of the garden, while a barren white arbor crossed the path he followed.
Ruth’s footsteps led toward an orangery a short distance away, and he could see her shadowy figure through the steamed windows of the hothouse. He reached the building quickly and stepped into its humid warmth. The size of the indoor garden was larger than he expected. Someone had obviously been caring for it as he could see tomato plants bearing small fruit.
Ahead of him, he saw the top of Ruth’s hat. He really needed his head examined for seeking the woman out. But something beyond his comprehension drove him forward. Worse, he knew whatever was compelling him onward would most likely bring him nothing but trouble. He rounded a corner to find Ruth examining an ornamental pear tree. Whether she’d been so preoccupied inspecting the hothouse or his tread had been lighter than he expected, she cried out in surprise the moment she turned and saw him standing behind her.
“Good lord,” she gasped as her eyes flashed with anger. “You scared me half out of my wits.”
“Forgive me. I thought you heard me come into the building.”
“ No . I didn’t.”
She turned away from him to continue along the pebble-lined path in silence. With a frown, he followed her. After several steps, she whirled around to face him.
“Is there something I can help you with, my lord?”
“I thought we’d settled on you calling me Garrick.”
“Oh for heaven’s sake. Is there something you want, Garrick ?”
He ignored the lustful images that immediately flooded his head at her words. Folding his arms across his chest, he eyed her cautiously. “Why do you want Crawley Hall?”
“What?” Shocked, she took a step back from him and shook her head as she stared at him in mute surprise.
“I asked you why you want Crawley Hall.”
“I . . . it’s an investment,” she snapped.
“No. It’s more than that.” He frowned at the way she blanched. “You want this estate. Badly.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yes you do. You show it with every thing you touch in the house, even with these plants. A man could easily die of pleasure in your arms if you were to stroke him the same way.” He stiffened as he saw her eyes widen, and he realized he’d said too much.
“Don’t be ridiculous.” She sniffed, her cheeks flushed with color. “It’s a house, nothing more.”
“If that’s true, then why don’t you answer my question, Ruth?”
He saw her swallow hard the moment he said her name, and the flash of emotion in her eyes propelled him forward until there was little more than an inch between them. She was breathing rapidly, and her scent filled his nostrils as he concentrated on the lushness of her lower lip. He stood there breathing her in, feeling her heat press into him despite the fact that he wasn’t touching her.
What the devil was wrong with him? At the first sensation of desire, he’d always managed to put distance between himself and a woman. But not this time. Christ Jesus he knew it was a mistake, but he wanted to taste her. He lowered his head toward her, but she suddenly darted out of reach.
“You must excuse me, my lord. I must return to London now in order not to be late for a supper engagement.” Clearly agitated, she started to move past him, but he blocked her path.
“Not until you tell me why you want Crawley Hall.” His persistence puzzled him. Why was it so important to him to know her reasons for wanting the Hall? The answer to that question eluded him. He simply knew he had to know.
“Step aside please, my lord . Your tenacity is most annoying particularly when I’m not obliged to tell you anything.”
“True,” he said quietly. “But I would like to know why it’s so important to you.”
She stared at him for a long moment, her gaze filled with a wariness that made him frown. He wanted her to trust him as she might a friend. The thought made him question his sanity again. Resignation
Ruth’s footsteps led toward an orangery a short distance away, and he could see her shadowy figure through the steamed windows of the hothouse. He reached the building quickly and stepped into its humid warmth. The size of the indoor garden was larger than he expected. Someone had obviously been caring for it as he could see tomato plants bearing small fruit.
Ahead of him, he saw the top of Ruth’s hat. He really needed his head examined for seeking the woman out. But something beyond his comprehension drove him forward. Worse, he knew whatever was compelling him onward would most likely bring him nothing but trouble. He rounded a corner to find Ruth examining an ornamental pear tree. Whether she’d been so preoccupied inspecting the hothouse or his tread had been lighter than he expected, she cried out in surprise the moment she turned and saw him standing behind her.
“Good lord,” she gasped as her eyes flashed with anger. “You scared me half out of my wits.”
“Forgive me. I thought you heard me come into the building.”
“ No . I didn’t.”
She turned away from him to continue along the pebble-lined path in silence. With a frown, he followed her. After several steps, she whirled around to face him.
“Is there something I can help you with, my lord?”
“I thought we’d settled on you calling me Garrick.”
“Oh for heaven’s sake. Is there something you want, Garrick ?”
He ignored the lustful images that immediately flooded his head at her words. Folding his arms across his chest, he eyed her cautiously. “Why do you want Crawley Hall?”
“What?” Shocked, she took a step back from him and shook her head as she stared at him in mute surprise.
“I asked you why you want Crawley Hall.”
“I . . . it’s an investment,” she snapped.
“No. It’s more than that.” He frowned at the way she blanched. “You want this estate. Badly.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yes you do. You show it with every thing you touch in the house, even with these plants. A man could easily die of pleasure in your arms if you were to stroke him the same way.” He stiffened as he saw her eyes widen, and he realized he’d said too much.
“Don’t be ridiculous.” She sniffed, her cheeks flushed with color. “It’s a house, nothing more.”
“If that’s true, then why don’t you answer my question, Ruth?”
He saw her swallow hard the moment he said her name, and the flash of emotion in her eyes propelled him forward until there was little more than an inch between them. She was breathing rapidly, and her scent filled his nostrils as he concentrated on the lushness of her lower lip. He stood there breathing her in, feeling her heat press into him despite the fact that he wasn’t touching her.
What the devil was wrong with him? At the first sensation of desire, he’d always managed to put distance between himself and a woman. But not this time. Christ Jesus he knew it was a mistake, but he wanted to taste her. He lowered his head toward her, but she suddenly darted out of reach.
“You must excuse me, my lord. I must return to London now in order not to be late for a supper engagement.” Clearly agitated, she started to move past him, but he blocked her path.
“Not until you tell me why you want Crawley Hall.” His persistence puzzled him. Why was it so important to him to know her reasons for wanting the Hall? The answer to that question eluded him. He simply knew he had to know.
“Step aside please, my lord . Your tenacity is most annoying particularly when I’m not obliged to tell you anything.”
“True,” he said quietly. “But I would like to know why it’s so important to you.”
She stared at him for a long moment, her gaze filled with a wariness that made him frown. He wanted her to trust him as she might a friend. The thought made him question his sanity again. Resignation
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