“I thought we agreed you were never to use the word sir in association with me?”
“Of course. I apologize.”
As her gaze ducked back to her plate, he fought to squelch his rising irritation. Whether she chose to admit it or not, there was something troubling her and he intended to get to the bottom of it.
The sooner, the better . If possessiveness made up half his blood, impatience made up the other half.
“Please, Heather. Do not apologize for every little transgression,” he sighed, leaning back in his chair. “Show a little spirit.”
“Of course.”
He gritted his teeth. Something was going on beneath her chestnut curls and that something was going to drive him mad.
A maid bustled into the room to clear away the dishes, hovering as she cleared away his place. He sighed, mentally rolling his eyes over the maid’s attentions. Flattering, but tiresome just the same. He waved her away and said to Heather, “So, did you enjoy shopping?”
She nodded. “I did.”
“I take it Jameson kept a watchful eye over you?”
“He did.”
This was becoming tedious. “You are allowed more than two words per sentence, Heather.”
His scolding worked. Color flared in her cheeks, only instead of firing back at him as he’d hoped she would, she backed down. “I’m sorry.”
It would have been amusing if it wasn’t so damned frustrating. Resting an elbow on the table between them, he leaned toward her. “Am I boring you, love?”
That got a reaction. Her head jerked up, her gaze meeting his, and he was happy to see a spark of annoyance in them. “Of course not.”
“Ah, three words. It’s a small improvement, but an improvement just the same. Now please, for the love of God, will you speak to me?”
“As you wish.” She set down her scone to fold both hands in her lap. “What is it you wish to discuss?”
“This is ridiculous.” He shoved up from his chair and moved to stand before her. “Aren’t you even the slightest bit curious about America? About Brunswick? About anything?”
She pressed her lips together, obviously mulling over his words. It seemed as if she was on the verge of asking him something. Finally, she inhaled deeply and blurted, “It isn’t my place to question your wishes.”
“What?”
Her chin up, she held his stare. “I said, it’s not my place to question your wishes. I suppose I will find out all about America once we arrive there.”
At last, he was getting somewhere. “Heather, if you wish to question anything, please do so. Why do you think otherwise?”
“I think that should be quite clear.”
“Well, it isn’t.” Drew shook his head. “I am a bit confused as to this sudden change. What brought it on?”
She shrugged. “It’s how things should be.”
“How things should be, eh? Very well, I suppose it would be best to leave things alone then.”
“As you wish.”
This was wearing on his nerves; he had no desire to keep playing games. “That is what I wish. I need pay a visit to the harbor to see that preparations are underway to set sail as soon as possible.”
“Very well.”
“I expect to be back in time for supper. Please dress accordingly.”
“As I did last night, when you did not return?”
He almost smiled at the hint of temper poking through her sudden reserve. “It was unavoidable. Besides, you said it wasn’t your place to question? Didn’t you say that? So, consider yourself lucky I don’t request you to await me in my cabin stark naked.”
His amber eyes locked with hers and he felt the jolt crackle through him. Her flush returned, adorably creeping its way up along her neck. It stained her cheeks, disappeared into her hairline to set entire her face aglow with a beautiful blush. He chuckled as she dropped her gaze to the tabletop. “Of course.”
Drew left it at that, striding from the room. He slammed out of the townhouse, his voice sharp as he snapped, “Eagleton’s office,” to the driver and threw himself into
“Of course. I apologize.”
As her gaze ducked back to her plate, he fought to squelch his rising irritation. Whether she chose to admit it or not, there was something troubling her and he intended to get to the bottom of it.
The sooner, the better . If possessiveness made up half his blood, impatience made up the other half.
“Please, Heather. Do not apologize for every little transgression,” he sighed, leaning back in his chair. “Show a little spirit.”
“Of course.”
He gritted his teeth. Something was going on beneath her chestnut curls and that something was going to drive him mad.
A maid bustled into the room to clear away the dishes, hovering as she cleared away his place. He sighed, mentally rolling his eyes over the maid’s attentions. Flattering, but tiresome just the same. He waved her away and said to Heather, “So, did you enjoy shopping?”
She nodded. “I did.”
“I take it Jameson kept a watchful eye over you?”
“He did.”
This was becoming tedious. “You are allowed more than two words per sentence, Heather.”
His scolding worked. Color flared in her cheeks, only instead of firing back at him as he’d hoped she would, she backed down. “I’m sorry.”
It would have been amusing if it wasn’t so damned frustrating. Resting an elbow on the table between them, he leaned toward her. “Am I boring you, love?”
That got a reaction. Her head jerked up, her gaze meeting his, and he was happy to see a spark of annoyance in them. “Of course not.”
“Ah, three words. It’s a small improvement, but an improvement just the same. Now please, for the love of God, will you speak to me?”
“As you wish.” She set down her scone to fold both hands in her lap. “What is it you wish to discuss?”
“This is ridiculous.” He shoved up from his chair and moved to stand before her. “Aren’t you even the slightest bit curious about America? About Brunswick? About anything?”
She pressed her lips together, obviously mulling over his words. It seemed as if she was on the verge of asking him something. Finally, she inhaled deeply and blurted, “It isn’t my place to question your wishes.”
“What?”
Her chin up, she held his stare. “I said, it’s not my place to question your wishes. I suppose I will find out all about America once we arrive there.”
At last, he was getting somewhere. “Heather, if you wish to question anything, please do so. Why do you think otherwise?”
“I think that should be quite clear.”
“Well, it isn’t.” Drew shook his head. “I am a bit confused as to this sudden change. What brought it on?”
She shrugged. “It’s how things should be.”
“How things should be, eh? Very well, I suppose it would be best to leave things alone then.”
“As you wish.”
This was wearing on his nerves; he had no desire to keep playing games. “That is what I wish. I need pay a visit to the harbor to see that preparations are underway to set sail as soon as possible.”
“Very well.”
“I expect to be back in time for supper. Please dress accordingly.”
“As I did last night, when you did not return?”
He almost smiled at the hint of temper poking through her sudden reserve. “It was unavoidable. Besides, you said it wasn’t your place to question? Didn’t you say that? So, consider yourself lucky I don’t request you to await me in my cabin stark naked.”
His amber eyes locked with hers and he felt the jolt crackle through him. Her flush returned, adorably creeping its way up along her neck. It stained her cheeks, disappeared into her hairline to set entire her face aglow with a beautiful blush. He chuckled as she dropped her gaze to the tabletop. “Of course.”
Drew left it at that, striding from the room. He slammed out of the townhouse, his voice sharp as he snapped, “Eagleton’s office,” to the driver and threw himself into
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