Page 92 of Tempting the Earl

Watching him throughout the dinner, she’d never have suspected any emotional turmoil happening below his refined manner.

Correction: several weeks ago, she’d never have suspected. Now, she could see it clearly enough. The few times their gazes unintentionally collided across the table, he scowled briefly before forcing his attention elsewhere. He feared revealing too much if they stared at each other too long.

A part of her wanted to force the man to let it all out. She’d thought he’d been getting more comfortable with sharing himself with her. He’d certainly held nothing back when it came to his passion and desire.

But he still didn’t trust her with all of him.

As soon as she considered that, an uncomfortable question floated through her mind.

Had she trusted him with all of her?

All but the words necessary to tell him how she truly felt about him.

Bluidy hell. She was as bad as he was.

AINSWORTH WAITED UNTIL the house was quiet and dark before slipping silently from her bedroom once again. Clothed in her nightgown and robe with her hair loose down her back, she swiftly made her way down the hall toward the earl’s private rooms.

Anxious and distracted by all the things she needed to say, she turned a corner at the end of the hall and slammed right into someone coming round the other way. Before she even managed to look up and see the shadowed lines of his face in the unlit corridor, she knew it was the earl who’d grasped her arms to keep her from landing on her rear. His distinct scent drifted around her as the familiar heat of his body soaked into her skin.

“I’m sorry.” His voice was a velvety whisper. “Are you all right?”

“Aye,” she whispered in return.

Neither of them moved to step back from each other.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

“I was coming to see you,” she admitted easily, since it was probably rather obvious.

There was a pause as his strong body seemed to get closer though he didn’t move.

“And I was coming to see you.”

Ainsworth smiled up at him and wasn’t at all surprised to see the corners of his mouth lifting in response. A wave of warmth flowed through her center as she almost reached up to trace the outline of his smile before stopping herself with a quick shake of her head.

“We should talk.”

“I agree,” he replied in a serious tone.

“In your room, perhaps?”

He gave a firm nod. “This way.”

He took her hand and led the way to his door. Stepping inside his bedroom, he stopped and waited for her to pass through the door before closing it with a quick click.

Lit by only a few candles, the room held a soft glow perfectly suited to intimate confessions and vulnerable declarations.

Ainsworth started to fidget with the ends of the sash that held her robe closed. She’d come here with a purpose—to tell Colin exactly how she felt about him and admit she didn’t want to leave London at all. But now that she was here in his room, she was suddenly overcome by nerves and doubt.

She believed he felt something for her.

But what if she were wrong? What if his regard was strictly sexual in nature?

Maybe she should return to Faeglen after all. Tonight, even. She could live the rest of her life happily never hearing him say the only thing he felt for her was lust. A robust and passionate lust, but only that.

“What did you wish to talk about?” His voice remained low—barely above a whisper—and it came from just behind her.

Her belly twisted and turned as her heart raced. She’d never been so uncertain in her life. Not even on that day when she’d arrived at an old run-down house with a toddler in her arms.

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