demanded as she trailed behind. “Something warm and hearty and then once we’re finished with our meal, I should like to bathe.”
“The chamber has a hip bath. I’ll see that water is heated and delivered by the time you’ve finished eating,” the innkeeper said.
“Thank you,” James responded.
“Yes. Thank you.” Belinda agreed, smiling over her shoulder at him.
The force of her smile radiated all the way to his toes.
When the innkeeper reached the second to last door in the hallway, he opened it and ushered them inside. The room was rather plain, the only color coming from the knitted blanket that stretched across the expanse of the bed, but it was clean, and the fire was already laid. The chill immediately started to dissipate after a young woman appeared in the doorway and made quick work of lighting it.
Two wooden chairs flanked a small, scratched table and one of the tiniest baths he’d ever seen was pushed into the corner closest to the door. They would be undoubtedly cozy for the evening, unable to avoid the intimacy that Belinda seemed determined to explore.
“I’ll have my son collect your bags and bring them up,” the innkeeper said.
“No need,” Belinda replied, unaware of how well he’d prepared. “We?—”
“Our belongings will be delivered to us by our coachman,” James interrupted. It hadn’t taken him much to convince Jane to pack a trunk for Belinda. “Just point him in our direction.”
“Excellent,” the other man said.
“We appreciate your hospitality,” James added.
“Of course, Your Grace.” The man bowed and backed away, following the young woman out of the room and pulling the door closed behind him.
“One bedchamber? One bed?” James raised his brow, attempting to appear composed while he was anything but.
She grinned. “Ravishment requires proximity.”
Her words made him uncomfortably aware of the scrape of his clothes against this skin. How marvelous would it be to strip off the layers of fabric covering them both? “I wasn’t intending to ravish you,” he managed to say.
“Ever?” she asked.
“Today,” he clarified. He didn’t require a mirror to confirm that he was blushing. The heat in his cheeks provided ample evidence.
Without drawing attention to his obvious embarrassment, she slipped off her pelisse and draped it over one of the chairs before sitting down on the bed and removing her right boot. “There’s no time like the present.”
“It isn’t necessary for us to rush,” he stammered. “We can progress as slowly as you’re comfortable with.”
“I don’t want to progress slowly. I’m more prepared for my first time than any other woman alive,” she declared, wrenching her left boot off and placing it on the floor next to the other.
With the way she had approached kissing, he’d assumed he’d have to be patient and allow her to grow used to the blossoming passion between them before they explored further. Apparently, he had been wrong. At some point, he should probably get used to being surprised by her.
