Page 35 of Forbidden Lord
Her heart almost stopped and awareness spread through her. She swallowed and ignored the buzz in her veins as she asked, “What are you saying?”
With every word he said, the fluttering in her belly grew. “I’d like to believe the fairy tale Chelsea’s sister talks about.”
If he wanted heart-wrenching, cry-her-eyes-out and feel like she might never live again pain, she couldn’t go there. Matteo was the safe choice. She was slightly dizzy when she asked, “What fairy tale?”
“Love,” he said, with such warmth in his eyes. She couldn’t think at all. “I liked it when you called me that.”
She hadn’t meant “in love.” Right? Had she? Oh goodness. Her heart sped up because she wasn’t sure about anything. Blood rushed in her head as she avoided his gaze. “But… are you serious? Are you sure that’s what you want?”
His fingers brushed against her face and she looked up at him as he asked, “What is it you want, Sheena?”
More people came toward them. Goosebumps multiplied and she trembled. She glanced at Matteo. He was so wonderful. She didn’t deserve him. She had to get her balance back. “I want for us to bid goodnight to our guests.”
He asked fast, “And tomorrow?”
Any second they’d have to say goodbye to people and be the perfect hosts. She licked her lips and wished she had a better answer as she said, “We figure out the rest of our lives, one day at a time.”
“Fair enough, my lady.” He greeted the next wave of people leaving.
She held herself together and smiled and shook hands. She was now the Lady of Golchin. This was her life, and she’d not mess it up. Not again. It was better to never be reckless. A relationship built on friendship and trust with the passion they already had was better than anything else. Hopefully Matteo agreed and they would never talk about love.
Chapter 14
Matteo stood in his foyer with Sheena to say goodbye to his guests. His muscles were tight, and he wanted to stretch but he was stuck until the last person went home. Luckily in polite society the lords and ladies were only expected to host between two and, at most, four events a year.
Stiffness wasn’t his style as he preferred to be moving and fluid, like on his skateboard.
The image of cruising around his grounds, showing Sheena how to coast, played in his mind. Then maybe he’d take Sheena’s clothes off and claim her again.
Or he’d do that first.
Sheena was his wife and he didn’t share. Sheena tugged on his arm and patted her belly. “How many people are left do you think?”
“Too many.” He counted over a hundred heads still in his ballroom.
She again patted her lower belly and he understood she needed the restroom as she said, “I’m going to take a few minutes for myself. Be right back.”
How women wore dresses that clung had to make it harder—and add heels? Torture. “Go ahead—we’re almost done.”
She stood on her tiptoes. “I’m looking forward to getting these shoes off and going to bed with you.”
Then she slipped away when there was a lull in the goodbyes.
He blocked the view from others on their way toward the door so no one noticed her departure until she was out of sight. He took over the task with a grateful smile.
Countless more shook his hand until the woman who had brought Charles approached. He half-bowed and asked, “Miss Cromwell, where is your date?”
She shrugged and gave him a pleasant smile as she said, “I’ve no idea, but it’s time I go home now. If you see Charles, please let him know?”
His heart beat faster. A gentleman should always escort the lady he’d brought home again, and if Charles wasn’t here, that meant he was likely seeking out his wife again. Matteo said smoothly, “Certainly.”
Anna Cromwell released his hand. “It was nice of you to let him come in tonight. I thought for sure he’d be turned away.”
Adrenaline rushed through his veins. “My wife wanted to let the past stay the past and not make a scene.”
Anna simpered. “Still, I remember seeing Sheena and Charles run in the rain together at New Year’s and they’d proclaimed their love at the May flower show, publicly. I think it was caught on TV in a live broadcast on spring romance.”
What? His muscles braced for a physical fight. “I must have missed that episode.”
