Page 46 of The Moonstone Governess
She shook her head vehemently. “No.”
“I’ll step aside so you do not have to look at me. But you must open your eyes to see your way out of here.” To be caught with him in his state of undress was as compromising to her as if she were caught naked in his bed. Her reputation would be in ruins, while he, being a duke and above condemnation, would be under no obligation to marry her because she was merely a tradesman’s daughter. “Wait for me in the dining room. I won’t be long.”
“All right.” She made another of those deliciously breathy noises and cracked one eye open.
Sighing, he took her by the shoulders and guided her to the door. “Wait, let me make certain there is no one in the hall. When you leave, take the servants’ passageway. The hour is early, but some guests will be awake by now, so it is very important to be as quiet as a mouse and rouse as little attention as possible.”
She nodded.
And licked her rosebud lips. And made another of those deliciously breathy sounds.
“One more thing…”
She opened her eyes and looked up at him with her shimmering green orbs.
“Little dove, if I catch you alone in here again, I am going to peel the clothes off you, pin you up against the elegantly painted wall, and kiss every inch of your naked body.”
Which was exactly the wrong thing to say to this innocent, because she tore out of his suite without giving him the chance to check the hallway. In the next moment, she slammed into one of the inn’s maids, who happened to be twice Brenna’s size and had the shoulders of an ox.
Brenna bounced off the maid, who had been rolling a tea cart to the room across from his. The cart spilled as Brenna knocked it over and tumbled over it to the floor.
Trays clanged and banged. Teacups shattered. Tea spilled all over the carpeted floor. The maid started screaming. Doors flew open and guests peered out to see what was going on, only to find Brenna sprawled on the floor and Daire—still shirtless—rushing to her side and about to lift her into his arms.
The maid began to yell at Brenna.
Daire silenced her with a quelling glance. “Summon the innkeeper. Not a word out of you,” he said with arrogant authority, hoping to cut off this obviously angry woman before she revealed Brenna had run out of his room. “Get staff to clean this mess up. Now!”
He stifled a groan when Brenna’s delicious body melted against his as she wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head against his shoulder. “Daire, your skin is so warm,” she whispered, her lips grazing his jaw. “So deliciously wet and warm.”
Did she just lick his neck?
Fire shot through him. “And have the doctor summoned! She may be delirious.”
The maid was about to toss another surly remark when Thaddius came running toward them. He took note of the situation and started to panic. But he quickly recovered and began to make up an excuse for his cousin. “Your Grace, I am so sorry you were disturbed. My apologies to everyone,” he said, glancing up and down the hall to address the guests who were standing beside their open doors. “I had asked my cousin to take measurements for new hall decorations, but she must have taken a tumble off her ladder and…”
Gad, these Angels were terrible liars. There was no ladder in sight.
Daire hoped he was the only one to notice, since everyone else appeared to have been startled out of bed and looked quite groggy.
Thaddius turned to another maid who had just run up with mop and pail in hand. “Mary, run to my desk and fetch the vouchers. These guests are all to have breakfast compliments of the inn this morning.”
He then turned once again to Daire. “Your Grace, I am truly sorry for the inconvenience. I hope you were not too greatly disturbed. I’ll help my cousin into the dining room, and we will not interrupt you again.”
Daire had no intention of letting go of Brenna, who was now nuzzling his neck in her inept but adorable way and setting off an inferno within his loins. “She’s hurt, Thaddius. Let her rest in my sitting room until the doctor arrives. Send in a maid to serve as her chaperone. I’ll keep the door open.”
Thaddius raked a hand through his hair as he eyed the scene, which included taking in Daire’s lack of a shirt. Since these Angels were very protective of each other, he expected Thaddius to be back here shortly, armed with an arsenal of questions and perhaps a shotgun. “Very generous of you, Your Grace.”
Daire had claimed Brenna was hurt merely as an excuse to bring her back into his suite, but he quickly realized she was truly injured. “Thaddius, no jest. Send one of your lads for the doctor. She’s bleeding.”
“Dear heaven, she is. I had better go for him myself.” The innkeeper tore down the hall, all the while shouting orders to his staff.
Daire, momentarily left alone with Brenna, set her down on the fashionablechaise longueand studied her eyes, which were slightly dazed. “Brenna, did you hit your head?”
She winced. “I think it caught on the upended edge of the cart as I fell.”
“I’m so sorry, little dove. This is all my fault. I should not have said to you what I did.”
“And I should not have stood there gawking at you while you shed your clothes. I have never seen water trail down anyone’s body quite like that.”
