Page 39 of Desire and Discipline
Right now, she was technically still his nurse. A situation he resolved to remedy as soon as possible, as he had a feeling that aspect of their relationship contained the majority of her rejection of him.
At least, he hoped.
He hadn’t thought to ever find love again after Marianne, but…
Diana made him want again. She had from the moment she’d walked into his life.
He just had not thought he couldhave.
Not until tonight. And he was not willing to let that go without a fight.
When he flung open the door to her room, he was both unsurprised yet disappointed to see that she had several of her trunks already there andhismaids helping her pack. Absolutely not. The door hit the wall with a bang, making everyone in the room jump. Diana jumped the highest, whirling around, her eyes widening in disbelief. She was no longer wearing her mask, and he could see every expression on her face.
Her shock.
Her surprise.
Her admiration. Or was he just imagining that one?
He could not be certain.
Had she really thought she would be able to leave in the middle of the night with no one the wiser? He was the former spymaster to the Crown of England, for God’s sake. Even if she had been able to escape him in the night, he would find her eventually.
It galled him that she’d called upon his own staff to help her pack.
“Everyone out,” he roared with all the pent-up frustration he’d been holding back. He stepped to the side as everyone except Diana scampered. Then he reached behind him and slammed the door firmly shut, propriety be damned.
She’d been inhisroom without a chaperone often enough. That Society would not conflate the two did not matter. If there was a scandal, he’d happily marry her, make her his marchioness, and spend the rest of his life being happily bossed around by her when he wasn’t pleasuring her until she screamed. Even before he’d consciously made the decision, his mind had already mapped out all the possible routes and chosen this as the one that pleased him best.
Rather than cowering or shrinking, Diana proved her mettle by drawing herself up, hands on her hips, and glaring at him. All the panic and shock were gone, at least visibly, and she was incensed. Which was much better, as far as he was concerned.
Anger he could work with. Panic, not so much.
“Exactly what do you think you are about?” she asked—nay, demanded—to know.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he retorted, stalking toward her.
Another woman might have cowered or even taken a step back.
Diana narrowed her eyes and held up her hand, palm outward, almost daring him to keep coming. Since he was now only a few feet away from her and did not want her to feel threatened—at least, not any more than was required to answer his question honestly—he ground to a halt and raised his eyebrow at her.
To his surprise, a flush heated her cheeks, and her gaze skittered away from his.
“I…” She cleared her throat. “I was going to leave you a note.”
“A note.” He took another step forward, causing her to meet his gaze again. Sternly. Oliver waited on the balls of his feet in case he needed to step forward again, not that she had anywhere else to go. He was between her and the door, though if she truly desired to leave, he would let her.
She was not trying to get out, though, despite the packing. No, rather than insisting she be allowed to leave or attempting to flee, she was meeting him on his own level. She had not even ordered him out of her room, just asked what he was doing there.
“A note? About what?” His voice had turned silky, seductive.
This little dance they were doing around each other was as invigorating as it was infuriating.
With Marianne, they’d gone back and forth on who took the lead. Was Diana the same? He’d always preferred to be the one to follow in the bedroom, but he would do whatever she liked. But she did not seem like she was about to acquiesce to being put over his knee, even if part of him wanted to spank her for the impertinence.
A note.
He already knew what such a note might say, but he wanted to make her admit it.
