Page 48 of The Trouble with Tigers
Abruptly his mouth left hers. In one jerky movement, he grasped both her wrists and pulled her arms over her head. A shaft of moonlight stole through the seam of her closed shutters, illuminating Zeke’s features. He stared down at her with wild eyes.
She heard his breath, hissing through his gleaming white teeth, frozen in a half smile—or grimace.
Somehow she understood.
She, too, felt something between pleasure and pain, and a delicious hunger only Zeke could assuage. She tugged at his restraining hand, wanting to touch him.
“Christ,” he bit out, releasing her wrists as if he hadn’t even realized he held her.
She reached for him, but with lightning speed he was up on his feet. “I…this shouldn’t have happened. When I came in here I never intended…” He dragged a hand through his hair. “It’s past time I go.”
“But—”
“We’ll talk in the morning.” He sounded almost angry.
She vibrated with a need she’d never known, while he turned off his feelings as easily as one would blow out a match.
A moment later he was gone, shutting the door softly behind him.
She lay awake, a long, long time.
***
As Kitty feared, breakfast was an awkward affair—for her, at any rate. She slid a sidelong glance at Lady Lillian who chattered amiably.
If the lady noticed she carried the conversation for the three of them, Kitty couldn’t tell.
Zeke’s terse responses to his aunt’s chipper commentary could indicate nothing more than a disinclination to wake before noon.
Kitty was more inclined to believe him preoccupied with what happened last night in her bed chamber. Certainly it was all she could think about..
Lady Lillian dabbed the corners of her mouth. “Ezekiel, May I assume since the weather’s improved we’ll be setting out as soon as possible?”
Zeke responded in the affirmative, and Lillian announced her intention to gather her things in preparation.
As the lady made her exit, Kitty quickly scooped the remainder of her soft-boiled egg and salted ham into her mouth, intent on making her own escape.
Zeke cleared his throat and drummed his long fingers on the table.
Kitty chewed faster. If only she’d left the room with Lady Lillian.
“Lady Kitty, if you would be so kind, I’d like you to join me in the gardens for a brief stroll.”
She gulped down her bite, eyeing him warily. “Now?”
His velvet blue eyes flickered with amusement.
“As we’ll be leaving Hastings House within the hour, now would be preferable.”
Kitty led Zeke out to the courtyard garden. The air was soft from the previous night’s rain, and filled with the scents of rose and lavender, honeysuckle and peony. It smelled like home.
“Impressive,” he said.
“My mother’s design,” Kitty said with a smile. “She toiled here endlessly on her visits home. When I was a child she let me trail after her, until, by some miracle, I picked up a thing or two. Eventually its oversight fell to me. It looks hopelessly overgrown to me now.”
He glanced around. “I just see lush, wild flowers.”
They’d taken one of the winding gravel paths and now stood a distance from the manse.
