best idea he had ever had. He did find her more attractive than he should.
He kicked Lucarno into a gallop, attempting to run from that very thought. He liked his life as it was. There was no need to take a wife yet.
Damnation. Eternal damnation.
There were plenty of good reasons not to marry Pixie. She thought him old and arrogant, most likely thought of him as a parent figure, too, thanks to the guardianship. He grimaced. Virginia had hinted he could change Pixie’s mind, but he wasn’t going to change anything. He liked their little discordant rubs. He liked that she’d stopped being agreeable.
Jack imagined the dressing down Pixie was waiting to give him when she got the chance. With luck, Virginia would be occupied elsewhere long enough for the sparks to truly fly. He could imagine the little woman’s aggressive scowl, lightning quick fingers flashing to illustrate her point.
Perhaps she’d touch him again. The sensation of Pixie’s fingers rubbing against his chest had affected him. Overwhelmed by the sublime scent she wore, that touch had sparked something else. Something he hadn’t wanted to admit to. A reaction, if he was honest with himself, he’d been fighting for quite some time. He lusted after the pint-sized woman.
His Pixie—he’d even given her the nickname.
Shocked at his own thoughts, he pulled on the reins and stopped again. Dear God, he couldn’t want Pixie like this.
“What the devil are you doing?”
Jack glanced up. A rider on the ugliest mount he’d ever viewed regarded him from the nearby stand of trees.
He groaned. “Riding. What are you doing, Hallam?”
“Waiting for you to stop talking to yourself in public and move your horse in a forward direction. Are you aware that you have been riding in circles for the last half hour? Lucarno is going to throw you if you don’t start paying attention.”
Jack glanced around at the same park scenery.
Hallam chuckled. “Must be a large problem you’re contemplating. Are you going to return home now? Lucarno looks to have exercised enough for one day.”
Annoyed by his preoccupation, Jack shook the reins and joined Hallam under the trees. “Yes, I’m done for now.”
Hallam tapped Jack’s boot with his riding crop. “Good. I thought for a moment someone was going to have to die before you stopped.”
“Not yet.” But close enough, if he listened to what his body wanted. Pixie would surely be the death of him.
Luckily, Hallam didn’t ask what problem he’d been wrestling with. Their simple conversation blocked out his disturbing thoughts until they were crossing to the house. Virginia and Pixie stood in the garden. He slowed his steps, cursing his lack of planning. He had no idea what he was going to say to Pixie after yesterday’s outburst. How could he explain his reaction without appearing an utter fool?
Virginia straightened at the sound of their booted feet crunching across the gravel. She scowled when she saw Hallam. Then her shoulders squared, the stubborn, family jaw clenched tight.
“Good morning, sister. Look who I ran into.” Jack kissed Virginia’s offered cheek, but she dismissed him with the barest glance, electing to keep her gaze trained on Hallam.
“Lady Orkney.”
Given the belligerent tone in Hallam’s greeting, Jack braced himself for trouble. Hallam stepped close to Virginia, but she did not extend her hand, or offer her cheek to their old friend and neighbor. Instead, his sister dusted her clean fingers with a rag, ignoring Hallam.
“My lord, so good to see that you still know the direction of London. Perhaps you could consult a map again to find your way home to Parkwood. I have heard your mother only has a dim recollection of your features.” Virginia laughed. “She mistook a gardener for you just last month.”
Hallam stepped back. Hallam had disliked the man Virginia had married even before the damage was done. With Orkney dead and unlamented, Hallam didn’t bother to hide his
He kicked Lucarno into a gallop, attempting to run from that very thought. He liked his life as it was. There was no need to take a wife yet.
Damnation. Eternal damnation.
There were plenty of good reasons not to marry Pixie. She thought him old and arrogant, most likely thought of him as a parent figure, too, thanks to the guardianship. He grimaced. Virginia had hinted he could change Pixie’s mind, but he wasn’t going to change anything. He liked their little discordant rubs. He liked that she’d stopped being agreeable.
Jack imagined the dressing down Pixie was waiting to give him when she got the chance. With luck, Virginia would be occupied elsewhere long enough for the sparks to truly fly. He could imagine the little woman’s aggressive scowl, lightning quick fingers flashing to illustrate her point.
Perhaps she’d touch him again. The sensation of Pixie’s fingers rubbing against his chest had affected him. Overwhelmed by the sublime scent she wore, that touch had sparked something else. Something he hadn’t wanted to admit to. A reaction, if he was honest with himself, he’d been fighting for quite some time. He lusted after the pint-sized woman.
His Pixie—he’d even given her the nickname.
Shocked at his own thoughts, he pulled on the reins and stopped again. Dear God, he couldn’t want Pixie like this.
“What the devil are you doing?”
Jack glanced up. A rider on the ugliest mount he’d ever viewed regarded him from the nearby stand of trees.
He groaned. “Riding. What are you doing, Hallam?”
“Waiting for you to stop talking to yourself in public and move your horse in a forward direction. Are you aware that you have been riding in circles for the last half hour? Lucarno is going to throw you if you don’t start paying attention.”
Jack glanced around at the same park scenery.
Hallam chuckled. “Must be a large problem you’re contemplating. Are you going to return home now? Lucarno looks to have exercised enough for one day.”
Annoyed by his preoccupation, Jack shook the reins and joined Hallam under the trees. “Yes, I’m done for now.”
Hallam tapped Jack’s boot with his riding crop. “Good. I thought for a moment someone was going to have to die before you stopped.”
“Not yet.” But close enough, if he listened to what his body wanted. Pixie would surely be the death of him.
Luckily, Hallam didn’t ask what problem he’d been wrestling with. Their simple conversation blocked out his disturbing thoughts until they were crossing to the house. Virginia and Pixie stood in the garden. He slowed his steps, cursing his lack of planning. He had no idea what he was going to say to Pixie after yesterday’s outburst. How could he explain his reaction without appearing an utter fool?
Virginia straightened at the sound of their booted feet crunching across the gravel. She scowled when she saw Hallam. Then her shoulders squared, the stubborn, family jaw clenched tight.
“Good morning, sister. Look who I ran into.” Jack kissed Virginia’s offered cheek, but she dismissed him with the barest glance, electing to keep her gaze trained on Hallam.
“Lady Orkney.”
Given the belligerent tone in Hallam’s greeting, Jack braced himself for trouble. Hallam stepped close to Virginia, but she did not extend her hand, or offer her cheek to their old friend and neighbor. Instead, his sister dusted her clean fingers with a rag, ignoring Hallam.
“My lord, so good to see that you still know the direction of London. Perhaps you could consult a map again to find your way home to Parkwood. I have heard your mother only has a dim recollection of your features.” Virginia laughed. “She mistook a gardener for you just last month.”
Hallam stepped back. Hallam had disliked the man Virginia had married even before the damage was done. With Orkney dead and unlamented, Hallam didn’t bother to hide his
Similar Books
