Page 43 of Sir Hugo Seeks a Wife
She didn’t smile at his teasing.“It might be safer if I was.”
“Safer, but not enough.For either of us.I want your companionship, Athene, not just a few hours of passion.”
Athene wanted more than a fleeting encounter as well.“Perhaps we could start at an inn?I don’t want to wait.”
“I don’t either.In fact, I wish I could take you with me now.”
She looked around her disaster of an office.“You could.”
He smiled.“I walked here.Your reputation will be in shreds if we’re seen together.I’ll come in a closed carriage tonight and collect you after the shop shuts.”
Athene was thankful that she could trust him to do his best to protect her.Desire all but steamed off him.He didn’t want a delay any more than she did.But for her sake, he was willing to wait.
Anticipation made her shake as she recognized that in a few hours, she’d lie in Hugo’s arms.“Where will we go?”
“I’ll sort something out.”
“If you don’t, at least we’ll have privacy in the carriage.I have very fond memories of our last coach trip.”
“So do I.”He caught her hand again.“You know if you married me, nobody would care if we were alone together.In fact, the world would encourage it.”
Her fingers tightened around his.“That’s your proposal this week.”
“It wasn’t a proposal.It was a statement of fact.”
“You’re playing word games,” she protested.
He smiled at her.“I reserve my right to propose this week.”
She shook her head, too intoxicated with his presence to be cross.“And I reserve my right to say no.”
He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her ink-stained knuckles.Her heated response to the gesture was a warning of just how susceptible she was.But it was too late to run in the opposite direction.It had been too late the day that he’d turned up at the shop to purchase a poem for Petronella Fitchett.
“Did you know Petronella’s getting married?”she asked, not because she cared, but because she tried to delay his departure.
His lips twitched.“Lucky girl.I hear marriage can be bliss.”
“Hugo…” she said in a repressive tone.
Instead of apologizing for tormenting her, he caught her face between his palms and kissed her.His lips were hot and betrayed his raging hunger.By the time he’d finished, she’d forgotten that she meant to chide him.
Dazed, she stared up at his features.“Find somewhere fast,” she whispered.
With a soft chuckle, he kissed her briefly before releasing her.He picked up his hat and gloves from the desk.“Be on the corner at six, my darling.”
Chapter 12
A man spies a maid.
He vows to be her swain.
But what if sweet words fade,
And life turns all to pain?
His heart racing, Hugo leaned forward to open the carriage door to let Athene inside.Bringing the fresh scent of rain and wind with her, she collapsed beside him with a gasp.He shut the door quickly.It was dark and the weather had turned, so Bond Street wasn’t as busy as usual.But London’s fashionable thoroughfares were never without traffic.
As he tapped the roof of the carriage to signal Fogg to drive on, she set her small valise on the opposite seat.Then she pushed back the hood of her black cape.In the lamplight that provided the only illumination in the closed coach with its drawn blinds, her beauty struck him anew.
