Page 19 of Three Weeks with a Princess
When she crossed her arms under her chest, the movement pushed the plump white mounds up even higher over her bodice. Her scarf had slipped aside, and Jack fancied he might even see the edge of one nipple peeking out from behind the narrow band of lace. That lascivious hint sent a bolt of lust thrumming through his body to settle in his groin.
Argh.He’d never thought of Lia in that way and he was utterly horrified by his reaction.
He forced his gaze up to her face. The fury and hurt he saw in her eyes immediately dampened any misplaced ardor on his part.
“I’m sorry you find the notion so repugnant,” she said tightly. “Of course I realize I can’t hold a candle to all the fine ladies you’re accustomed to consorting with in London.”
“Good God. I don’t consort with fine ladies,” he exclaimed. “What sort of man do you take me for?”
“The regular kind. And don’t pretend you’re a virgin, Jack, or that you’ve never had an affair or slept with, well, you know.” She paused, suddenly looking uncertain. “You aren’t a virgin, are you?”
He dropped his forehead into his hand. “Lia, this is an entirely demented conversation.”
She let out a horrified gasp. “Youarea virgin. Oh, dear. I’m so sorry, Jack. This must be thoroughly embarrassing for you. Please forgive me.”
He looked up with a scowl. “It is embarrassing, but not because I’m a virgin. I am not, by the way, though that is beside the point.”
“The point seems to be that you find the notion of me as your mistress hideous beyond imagining,” she said with irritation. “Well, let me tellyouthat I’m not exactly thrilled by the notion, Jack Easton.”
“Why the hell not?” he asked before he could stop himself. “Never mind, don’t answer that. And just to be clear I don’t find you repugnant in the least. Quite the opposite, in fact.”
She blinked. “Then there is a chance youwouldconsider taking me as your mistress?”
“Christ, no!”
Lia tucked her chin down and winced. “There’s no need to yell, Jack. I’m not deaf.”
He gripped the edge of his desk and took several deep breaths, trying to steady himself. Then he pushed himself out of his chair and stalked over to the drinks cart. He poured a splash of whiskey into a crystal tumbler and tossed it back. The burn hit his stomach like a gunshot, but the jolt of heat cleared his head.
“I could use one of those,” Lia said.
“I am not giving you whiskey before you’ve had anything to eat,” Jack growled. He refused to look at her before he got himself under some semblance of control. He felt as if he’d fallen asleep and woken up in a madhouse.
“Spoilsport,” she muttered.
He tugged at the hem of his waistcoat and then turned around to face her. Lia was now twisted around in her chair, arms crossed and shoulders hunched in a sulky pose. But because she never sulked, he suspected it was a defensive posture to cover up the pain of his unintentional insult.
Whoever would have thought that refusing to take Lia as his mistress would count as an insult?
“Now, let us start over again and try to speak to each other like rational human beings,” he said.
“I’m perfectly rational. You’re the one who’s acting like an escapee from Bedlam.”
He reached for his patience, now thin as a gossamer thread. While he rummaged his brain for something sensible to say that would lower the temperature in the room, Lia sighed and pushed herself to her feet.
“I’m sorry, Jack. That was rude of me. And I don’t mean it, of course. It’s just that—”
“I hurt your feelings,” he said gently.
She gave him a sad smile that made his heart cramp. “You did, rather. I know that makes me sound like a coxcomb, and it’s not as if I truly want to be your mistress. But you made it sound like the most ridiculous thing one could imagine—as if I’m utterly repugnant, despite your claims that I’m not.”
“Don’t be silly,” he said gruffly. “It’s just that I don’t think of you that way.”
She tilted her head like an inquisitive puppy. “Just how do you think of me, Jack?”
His mind blanked again. This shouldnotbe a difficult question to answer. “Almost like a little sister, I suppose. Someone I grew up with.”
Her eyes narrowed, as if the answer didn’t please her. “I’m not your sister, Jack.”
