Page 36 of Landen

“I have to goback.”

“I know.”

“My home isthere, and I have responsibilities-” He broke off and heaved aharsh sigh. “It’s times like these that I wished I wasordinary.”

“Do you?”She teased.

“Yes.”

“I am notasking you to make a promise, Landen.” She took a deep breath.“I just want to enjoy what time we have left together. This wasjust supposed to be a fling-”

“Only, we arepast that.”

“We can’tbe any more than that.” Firming her lips, she attempted asmile. “I am fine with that.” Tugging her hands away, sherose and moved away. “Let’s go upstairs.”

“Tessa-”

“No.” Sheshook her head wildly. “I don’t want to talk about itanymore.”

He watched as shemade her way out of the room and came to a sudden decision.

He watched as shechanged out of her dress and donned a silky nightie she had broughtwith her. Hurriedly removing his clothes, he did not bother with arobe as he slid into bed beside her. Instead of reaching for her asshe thought he would, he folded his hands behind his head and staredup at the ceiling.

Sliding back down onthe pillows, she waited for him to speak or do something.

A few minutes hadelapsed before he turned to stare at her. “My name is LandenNiall Chapman,” he recited tonelessly, an inscrutableexpression on his handsome face. “My last birthday was Januarytwenty-second, and I turned thirty.”

“I already knewthat.” She did not understand what he was trying to do.

“It’spublic knowledge. I was sent to an all-boys exclusive boarding schoolin London at the age of six until I turned sixteen. Then, I wasenrolled in another exclusive high school. I graduated from Cambridgeand Oxford, where my father selected courses for me.”

His expression hadnot changed, but a cynical twist to his sensuous lips told her howmuch he hated it. “I was brought up to know my responsibilitiesand to take them seriously.

I am Landen NiallChapman, and I am supposed to be scandal-free. Which means that I amsupposed to be discreet.” He turned his head to stare up at theceiling. “I am supposed to marry Sara Pendleton-”

“You don’thave to.”

“I am supposedto marry Sara Pendleton-” There was an implacable quality tohis deep voice that warned her he was determined to have his say.“Before I left home, I had decided that I was not going toallow them to do to me what they did to my sister.”

Pulling his handsfrom behind his head, he drew himself up and sat back against thepillows. “I met you.” A smile tugged at his lips. “Imet you and decided that you would prove a welcome distraction towhat I had to do when I returned home.” He shook his head. “Butthen I kissed you, and everything changed.”

Tessa went still atthat, and she could feel the breath backing up inside her throat.

“What are yousaying?” She whispered.

“I had a rigidchildhood where my friends were chosen for me.” He turned hishead to look at her and felt his heart knocking against his ribs. “Ihave never met anyone like you before, and I-” Leaning his headback, he closed his eyes. “I don’t know how I could saygoodbye to you, Tessa. That’s what I am saying.”

“And?”

He turned to look ather and felt the lust surging through his body. The robe was black,and he could see her nipples through the material. “And I thinkI am on the way to falling in love with you.”

She could notbreathe, and for one second, she wondered if she was about to have aheart attack.

“Landen-”She turned toward him, and the rest of the words failed her at theintense expression on his face. “We can’t…”her voice trailed away as he pulled her roughly in his arms andcrushed his lips to hers.

Hope flared insideher chest, and had her opening her lips beneath his to allow histongue to drive into her mouth. He had not told her about marriage,but she did not care. He was falling in love with her! Nothing elsematters but those profound words.

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