Read Online Beguiling the Earl by Suzanna Medeiros - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Suzanna Medeiros
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as he bent to light a lamp. She saw then that they were in his study.
The tension in the room, already heavy with what lay unspoken between them, only increased when he straightened and turned to face her. She’d hoped he would admit that he was pleased to see her, but the expression on his face told her he wouldn’t make such an admission easily. A muscle flexed along his jaw as he held her with his gaze for several seconds.
“What were you thinking coming here, on your own, at”—his gaze swept to the clock on his desk before returning to hers—“at two in the morning. What if someone had seen you? Your reputation would be in tatters.” He shook his head and gave a dry, humorless laugh. “Beyond that, being alone on the streets in the middle of the night is not a safe place for any woman. But one as beautiful as you…”
She went to him then, wanting only to ease his worry. She reached to take hold of his hands but froze when he stepped back to avoid her touch. Her arms dropped to her sides.
“It wasn’t far and I took great care not to be seen.”
His mouth firmed in a solid line and he seemed to struggle for words. It occurred to her that he didn’t want to ask her why she’d come. Well, if he hoped to avoid the subject of what was between them, she was not going to allow that to happen.
“You haven’t asked me why I was waiting for you.”
“I have no notion what could have happened that couldn’t have waited for the morrow.”
She sighed, exasperated with his stubborn refusal to acknowledge the obvious. “I believe you know precisely why I am here.” When he said nothing, she asked, “Are you courting Rose Hardwick?”
He looked pointedly at the clock again before answering, but she recognized the action for the delaying tactic that it was.
“Surely you’re not here at this hour to satisfy your curiosity about the latest on-dit.”
“You didn’t answer the question.”
His eyes narrowed. “Lady Worthington is a close personal friend to my mother. It is not an acquaintance I can avoid.”
She wanted to shake him. “What does that mean? That you’re merely being friendly? That there’s an understanding between your two families about you and Rose?”
He shook his head. “No, there is no such understanding. Regardless of what the Worthingtons choose to believe.”
“Do you want there to be one?” She forced the question out, not sure she wanted to know the answer anymore.
He was silent a moment before he answered. “No. I do not.”
Hope threatened to steal her breath. “Because you care for me.” She ignored him when he shook his head again. “You kissed me that night at Almack’s. Why would you do that if you didn’t care for me even a little?”
He couldn’t meet her eyes. “If you’ll wait here, I’ll arrange for a carriage to take you home.”
She believed him when he said that he didn’t wish to be with Rose Hardwick, but it was clear he was still resisting their own connection. She’d felt the evidence of his desire for her that evening at Almack’s when he’d kissed her. Beyond that, he wasn’t the type of man to lead her astray. If he didn’t care for her, he would have no difficulty telling her so.
Something was holding him back, but she suffered from no such qualms. What remained was to show him how she felt.
She untied the ribbon holding her cloak closed and turned to drape the garment over a chair. When she faced him again, she didn’t miss the fact that his eyes had been trained on her figure. The pale green gown she wore was modest, and for a moment she wished she’d changed into one of her evening dresses with a lower décolletage. Kerrick didn’t seem to mind, and the appreciation in his gaze gave her the courage to speak.
“I’m not returning home. Not yet. Perhaps later, after we’ve…” She let her voice trail off, not quite brave enough to say the words, but from his expression it was clear she didn’t need to.
When he
The tension in the room, already heavy with what lay unspoken between them, only increased when he straightened and turned to face her. She’d hoped he would admit that he was pleased to see her, but the expression on his face told her he wouldn’t make such an admission easily. A muscle flexed along his jaw as he held her with his gaze for several seconds.
“What were you thinking coming here, on your own, at”—his gaze swept to the clock on his desk before returning to hers—“at two in the morning. What if someone had seen you? Your reputation would be in tatters.” He shook his head and gave a dry, humorless laugh. “Beyond that, being alone on the streets in the middle of the night is not a safe place for any woman. But one as beautiful as you…”
She went to him then, wanting only to ease his worry. She reached to take hold of his hands but froze when he stepped back to avoid her touch. Her arms dropped to her sides.
“It wasn’t far and I took great care not to be seen.”
His mouth firmed in a solid line and he seemed to struggle for words. It occurred to her that he didn’t want to ask her why she’d come. Well, if he hoped to avoid the subject of what was between them, she was not going to allow that to happen.
“You haven’t asked me why I was waiting for you.”
“I have no notion what could have happened that couldn’t have waited for the morrow.”
She sighed, exasperated with his stubborn refusal to acknowledge the obvious. “I believe you know precisely why I am here.” When he said nothing, she asked, “Are you courting Rose Hardwick?”
He looked pointedly at the clock again before answering, but she recognized the action for the delaying tactic that it was.
“Surely you’re not here at this hour to satisfy your curiosity about the latest on-dit.”
“You didn’t answer the question.”
His eyes narrowed. “Lady Worthington is a close personal friend to my mother. It is not an acquaintance I can avoid.”
She wanted to shake him. “What does that mean? That you’re merely being friendly? That there’s an understanding between your two families about you and Rose?”
He shook his head. “No, there is no such understanding. Regardless of what the Worthingtons choose to believe.”
“Do you want there to be one?” She forced the question out, not sure she wanted to know the answer anymore.
He was silent a moment before he answered. “No. I do not.”
Hope threatened to steal her breath. “Because you care for me.” She ignored him when he shook his head again. “You kissed me that night at Almack’s. Why would you do that if you didn’t care for me even a little?”
He couldn’t meet her eyes. “If you’ll wait here, I’ll arrange for a carriage to take you home.”
She believed him when he said that he didn’t wish to be with Rose Hardwick, but it was clear he was still resisting their own connection. She’d felt the evidence of his desire for her that evening at Almack’s when he’d kissed her. Beyond that, he wasn’t the type of man to lead her astray. If he didn’t care for her, he would have no difficulty telling her so.
Something was holding him back, but she suffered from no such qualms. What remained was to show him how she felt.
She untied the ribbon holding her cloak closed and turned to drape the garment over a chair. When she faced him again, she didn’t miss the fact that his eyes had been trained on her figure. The pale green gown she wore was modest, and for a moment she wished she’d changed into one of her evening dresses with a lower décolletage. Kerrick didn’t seem to mind, and the appreciation in his gaze gave her the courage to speak.
“I’m not returning home. Not yet. Perhaps later, after we’ve…” She let her voice trail off, not quite brave enough to say the words, but from his expression it was clear she didn’t need to.
When he
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