Page 39 of A Duke Reformed
Her pulse pounded in her ears and her breath suddenly became unsteady. They had never stood this close before, close enough that she could feel the heat coming from his body. He towered over her and did not look away, making it impossible to think clearly.
"This is not a good look," she forced out, her voice lacking the sharpness she intended.
Still, he did not move. His grip on her arm was warm, solid, sending an unwelcome thrill through her veins.
"Emma," he said softly, her name rolling off his tongue like something intimate, something meant only for her. She swallowed hard, willing herself to ignore the way his voice sent a shiver through her.
"You are the first acquaintance I have made in London apart from Andrew, my business partner," he continued. "You have been a good guide through all of this and I do appreciate your lessons. I would like to think we have built a good relationship."
Emma clenched her jaw, looking away, but he pressed on.
"I am only trying to help, Ducky," he admitted. "I cannot shake off the feeling that something is bothering you. I am not one to pry, you know this. But you are not a stranger to me anymore."
Her chest ached at his words... the sincerity in them. He seemed as though he genuinely cared and that caught her off guard. It also made it all the more dangerous. She did not want such a relationship with him. She couldn't have it. It would be like standing at the edge of a cliff, knowing the fall would be devastating but unable to resist looking down.
Emma had spent too long guarding herself, too long building walls to keep emotions at bay. But Solomon's sudden kindness, his concern would put a crack in her defenses. And cracks, if left unchecked, would only widen.
She couldn't afford to see him as anything more than what he was, her employer, and a duke. Anything beyond that was a risk she was unwilling to take.
Drawing in a steadying breath, she lifted her chin. "You are reading too much into it, Your Grace," she said, her voice carefully composed. "My family matters do not concern you."
His fingers loosened, and after a moment's hesitation, he let go of her arm. The absence of his touch sent an odd shiver through her spine, but she refused to acknowledge it. Instead, she turned, ready to walk away, but his voice stopped her in her tracks.
"Have you found a suitor?"
Emma froze. His words settled over her like an anchor, making it impossible to move, or to breathe. Her lips parted, but no words came. The silence stretched between them. Her instinct screamed at her to keep him at a distance. To push him back behind the line she had so carefully drawn. But still, she said it.
"No," Emma whispered. "There's no suitor."
He exhaled, as though the very air missing between them had been caught in his lungs until that moment. The sound was soft but undeniable, and it stirred something dangerous in her. Something vulnerable and warm.
Solomon exhaled sharply and shook his head. "All right then. I won't ask you any more questions. Just... keep me informed."
Emma sighed, glancing away for a moment before finding his eyes again. "I am sorry, Your Grace," she said, softer this time. "But you know more than you think. "You are already blending in well. You have grasped the basics, and truly, that is all that matters. I am still here to advise, but our lessons can only resume after I solve this problem."
"You think I'm making an issue out of this because of the lessons, Ducky?"
Solomon studied her for a long moment as they stood, staring at each other in silence. Then, with a slow breath, he straightened. Without another word, he stepped back, giving her one last look before turning on his heel and walking away.
Emma stood frozen, watching his figure retreat through the park. She felt a pang in her chest and she swallowed. She wondered what this meant. If she even had a job to return to when all of this was all over. She tried to convince herself that this was what she wanted.
Needed.
But she couldn't understand why it felt as though she had just lost something.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Emma stood near the edge of the room, smoothing her hands over the emerald silk of her gown. The fabric was softer than she had imagined and it felt good to run her hand over it all the time. She had not wanted to come to the ball. In fact, she was in no mood for any social gatherings. But she didn't know when and where Lord Pearlton would make an appearance and make Cecilia uncomfortable again, so she had to come.
Emma massaged her chest with her fingers, still feeling the uneased that had refused to lift for the past three days. She had thought about it over and over again, how Solomon had walked away that day in the park. How the air between them had shifted, and now it felt heavy with something unspoken between them. She had not liked it, she still did not like it. The distance. The look in his eyes.
And yet, a part of her was still angry.
Why had it mattered so much to him? Why had he pressed her so hard when she had made her decision clear? What did it matter to him if she paused their lessons for a little while?
"Miss Lockhart."
The moment she turned and saw him, Emma's breath faltered.
