“And you really want me to believe you don’t appreciate having men look at you as if you’re the loveliest creature they’ve ever seen?” His hand dropped from her hair and rested on her shoulder where his thumb gently caressed.
“Stop it.” She stomped her foot in irritation. “I would like you to cease telling me these things. I’ve never had a man gaze upon me in such a way, except when he was drunk. I’m not used to men of nobility thinking I’m pretty. Mr. Seton—”
“Please, call me Calvin,” he whispered huskily.
“Fine…Calvin. You are putting thoughts and images into my head, and I don’t like it one bit. I don’t want to think I can have a better life, because one of these days it’s going to be snatched away, and I’ll be miserable. At least before, I was ignorant in my misery.”
He took her hand in his, still keeping it to his chest. “Why do you think this life will be snatched from you?”
“Because…” Her chest clenched with pain. “Because things like this don’t happen to women like me. It didn’t happen for my mother when she fell in love with a nobleman, and it’s not going to happen to me.” She scowled. “I had to see the agony on my mother’s face when a gentleman passed through town and showed her a little interest then walked away just as fast as he’d entered. I remember the years of hurt my mother went through knowing the grandfather of her only daughter would treat us like outcasts.” She took a breath. “Calvin, you’re putting ideas in my head and I want you to stop.”
“Are you certain you want me to stop?” He lifted his hand to her cheek and caressed.
“Y—yes. And I want you to stop trying to charm me with your pretty words. I am not a beautiful woman, and I am certainly not desirable, as you tried to tell me the last time we were together.”
Slowly, he shook his head. “What if I think differently? What if I happen to think you are a very desirable and lovely woman? I understand you may not think highly of yourself, but I can assure you, I have never known a more remarkable woman.” With both hands, he cupped her face. “And, just like you, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since we met.”
Oh, good grief! Why did he have to say that? And why did he have to look so sincere at the same time?
Perhaps coming to his room to talk was a very bad thing, indeed.
Chapter Eight
Calvin knew she really shouldn’t be in his room, yet he was reluctant to tell her to leave. Being close to her like this reminded him of how he enjoyed holding her—how he had cherished their first kiss and couldn’t wait for another one.
And here she stood in her nightgown and wrapper. It was as if the stars aligned perfectly in the heavens and fate was on his side, because even the companion wouldn’t be disturbing their privacy tonight.
“Calvin, you shouldn’t say such a thing.” The tone of her voice wasn’t as sharp as it had been moments ago.
“I can’t help it. With you so near, it makes me want to touch you.” He bent his head closer to hers while he continued to hold her face.
She clutched his hands, and for a second he thought she meant to remove them. But she didn’t. Desire coated her blue eyes as they focused on his mouth. His heartbeat accelerated. She wanted this as badly as he did, despite her words earlier. Perhaps she was as confused as he was. But unlike Dorothy, when Calvin became confused, he didn’t cover it with anger.
He brushed his lips across hers. Hesitating…prolonging the excitement building inside him.
“Calvin,” she whispered. “Why are you doing this to me?”
Smiling, he slid his hands down her neck as he rubbed his cheek against hers. “Pray, tell me what exactly I’m doing?”
She closed her eyes. “You’re making me want things that aren’t possible. You’re bringing my mind and body more alive than it’s ever been before.”
He kissed her eyelids. “Dorothy, my lovely, this is a
“Stop it.” She stomped her foot in irritation. “I would like you to cease telling me these things. I’ve never had a man gaze upon me in such a way, except when he was drunk. I’m not used to men of nobility thinking I’m pretty. Mr. Seton—”
“Please, call me Calvin,” he whispered huskily.
“Fine…Calvin. You are putting thoughts and images into my head, and I don’t like it one bit. I don’t want to think I can have a better life, because one of these days it’s going to be snatched away, and I’ll be miserable. At least before, I was ignorant in my misery.”
He took her hand in his, still keeping it to his chest. “Why do you think this life will be snatched from you?”
“Because…” Her chest clenched with pain. “Because things like this don’t happen to women like me. It didn’t happen for my mother when she fell in love with a nobleman, and it’s not going to happen to me.” She scowled. “I had to see the agony on my mother’s face when a gentleman passed through town and showed her a little interest then walked away just as fast as he’d entered. I remember the years of hurt my mother went through knowing the grandfather of her only daughter would treat us like outcasts.” She took a breath. “Calvin, you’re putting ideas in my head and I want you to stop.”
“Are you certain you want me to stop?” He lifted his hand to her cheek and caressed.
“Y—yes. And I want you to stop trying to charm me with your pretty words. I am not a beautiful woman, and I am certainly not desirable, as you tried to tell me the last time we were together.”
Slowly, he shook his head. “What if I think differently? What if I happen to think you are a very desirable and lovely woman? I understand you may not think highly of yourself, but I can assure you, I have never known a more remarkable woman.” With both hands, he cupped her face. “And, just like you, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since we met.”
Oh, good grief! Why did he have to say that? And why did he have to look so sincere at the same time?
Perhaps coming to his room to talk was a very bad thing, indeed.
Chapter Eight
Calvin knew she really shouldn’t be in his room, yet he was reluctant to tell her to leave. Being close to her like this reminded him of how he enjoyed holding her—how he had cherished their first kiss and couldn’t wait for another one.
And here she stood in her nightgown and wrapper. It was as if the stars aligned perfectly in the heavens and fate was on his side, because even the companion wouldn’t be disturbing their privacy tonight.
“Calvin, you shouldn’t say such a thing.” The tone of her voice wasn’t as sharp as it had been moments ago.
“I can’t help it. With you so near, it makes me want to touch you.” He bent his head closer to hers while he continued to hold her face.
She clutched his hands, and for a second he thought she meant to remove them. But she didn’t. Desire coated her blue eyes as they focused on his mouth. His heartbeat accelerated. She wanted this as badly as he did, despite her words earlier. Perhaps she was as confused as he was. But unlike Dorothy, when Calvin became confused, he didn’t cover it with anger.
He brushed his lips across hers. Hesitating…prolonging the excitement building inside him.
“Calvin,” she whispered. “Why are you doing this to me?”
Smiling, he slid his hands down her neck as he rubbed his cheek against hers. “Pray, tell me what exactly I’m doing?”
She closed her eyes. “You’re making me want things that aren’t possible. You’re bringing my mind and body more alive than it’s ever been before.”
He kissed her eyelids. “Dorothy, my lovely, this is a
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