Page 87 of A Duke for Stealing
Everett raised a brow in confusion, then followed her line of sigh. Sure enough, his hand was resting on her lower back. He hadn’t even realized he was doing so.
“I thought it would be best that we play our parts,” he lied, “as you said, we need to show ourselves as a loving couple.”
“Perhaps not that loving,” Rose muttered under her breath. “Do remove your hand. It is growing quite bothersome.”
It took more effort than Everett expected to draw his hand away from her warmth, and the moment he did, he felt his body beg to reconnect with her. The cold stare he got from Rose, however, told him that it was not preferred. His heart aching, Everett drew his empty hand into a fist and placed it behind his back, holding it tight with his other hand as if it would wander back to Rose on its own if given the chance.
“As you wish,” he murmured.
Rose chortled as she fanned her face.
“As if you care what I wish,” she replied behind her fan.
Everett winced at her words. They came with a sting he well deserved. He needed to figure himself out once and for all, before the woman next to him shut him out entirely.
Just say it. Accept it. You love her!
“You look beautiful tonight,” he said instead, casting yet another look at how well her rose pink gown fit her.
“Do not,” Rose whispered, then frowned as she threw the smallest glance toward him.
“You are my wife,” Everett replied, “I am allowed to say such things to you.”
A look of hurt traveled through Rose’s eyes as she fanned her face faster.
“I wish you would not say such things to me,” she whispered.
“Why not? It is the truth.” Everett replied, leaning closer. “And it is also true that you are by far the most beautiful woman here.”
“Everett!” She whispered hastily, ceasing her fanning, “I implore you, stop! I cannot take this! Can you not see that I am attempting to respect the new boundaries you have put in place for me?”
Everett winced. Boundarieshehad put in place for her. The harsh truth was a stringent slap to his face, and all attempts at flirtation ceased. He had done this. To her. To himself. He had taken his lovely, perfect Rose- and crushed her.
“We should…we truly must talk, Rose,” Everett replied. He could hear the begging tone in his voice and did not care. He’d go on his knees if he had to. If that was what it took to make her understand.
“The things I said before. About our marriage-”
“Do.Not,”Rose commanded, her whispered voice breaking as her eyes grew glassy. “Not here. Not anywhere. You have spoken your peace. You have made it clear that you do not lo-”
Her whispered voice hitched, and Rose snapped her fan open again and laid it just below her eyes.
“You donotlove me,” she breathed, finishing out her sentence.
It’s not true. I lied. Rose. Please hear me.
Still, Rose was right. They were among theton.It was not the proper place for a conversation. Worst of all, he had spoken his peace- and it had obviously, devastatingly, broken her heart.
Everett bowed his head, acquiescing to her damnation, and took a respectful step back.
“Apologies, darling,” he offered. “You are right. About everything.”
Rose’s brows tensed as her eyes reddened with unshed tears, and his heart broke when he heard a small sniffle come from behind her fan-hid face. It was as if his admitting she was in the right was somehow worse than his flirtation.
“You are insufferable,” she whispered, wrenching her eyes away from him.
“Rose?” Ophelia asked worriedly as she approached. She cast a quick, narrowed gaze at Everett, and he winced. He supposed he deserved her condemnation as well.
“What ails you, darling?” Ophelia asked, her tone gentle as she touched Rose’s shoulder.
