Page 21 of Her Daring Earl
He lifted his eyes to hers, and she was surprised to find some hurt within them.
“I don’thateyou,” she said, telling the truth. “And even if I did, I could hate you on the inside and lie with you on the outside.”
He lifted his wet hands, rubbing them over his face.
“All of the reasons you listed for us to be… intimate with one another are also the very reasons we should not be. Your family trusts me. I am trying to be a respected member of Parliament, which isn’t easy with my reputation for being something of a scoundrel.”
Eliza’s heart fell. “So, you are worried that I would cause you greater scandal.”
“Yes. No. I don’t know.”
Eliza nodded, her heart pounding as she asked the next question.
“Could you want me?”
“Am I what?”
“Are you attracted to me?” she asked, knowing that if he said no, it would wreck her, but she needed to know for then she would give up on this entirely. “Are you saying no because you feel that you would be repulsed by me?”
“Absolutely not,” he said with such conviction that she believed him and her relief washed over her like a wave. “You are… most attractive.”
“Thank goodness,” she said, smiling wider than she likely should have.
She looked around her for a moment, knowing that this was her one chance. If she walked away now, it would be easy for him to say no in passing, and then any opportunity she had to reach this goal would be ruined.
She reached behind her, grasping the tie at the bottom of her dress’s fastening and releasing it before shrugging her way out of the gown, her arms sliding through first.
“What are you doing?” he asked hoarsely.
“I am coming for a swim.”
“No, you are not.”
“Yes, I am. I am a fairly good swimmer, and the weather is quite warm.”
“Yes, but you—I am—Eliza, this is not a good idea.”
From the way he was eyeing her, however, she had a feeling that his words were at odds with his true feelings on the matter. She shed her gown and her stays, leaving just her chemise. She knew that once wet, the thin fabric would provide no barrier whatsoever, but if he said yes to her request, what did it matter?
She slipped off her shoes and stockings, setting her toes in the water, closing her eyes in welcome relief as it washed over them. Heavenly.
She began to wade in and noted that instead of backing away from her, Fitz was taking small steps toward her.
“Are you sure you can swim?” he asked, and she laughed.
“Of course.”
He stepped closer, holding out a hand toward her. She took it and allowed him to lead her into the water until they were standing together, an arms-length distance between them. He was breathing heavily, his eyes dark with desire.
“This is a bad idea,” he murmured, but inwardly, Eliza had already begun to celebrate, for she could tell that his reservations had begun to fall away from him.
“Don’t you love bad ideas?” she asked.
“I do,” he admitted. “But I have been trying to leave them behind.”
“Sometimes a bad idea can become the best one you have ever had,” she countered, taking a small step toward him, notingthat he was doing the same, the gap between them closing ever so slowly. “That’s where all the fun happens.”
“You are no good for me,” he murmured, lifting his fingers and running them along the side of her face as she leaned into his touch, shocked at how his caress remained on her face and yet the tremors ran through her entire body, warming her from the inside out to the cool water that surrounded them.
