Page 34 of Chasing the Earl
“He married elsewhere, didn’t he? Lied to you.”
Emmagene closed her eyes for a moment. “He did.”
“I would never judge you, Emmie, for your choices. Or for my not being the first man in your bed.” There was a proprietary look in his gaze. “But I do resent this nameless prick for wounding you and causing you to prance about in dull colors.”
“I have never pranced in my life, my lord.” She snuggled back against him, taking pleasure in his defense of her even though he’d insulted her wardrobe.
“You’re well rid of him.” Huntly cupped her breast, idly toying with her nipple.
Though he hadn’t asked, Emmagene felt the need for Huntly to know. “There hasn’t been any…whiskey drinking since.”
“I assumed as much.” He pressed a kiss to her temple.
“Smug. You are smug, my lord.”
“Not overly so.” He chuckled softly against her shoulder, pressing small, featherlight kisses against her skin. “I used to admire a more voluptuous form, but I find I don’t any longer.”
“How nice of you to say.” She struggled to keep the hurt note out of her voice even though she knew it was only his blunt way of speaking. A spare bosom. Little flesh on her bones no matter how much she ate. Sharp features.
“I intended no insult, Emmie.” His tongue circled the edge of her ear. “I only meant you are so unexpected andonlythat.”
“So you’ve said.” As it happened, Huntly was rather unexpected for her as well.
“If you continue to take offense at everything I say, we’ll never be able to have a conversation.”
“Stop being offensive.”
“I’ve decided I should work on that. Being offensive. Or at least, being less so. I doubt I could ever change completely.”
“And difficult.”
The Huntly reflected in the mirror had a serious, intent look on his face as he buried his nose in her hair again, inhaling her and making blissful sounds. “Don’t worry,” he continued. “I’ll always speak my mind with alarming bluntness. But I might decide to know someone better before insulting them.” He caught her eyes in the mirror. “I’ve managed to drive away almost everyone who ever cared for me. Some permanently. While I don’t intend to like the vast majority of people, including most of the guests at this stupid house party, I need to get on with them better.”
There could only be one reason Huntly meant to make himself more palatable, so to speak. “You mean to marry.” The very idea made her ill, the thought of Huntly doing what they had just done with some well-bred young lady.
Emmagene’s heart thudded hard in her chest. Painfully.
“Unfortunately, it has recently been brought to my attention that I should marry. Duty and all that. My situation, however, is bound to be far more difficult, particularly for the woman in question. I imagine I won’t be easy to live with.”
The whiskey they’d drunk earlier swirled unpleasantly in her stomach, reminding her, vividly, of how she’d felt upon reading Geoffrey’s wedding announcement in the paper. And when she’d seen him and his new wife walking in the park together.
She was being illogical, of course. Huntlyhadto marry. It was his duty, like it or not. Emmagene, firmly on the shelf, self-proclaimed spinster and more than a bit of a shrew, wasn’t the sort of woman a titled gentleman would choose as a wife. Nor, she reminded herself, was love and marriage in the cards for her. Discreet indulgences when the mood struck her, yes. But—
“What do you think, Emmie?”
“I’m not sure my opinion is relevant.”
This was a conversation Emmagene did not want to have, especially with part of Huntly still buried and pulsing inside her. Should she be pleased he cared for her thoughts on the subject? Or was Huntly so bloody stupid he couldn’t see that perhaps now wasn’t the time?
She thought the latter.
“I should go back to my room.”
“You’ve no opinion to offer?” His tone was chilly. “No thoughts on my future married state?”
“None whatsoever.” Boorish idiot. She envied his ability not to allow his emotions to play a part in the passion they’d just experienced. It was a trick Emmagene realized far too late she hadn’t learned. This was why she’d avoided any sort of flirtation. Remained in the background. Kept her bitterness wrapped tightly around her like body armor.
“Fine.” He grabbed her chin and kissed her fiercely.
