Page 20 of Keeper of Secrets

He straightened, a muscle in his jaw ticcing as his gaze narrowed.“What are you doing?”

“Helping.”And then she reached for the small metal clasp, feeding it through the equally small holes and opening it to secure the fabric.Silently, he extended the other cuff and dropped the metal cufflink into her hand.

Chloe fingered the jewel-encrusted piece for a moment before she placed it on his wrist.Her fingertips brushed his skin, the warm, course feel of him making her breath catch in her throat.But he either didn’t notice or care as he turned away, tugging the fabric of his sleeves and shrugging on his vest before he reached for his neck cloth.Chloe didn’t hesitate.

She’d tied her father’s often and moving in front of Ryker again, she reached up to his neck.“Let me.”

“Chloe,” his voice held a warning that she did her best to ignore.“I thought I was clear.”

She began to knot the fabric, her small fingers making quick work of the piece.“You were.”

“I said no touching.”

“I assumed you meant touching of the intimate variety, like the kiss we shared or…” Her lips parted as she finished the elaborate knot, smoothing the fabric into place.“Passionate embraces.”

“Passionate embraces?”

She nodded.“When we begin being seen publicly, we’ll have to have some level of intimacy.”

“Publicly?”

A tendril of apprehension snaked down her spine.“Didn’t you say that you’d announce our match eventually?”

He looked away then, assessing the knot in the mirror.“I suppose I did.”

Did he never plan to tell anyone other than the king and Mildred that he’d wed?He didn’t really expect his aunt to remain silent, did he?Or was his plan to stuff them both in the country?This did not bode well.

She drew in a shaky breath.Would he keep his promises?Any of them?She thought of her request to see a bit of London.“Do we have any events coming up?”

“Events?’

Now she was certain he wouldn’t.Drat.The man was distracting as sin, but he could not be trusted.A characteristic of note.“You promised to take me to lesser events to see London.”

“So I did.”He turned to look at her then, his gaze sliding up and down her as though he was seeing her for the first time, which was ridiculous.“We’re going out tonight.”

“Tonight?Where?”

“The Whitehouse ball.”He shrugged on his jacket, pulling at the lapels, as he straightened the coat.

She looked down at her simple frock of cotton.“What time?”

“As soon as you’re ready.”He fingered the knot she’d tied, a frown pulling at his lips.“I’ll be waiting in the entry.”

Just when she thought there was no hope.… The man had to go and give her what she’d asked for in the most annoying way possible.Chloe hurried off to dress, sure Ryker had won yet another round of their sparring and she had landed on her back foot yet again.

* * *

Ryker tappedhis toe as he waited for Chloe to arrive.He hadn’t given her much time, he knew that, but he wasn’t the most patient man.

He’d only been waiting a half hour, and he’d helped himself to a tall drink of scotch in that time.He’d like another but he needed his wits tonight.Both with the investigation he was supposed to conduct and in dealing with his soon-to-be wife.He was far more affected by her than he ought to be.

Just the memory of her hands on his skin… her gentle touch as she affixed his cufflinks in his sleeves and tied his cravat, had his cock stiffening with need.Damn it all to bloody hell.

Asking her to come tonight, had been a last-moment decision.He’d made a promise to her, and he’d needed to find a way to keep it.This event was an ideal choice.First, he knew very few people from his circle would attend the Whitehouse event.But second, Chloe was just the sort of distraction he’d need.

He shifted again, contemplating going back to the study for another drink after all, when Chloe appeared at the top of the stairs.

Dark blue velvet hugged her torso, her hair tied back in a simple chignon that accented the delicate planes of her face.

---