inquired. “I thought we were alone.”
“We are. Tyler is with my grandmother. I was supposed to collect him today, but things did not go as I planned. I’ll pick him up tomorrow .”
Zachary looked down at her. His gaze traveled over her face and searched her eyes. He wished she weren’t so breathtakingly beautiful. How in the world was he to keep himself in check when she had struck such a vibrate chord in him? He shook his head regretfully. “Don’t lash out at me. I’m going to pick you up. I promise you as a gentleman, I will not ravish you. I have a meal prepared in the kitchen, and I don’t want you walking on your blistered feet .”
“You want to carry me?” She acted surprised.
“Didn’t I say as much?”
“Yes, but—”
“This is not up for negotiation.”
“Fine. It’s your back.”
He leaned down and scooped her up and she linked her arms around his neck. For a moment t heir gazes locked. Damn, why did he promise not to ravish her?
“You know a girl could definitely get used to this.”
He chuckled. He had to admit she felt good in his arms, too.
Zachary had been good to his word. He remained the perfect gentleman all evening. When he didn’t annoy her, she actually found him good company. He told her about Tyler. She could tell Zachary loved his nephew by t he way his eyes lit up when he told her stories about him. Maybe Josephine Locke had been right after all: He was nice. Not to mention the sexual undercurrent she felt around him. His piercing blue eyes did her in. The way he looked at her caused a quick beat of awareness in her blood. She didn’t understand the immediate attraction, but it was there. Not a bad thing to lust after one’s own husband, but complicated when she knew she didn’t belong with him. The one meant for her was still out there and probably in her century. She just had to find a way back.
“You must be tired.”
“What?” she shook her head and looked at him.
“I’m droning on and you’re exhausted.”
“No, I’m fine. I …” Against her will , she yawned into a chuckle. “Sorry.”
He smiled. “I’m the one to apologize. I’ll show you to your room .”
He prepared the room at the top of the stairs for her. Before Gillian shut her door, she saw him enter his own room located across the hall. She should have been pleased he respected her enough to honor her wishes, but instead she felt a stab of disappointment. He didn’t even try to make advances. Then she chastised herself. What did she expect since she hit him when he had tried to kiss her, and she told him she was in love with another man?
She shut her door and leaned against it. “I need to go home and soon.”
CHAPTER FIVE
After a restless night, Gillian awoke to murmuring voices from downstairs. One voice she recognized as Zachary’s, and the other voice she heard definitely belonged to a woman. She immediately threw back the covers and slipped out of bed. She put on the dress she wore yesterday since she lacked a wardrobe full of clothes. She glanced at her wrapped feet. There was no way she was going to put on those horribly tight shoes. She’d go bare foot first. Then her eyes caught sight of her Nikes and socks by the door. She smiled. Obviously when they left the riverboat, Zachary took them with him. Bless the man for his consideration. She carefully put the socks over her wrapped feet and slipped on the comfortable tennis shoes.
The sun shone through the window, casting rays on the hardwood floor. She looked around, inspecting her chambers. Sadly, she found it to be as cold and dreary as the library. She didn’t understand it. She knew Zachary to be a passionate man if she could judge him by the way he kissed her, but it was as if this house didn’t matter to him.
The furniture, like the other rooms she had been in were beautifully carved, but the drapes and comforter were a cream color that blended into the walls. At a further glance, she noticed
“We are. Tyler is with my grandmother. I was supposed to collect him today, but things did not go as I planned. I’ll pick him up tomorrow .”
Zachary looked down at her. His gaze traveled over her face and searched her eyes. He wished she weren’t so breathtakingly beautiful. How in the world was he to keep himself in check when she had struck such a vibrate chord in him? He shook his head regretfully. “Don’t lash out at me. I’m going to pick you up. I promise you as a gentleman, I will not ravish you. I have a meal prepared in the kitchen, and I don’t want you walking on your blistered feet .”
“You want to carry me?” She acted surprised.
“Didn’t I say as much?”
“Yes, but—”
“This is not up for negotiation.”
“Fine. It’s your back.”
He leaned down and scooped her up and she linked her arms around his neck. For a moment t heir gazes locked. Damn, why did he promise not to ravish her?
“You know a girl could definitely get used to this.”
He chuckled. He had to admit she felt good in his arms, too.
Zachary had been good to his word. He remained the perfect gentleman all evening. When he didn’t annoy her, she actually found him good company. He told her about Tyler. She could tell Zachary loved his nephew by t he way his eyes lit up when he told her stories about him. Maybe Josephine Locke had been right after all: He was nice. Not to mention the sexual undercurrent she felt around him. His piercing blue eyes did her in. The way he looked at her caused a quick beat of awareness in her blood. She didn’t understand the immediate attraction, but it was there. Not a bad thing to lust after one’s own husband, but complicated when she knew she didn’t belong with him. The one meant for her was still out there and probably in her century. She just had to find a way back.
“You must be tired.”
“What?” she shook her head and looked at him.
“I’m droning on and you’re exhausted.”
“No, I’m fine. I …” Against her will , she yawned into a chuckle. “Sorry.”
He smiled. “I’m the one to apologize. I’ll show you to your room .”
He prepared the room at the top of the stairs for her. Before Gillian shut her door, she saw him enter his own room located across the hall. She should have been pleased he respected her enough to honor her wishes, but instead she felt a stab of disappointment. He didn’t even try to make advances. Then she chastised herself. What did she expect since she hit him when he had tried to kiss her, and she told him she was in love with another man?
She shut her door and leaned against it. “I need to go home and soon.”
CHAPTER FIVE
After a restless night, Gillian awoke to murmuring voices from downstairs. One voice she recognized as Zachary’s, and the other voice she heard definitely belonged to a woman. She immediately threw back the covers and slipped out of bed. She put on the dress she wore yesterday since she lacked a wardrobe full of clothes. She glanced at her wrapped feet. There was no way she was going to put on those horribly tight shoes. She’d go bare foot first. Then her eyes caught sight of her Nikes and socks by the door. She smiled. Obviously when they left the riverboat, Zachary took them with him. Bless the man for his consideration. She carefully put the socks over her wrapped feet and slipped on the comfortable tennis shoes.
The sun shone through the window, casting rays on the hardwood floor. She looked around, inspecting her chambers. Sadly, she found it to be as cold and dreary as the library. She didn’t understand it. She knew Zachary to be a passionate man if she could judge him by the way he kissed her, but it was as if this house didn’t matter to him.
The furniture, like the other rooms she had been in were beautifully carved, but the drapes and comforter were a cream color that blended into the walls. At a further glance, she noticed
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