Page 90 of Miss Flibbertigibbet and the Barbarian
The sudden surge of emotion—of yearning need—that welled and spilled through her shocked her. She hadn’t thought of having children before—she’d never had reason to dwell on the issue—but now he’d opened that door…oh,howshe wanted.
In an effort to conceal just how powerfully affected she was by that prospect, she wrenched her mind back to her list of questions. “Would I have any role to play in your business?”
Again, she felt his gaze touch her face.
“If you wished to, yes. I would welcome your insights. As you’ve been riding hunters all your life, you’ll have a good feel for the other side of our breeding business.”
“Other side?”
She listened, not just with curiosity but with burgeoning interest as he explained that the Cynster breeding stable also produced riding horses—including hunters and lady’s mounts—as well as carriage horses. That said, the racing stable was clearly his passion; without her having to prompt, he painted a reassuringly clear picture of how he ran the place. In so doing, he gave her enough detail to allow her to imagine a place for herself within the enterprise.
Nicholas wasn’t surprised when she had yet more questions. He was entirely happy to answer them. He’d realized that, in her own inimitable way, she was answering his questions of the morning.
Shewasconsidering marrying him. Genuinely and sincerely.
The knowledge buoyed him, and he fought to rein in his eagerness as he did his best to encourage her to envisage a future by his side.
While they talked, they kept their gazes trained on the tavern. Other than several no-longer-sober farmhands who staggered out a little before the tavern owner decided to put out the lamp burning beside the front door and bar the door for the night, no one went in or came out.
Adriana reached the end of her questions and fell silent.
He told himself that the course of wisdom was to leave her to cogitate and not press or prod by asking her what she thought.
Then quiet footsteps—two pairs—approached from the center of the town, and a few seconds later, Phillip and Dickie arrived.
There was no one about to see as Nicholas and Adriana stepped out of the entryway, yielding the space to the other two.
“I wondered where you’d got to,” Dickie said as he moved past, into the shadows.
The other three shushed him, and he grinned and, lips shut, lounged in the recessed doorway.
Phillip exchanged nods with Nicholas and Adriana, and they started walking back to the inn.
Nicholas paced beside Adriana and waited, but it seemed she’d exhausted her questions. Or, as she kept her gaze on the path before them, she was busy digesting his answers.
Either way, he told himself that he should be pleased.
Indeed, perhaps for the rest of the night, he wouldn’t sleep alone.
His mind was engrossed with fond memories and hopes of what might be when they reached the coaching inn, mounted the steps, and walked around to the side door, left unlocked for patrons returning late.
He followed Adriana inside, and together, they climbed the stairs.
They stepped into the gallery, and she halted.
Through the dimness, she met his eyes, smiled, then stepped closer, stretched up, and planted a soft kiss on his lips.
She retreated before he could react, slipping out of the curve of the arm that had instinctively risen to hold her to him. “Thank you for bearing with my inquisition and being so forthcoming.” She again met his eyes as she stepped away. “Goodnight.”
He managed a croaked “Goodnight” in reply.
He stood in the shadows and watched her walk quickly down the corridor, then she opened a door and stepped into her room.
A second later, he heard the soft click as she shut the door.
Still, he stood and stared, taking stock of his raging libido and absorbing the fact that, at least for tonight, there was no relief in sight.
CHAPTER14
