Page 64 of Scandalous Heiress
“Good for her.”
She faced him fully and grinned.
“That’s better.”
“What is?”
He lifted a finger to draw a circle.“You can relax.We are in public.A ride.A walk, if you care to.I don’t bite.”
“I’m not accustomed to this.”She might as well tell him everything.“I don’t have suitors take me driving.”
“I’m shocked.No men have pursued you?”
“They have.Did.But I didn’t enjoy it.”
One corner of his mouth curved up and he folded his hands in his lap.“Ah, then.You enjoy me.Gratifying.”
“Don’t become too confident.”
He feigned submission.“I won’t.Tell me about the others.”
“Is this proper?”
“I’m sitting here.You’re sitting there—”
“No, I mean that you ask me such things.That we are being so forward with each other.I’ve never talked with a suitor…or any man for that matter, who was interested in me as if—”
“As if?”
“As if you are courting me.”
He lifted a hand.“I don’t wish to conceal my interest in you, Ada.That’s for boys who have no courage to declare what they want.”
Every nerve in her body tingled.She shifted as her breasts hardened.Her nipples peaked.Her belly swam with heat and wet desire.
His eyes turned a dark intriguing blue green.As if he knew what happened to her.“Tell me about your previous beaux, Ada.Tell me how they did not suit.”
“I didn’t give them encouragement.That was easy because they were nervous.Coy.Sent me flowers and sweets.Wrote me poetry.”
“Well, then I certainly will send you no flowers.Nor candy.”
“But poetry?”she challenged him.
“My darling, you’d hate to hear what I could do with poetry.”
“Nonetheless.”She waved a hand, subduing her shiver of delight that he’d called her his darling.“Do try.It’s good for the mind to stretch your skills.”
He leveled his eyes on her—and the need to sit closer to him ran through her like good wine.“Let’s see.‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?’I’d try but then I’d melt away.”
“Stop.”She thrust up a hand.“No poetry from you, dear sir.”
“I am relieved.”
“Me, too!”She laughed.
“Instead, I will send you yards of silk from my warehouse.Blue to match your eyes.Combs of white jade for your hair.And pearls to be strung for your ears and your throat.”
“Those are…” She could barely speak, so intimate were his words.“Very personal gifts.”
