Page 53 of Good Duke Gone Cold

“How could you?”

“I’m sorry. I just couldn’t be near you.” The look of confusion in her eyes, urged him to go on. “I thought I needed two weeks to leave the country, but I couldn’t leave.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about sending you away. I’m offering my apologies.”

“I don’t give a damn about that. I’m talking about the play. How could you?” She was only a few feet away and didn’t need to raise her voice. The tone was lethal enough.

“How could you make me believe all of that was real?”

Gregory was baffled. “I don’t understand.”

“I have dreams. I want to be a real playwright.”

“I know. You are.”

“No, I’m not. You bought it and invited everyone as personal favors to attend.”

He started to put the pieces together.

“Who told you?”

“Lyle. Who else?”

Jealousy raged through his body, and he couldn’t help himself from asking, “Your new beau?”

“He is not my beau. I have no affinity toward Lyle. He is a gentleman, at times–”

“At times?”

“I only mean his language–”

“What did he say to you?”

“Nothing you haven’t said to me.”

“What the devil does that mean? Has he touched you?” Gregory’s entire being was engulfed in flames. If another man had touched her or said similar things to Mary that he had said, he would cut out the man’s tongue and send him on a penal transportation ship.

In his outrage, he had stepped closer to Mary. He was within a hand’s span of her now. To hell with arm’s length, this was the woman he wanted. He needed to show her. But first, he needed to tell her.

Mary was shaking her head in answer to his last question as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

“Please, Gregory, don’t. It’s too confusing.” Her body stiffened.

At those words, he knew he had lost her, but he wouldn’t give up his last words and last touch.

“Just, let me hold you.” He felt some of the tension ease from her body and rested his forehead in her hair.

“Mary.” He paused, “All I want is for your dreams to come true.”

“This isn’t the way.”

“I don’t know how else to show you I love you other than to work as hard at your dreams as you do. What else can I do?” He hadn’t meant to drop those three heavy words so unintentionally. He had had plans for those three heavy words. Plans he was currently trying to adjust, perhaps she hadn’t noticed.

No chance.

“Did you say you love me?”

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