face heat up and her heart pound. “We can’t be alone. You shouldn’t say things
like that. It’s wrong. I-I should report you, Mr. Callahan.”
“But you won’t, will you?” He turned to look at her then, and it happened again, that
odd, compelling connection, like a beam of invisible light suffusing her and him alone.
“No.” The urge to reach up and lay her palms on his chest, lift her face, and part
her lips for a kiss was so strong, she had to fight to contain it.
Did he want to kiss her, too?
Surely he must—this feeling couldn’t be one-sided. It wasn’t something she even wanted.
It was silly of her to kiss a groom—not only would Mother be appalled; it would lead
nowhere.
But Janice wanted to. Oh, how she did!
“You’re wondering how I’ve kissed so many women.” His voice was laced with cynical
amusement. “It’s because I excel at attracting the type who needs comforting—and that’s
an awful lot of women, Lady Janice. Every town is brimming with them, women who’ve
been hurt. Who need reassurance. Who want to believe that there’s more to life than
scrubbing and child rearing, hiking up their skirts and painting their faces to please
men they don’t even like and who never thank them for anything they do.” He paused
and tipped up her chin. “But you’re not one of those women. You don’t need me.”
“Of course not.” But I want you.
She couldn’t tell him so, of course.
His gaze seared into her. Her pulse quickened at his nearness. She remembered the
feel of his hard chest, the demanding pliancy of his lips.
One side of his mouth lifted. “I still know what you’re thinking.” His voice was extra
low now, and her belly did a little flip-flop of pleasure. “But the duke’s looking
for you.”
He took a step back, and she felt the vastness of the space separating them.
Remember, he’s a groom. You’re a lady. And ne’er the twain shall meet.
She pressed down her coat. “I’ll leave, sir, but if you have any concerns at all about
Esmeralda and the puppies—or if there are any surprising developments—I expect to
be alerted. If it’s too late to send a note, put a lantern in that large arched window
facing the house.”
She wouldn’t even say please. It was meant to be an order. It was all she had, really, to defend herself against
him.
He knew full well, too. “Very well, my lady,” he murmured, his eyes lingering too
long on her to be considered proper.
She whirled around and strode down the row, her back ramrod straight, her curls jouncing.
The tips of her ears felt hot, and her fingers curled stiffly.
Why couldn’t she be cool around him?
He knew he’d gotten to her.
Again.
“Lady Janice!” he called after her.
She stopped walking but didn’t look over her shoulder. “Yes?”
She heard his boots move across the stone floor, coming closer. With every step he
took, her belly clenched tighter. When he was at her back, she felt him lift that
loose tendril of hair off her shoulder.
Was he weighing it in his hand? She wouldn’t turn to see.
“I told you that the puppies would serve to temporarily distract me from the ultimate
pleasure of getting you alone,” he said. “But you mustn’t listen when I say such things,
no matter how convincing I am.”
“Of course I don’t.” Her palms were wet when she clenched her fists. “Aren’t you satisfied
that you’ve won over all those other women? Why do you taunt me with such nonsense?”
“Good.” He dropped the curl. “Keep fighting back,” he said in her ear. “Don’t give
me an inch, because I’ll take it.” He ran a finger down the side of her face. “I’ll
take more than an inch, my lady. I’ll take it all.”
All? What did he mean by that?
Her heart pounded in her ears. She gulped and took a step forward, away from him.
“I really must be going.” Her voice sounded pinched, she knew.
“You do that,” he
like that. It’s wrong. I-I should report you, Mr. Callahan.”
“But you won’t, will you?” He turned to look at her then, and it happened again, that
odd, compelling connection, like a beam of invisible light suffusing her and him alone.
“No.” The urge to reach up and lay her palms on his chest, lift her face, and part
her lips for a kiss was so strong, she had to fight to contain it.
Did he want to kiss her, too?
Surely he must—this feeling couldn’t be one-sided. It wasn’t something she even wanted.
It was silly of her to kiss a groom—not only would Mother be appalled; it would lead
nowhere.
But Janice wanted to. Oh, how she did!
“You’re wondering how I’ve kissed so many women.” His voice was laced with cynical
amusement. “It’s because I excel at attracting the type who needs comforting—and that’s
an awful lot of women, Lady Janice. Every town is brimming with them, women who’ve
been hurt. Who need reassurance. Who want to believe that there’s more to life than
scrubbing and child rearing, hiking up their skirts and painting their faces to please
men they don’t even like and who never thank them for anything they do.” He paused
and tipped up her chin. “But you’re not one of those women. You don’t need me.”
“Of course not.” But I want you.
She couldn’t tell him so, of course.
His gaze seared into her. Her pulse quickened at his nearness. She remembered the
feel of his hard chest, the demanding pliancy of his lips.
One side of his mouth lifted. “I still know what you’re thinking.” His voice was extra
low now, and her belly did a little flip-flop of pleasure. “But the duke’s looking
for you.”
He took a step back, and she felt the vastness of the space separating them.
Remember, he’s a groom. You’re a lady. And ne’er the twain shall meet.
She pressed down her coat. “I’ll leave, sir, but if you have any concerns at all about
Esmeralda and the puppies—or if there are any surprising developments—I expect to
be alerted. If it’s too late to send a note, put a lantern in that large arched window
facing the house.”
She wouldn’t even say please. It was meant to be an order. It was all she had, really, to defend herself against
him.
He knew full well, too. “Very well, my lady,” he murmured, his eyes lingering too
long on her to be considered proper.
She whirled around and strode down the row, her back ramrod straight, her curls jouncing.
The tips of her ears felt hot, and her fingers curled stiffly.
Why couldn’t she be cool around him?
He knew he’d gotten to her.
Again.
“Lady Janice!” he called after her.
She stopped walking but didn’t look over her shoulder. “Yes?”
She heard his boots move across the stone floor, coming closer. With every step he
took, her belly clenched tighter. When he was at her back, she felt him lift that
loose tendril of hair off her shoulder.
Was he weighing it in his hand? She wouldn’t turn to see.
“I told you that the puppies would serve to temporarily distract me from the ultimate
pleasure of getting you alone,” he said. “But you mustn’t listen when I say such things,
no matter how convincing I am.”
“Of course I don’t.” Her palms were wet when she clenched her fists. “Aren’t you satisfied
that you’ve won over all those other women? Why do you taunt me with such nonsense?”
“Good.” He dropped the curl. “Keep fighting back,” he said in her ear. “Don’t give
me an inch, because I’ll take it.” He ran a finger down the side of her face. “I’ll
take more than an inch, my lady. I’ll take it all.”
All? What did he mean by that?
Her heart pounded in her ears. She gulped and took a step forward, away from him.
“I really must be going.” Her voice sounded pinched, she knew.
“You do that,” he
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