Page 7 of The Lord Next Door I Wished For
But goodness…she was. She truly was.
There was confusion in her eyes, but she muttered. “Not little anymore.”
“On the contrary,” he shot back. “You haven’t grown a bit.”
He’d meant it to be teasing, but her brows drew down as if offended. “Yes, well, you’ve definitely grown.” Her gaze was assessing as it ran over him from head to toe.
He blinked. What was this? He could have sworn his skin burned everywhere those big green eyes landed.
He cleared his throat, but before he could speak, she arched a brow in clear disdain. “It’s unfortunate you grew up to be just like your father.”
Oof.That…hurt. There was no use denying it. That one simple phrase caught him unawares and landed like a blow.
He looked away to hide his wince because…he supposed hehadsounded a bit like his father when he’d berated her.
“Stay out of my path, indeed,” she huffed under her breath, hitching up her skirts as if to flee.
His heart gave a rather dramatic leap as he reached for her arm to stop her. “You’re here alone.”
It came out sounding like an accusation.
She frowned and looked pointedly at his hand on her arm.
But now he was frowning too, his earlier irritation back in spades. He’d been annoyed by this girl’s reckless behavior before, and now he was livid.
He pointedly lowered his voice and strove for control. The last thing they needed was to draw attention to themselves. “Jane Wrightmore, did you really come to this masquerade unchaperoned?”
Her expression was mulish, and that stubborn look was at once so familiar but so new, he didn’t know whether he wanted to scold her or fall over laughing or…or…
Or kiss her.
He blinked in surprise. No, not surprise. Horror.
This was Jane to whom he was talking. Jane who was muttering some excuse about having a maid about here somewhere…
Jane who’d come here looking for him?
Could that be right?
Blast. He still felt twelve steps behind what was happening here. She’d caught him off guard, and now he scrambled to keep up.
“Why did you come here tonight?” Admittedly, his tone was too harsh. The words filled with anger.
But hewasangry that she’d take such a risk, and all to see him. And also…
There was alarm there when she wouldn’t meet his gaze. Panic surged up right alongside anger and he felt his control slipping fast. “Jane, are you in trouble?”
She blinked up at him rapidly. “Am I…no. No of course not.” And then… “Well, no more so than usual, I suppose.”
Once more he didn’t know whether to laugh or shout. He ended up scrubbing a hand over his face, trying his best to concentrate.
But truly, he’d been traveling for nigh on a fortnight now to get back home to his mother and all the duties that awaited him as the new marquess. The weight of his new responsibilities made him suddenly much too tired.
Had he really thought it would be wise to have one last hurrah while he was in London?
Jane was eyeing him warily.
He took a deep breath and let out a sharp exhale before trying again. “Jane, did you come here to find me?”
