Page 64 of When a Duke Loves a Woman
He grinned. “I wouldn’t want to play cards with you.”
“You’d lose if you did.”
“Would I? That may be a challenge I’ll have to accept.”
She wished she’d offered another challenge, had dared him to kiss her again, to take her hand and lead her away from here into darker shadows, press his mouth to hers and rekindle the fires he’d begun the first time. They hadn’t extinguished completely, but remained glowing embers that could again flare up into a consuming conflagration with very little effort.
“How is your head?” he asked.
“A bit sore if I touch it. I strive not to touch it. And how are you faring? After the missive you received yesterday... it had to have been a devastating blow and last night I didn’t even think to ask how you were holding up.” Perhaps because quite selfishly, her first thought had been, “He can’t possibly marry her now.” As though his being free of her somehow made these unwanted feelings for him swirling around inside her not quite so improper. Not that there could ever be anything proper between her and a duke, but if something improper were to happen it wouldn’t be quite so improper.
“Last night our focus was on more important things, and rightfully so.”
“Ensuring I didn’t sleep. You’re avoiding the question.”
“To be quite honest, I’m a bit relieved as her reasons for not walking down the aisle were not because of any fault she found with me—other than she could not find it within herself to love me more than she did this other fellow.”
“But then you did not love her.”
He nodded slowly. “That is true. Land, not love, bound us, and she found it a poor substitute, I suppose, when it came right down to it.”
“Do you have any idea who this other bloke is?”
“No. Her letter was short and to the point, although her brother did confess that in her youth she had been friendly with a commoner.”
A commoner who quite possibly lived or worked in Whitechapel. That was an interesting tidbit she would store away.
“While I intend to place an announcement in theTimes, I don’t know that she’ll have access to the newspaper, and I need to get word to her that things between us are over. That she can return home without fear of being forced to wed me. I’ve informed her brother to those facts and I need to alert her. But I haven’t a clue how to go about it. Her missive came without a hint as to where she might be residing.”
She wished it didn’t please her so much to know he was definitely not going through with the marriage. “You could have handbills printed up, alerting her regarding her change of status. Hire Robin and his mates to see them distributed. It’s one of the things he does from time to time to earn a bit of coin. He rather enjoys the task.”
“Then I shall see it done.”
“He’ll be pleased. He likes to feel useful.” As much as Finn abhorred the aristocracy, she was beginning to think they weren’t so awful after all. “I should probably get back behind the bar.”
“So soon? It appears your staff has everything well in hand.”
“They’re good workers.” But then she paid wages higher than most and that encouraged them to be.
“So good in fact I daresay they could manage for another day without you. I seem to recall when I was hovering near death—”
“You’re exaggerating how badly you were hurt.”
The rascal grinned. “I seem to recall you warning me that I was on the brink of expiring. Besides, it felt like it at the time. Anyway, I believe I promised to take you riding and give you a greater appreciation of horseflesh.”
“I’m not going to shirk my responsibilities for a day of riding.”
“You shirked them when you were caring for me.”
“That was different. You were in need.”
“I’m in need now.”
The way his eyes delved into hers made her feel as though he’d somehow managed to wrap a rope around her chest and was pulling her toward him. She thought he was flirting with her, and she knew naught about flirtation or teasing or how to go about letting a bloke know she would be receptive to a kiss, maybe even a touch of her breast, a squeeze. A strange sensation was occurring between her thighs and she had a strong urge to press up against something firm. “In need of more whisky?” she asked stupidly when some still remained in his glass, when she knew he was referring to other needs, darker needs, naughty needs.
“I need to spend more time with you. My estate is four hours away by coach. I have horses there. One is extremely gentle.”
“You want to take me to your estate?”
