into place. Or to leave his side just so he would no longer see her girlish delight at the museum and the contents that awaited them.
Instead, she slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow and looked up at him with those same shining eyes and wide, real smile.
“I cannot wait another moment to see everything—shall we go in?”
For a moment, he couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, couldn’t move as he stared into her eyes and saw so much beauty, so much truth…but then he shook his head and led her into the museum. This was a rare opportunity. He refused to miss a moment of it while he pondered what he had done to deserve it.
Chapter Seven
Vivien clasped her hands together as the carriage jolted away from the British Museum three hours after their arrival. The late-afternoon sunshine streamed through the vehicle windows as she leaned closer to Benedict.
“And the Roman statues!” she gasped, continuing a line of conversation she had begun the moment they stepped from the museum onto the drive. “They are magnificent. When the gallery is fully finished, it will truly be a sight to see. The Venus was especially beautiful and—”
She broke off as a slow smile spread across Benedict’s face.
“I am rambling, aren’t I?” she asked as blood warmed her cheeks. “I have been going on and on for ten minutes and you have not had a word in edgewise.”
“I like it,” he said with a laugh that seemed to rumble through her body and into her very soul. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so animated before. You truly enjoyed yourself.”
She dipped her head. All day she had been too truthful, too open, but she couldn’t help it. This was like a moment stolen from time and she had chosen to enjoy it rather than distance herself from it.
“I did,” she admitted. “I cannot believe I’ve never gone before.”
“I hope you will go again,” he said softly. “There is talk they’re going to build a newer, larger complex to house all the exhibits and collections. It will be a few years before it comes to fruition, but that should be a great sight to see, as well.”
Vivien pursed her lips. This summer there would likely not be enough time for her to go to the museum again. And by the time a new and glorious complex was built, she would be long gone and forgotten.
Even by Benedict.
She smiled and felt the mask of the role she’d played for so long slide effortlessly into place. “For now, I fear my only destination shall be home.”
He arched a brow. “So the bookshop and the museum are all you will do on your quest to enjoy London?”
She shook her head at his teasing, taunting tone. “It would be impossible to do everything and see everything in London in a day. I would be a fool, a very tired fool, to try.”
He lifted one shoulder. “Perhaps you are correct. But I have one more suggestion of an experience to end your day. If you will trust me.”
Vivien stared at him. He had a half-smile on his face that made him look more boyishly handsome than ever. He was teasing, but the choice of his words made her stomach tense. Trust was a commodity hard to come by, even with Benedict.
Still, she found she didn’t want this day to end. Slowly, she nodded. “Very well. What do you have in mind?”
“A secret,” he laughed. “You’ll see soon enough.”
She glanced out the carriage window to find they had turned away from the main areas of London, away from her home, and were now heading into the parts of the city where buildings were smaller and more spread apart.
“What if I had refused your request?” she said with a shake of her head.
He laughed. “Then I would have had my carriage turned around, of course.”
She folded her arms with a smile she couldn’t help. “You are always so certain of yourself.”
His smile faded slightly. “Never with you. You forever set me off my axis.”
He inched closer and suddenly there was a tension in the carriage that had nothing to do with
Instead, she slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow and looked up at him with those same shining eyes and wide, real smile.
“I cannot wait another moment to see everything—shall we go in?”
For a moment, he couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, couldn’t move as he stared into her eyes and saw so much beauty, so much truth…but then he shook his head and led her into the museum. This was a rare opportunity. He refused to miss a moment of it while he pondered what he had done to deserve it.
Chapter Seven
Vivien clasped her hands together as the carriage jolted away from the British Museum three hours after their arrival. The late-afternoon sunshine streamed through the vehicle windows as she leaned closer to Benedict.
“And the Roman statues!” she gasped, continuing a line of conversation she had begun the moment they stepped from the museum onto the drive. “They are magnificent. When the gallery is fully finished, it will truly be a sight to see. The Venus was especially beautiful and—”
She broke off as a slow smile spread across Benedict’s face.
“I am rambling, aren’t I?” she asked as blood warmed her cheeks. “I have been going on and on for ten minutes and you have not had a word in edgewise.”
“I like it,” he said with a laugh that seemed to rumble through her body and into her very soul. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so animated before. You truly enjoyed yourself.”
She dipped her head. All day she had been too truthful, too open, but she couldn’t help it. This was like a moment stolen from time and she had chosen to enjoy it rather than distance herself from it.
“I did,” she admitted. “I cannot believe I’ve never gone before.”
“I hope you will go again,” he said softly. “There is talk they’re going to build a newer, larger complex to house all the exhibits and collections. It will be a few years before it comes to fruition, but that should be a great sight to see, as well.”
Vivien pursed her lips. This summer there would likely not be enough time for her to go to the museum again. And by the time a new and glorious complex was built, she would be long gone and forgotten.
Even by Benedict.
She smiled and felt the mask of the role she’d played for so long slide effortlessly into place. “For now, I fear my only destination shall be home.”
He arched a brow. “So the bookshop and the museum are all you will do on your quest to enjoy London?”
She shook her head at his teasing, taunting tone. “It would be impossible to do everything and see everything in London in a day. I would be a fool, a very tired fool, to try.”
He lifted one shoulder. “Perhaps you are correct. But I have one more suggestion of an experience to end your day. If you will trust me.”
Vivien stared at him. He had a half-smile on his face that made him look more boyishly handsome than ever. He was teasing, but the choice of his words made her stomach tense. Trust was a commodity hard to come by, even with Benedict.
Still, she found she didn’t want this day to end. Slowly, she nodded. “Very well. What do you have in mind?”
“A secret,” he laughed. “You’ll see soon enough.”
She glanced out the carriage window to find they had turned away from the main areas of London, away from her home, and were now heading into the parts of the city where buildings were smaller and more spread apart.
“What if I had refused your request?” she said with a shake of her head.
He laughed. “Then I would have had my carriage turned around, of course.”
She folded her arms with a smile she couldn’t help. “You are always so certain of yourself.”
His smile faded slightly. “Never with you. You forever set me off my axis.”
He inched closer and suddenly there was a tension in the carriage that had nothing to do with
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