Page 23 of The Marquess and the Maiden

“I loathe small dogs,” he said plainly.

And so their conversation went for the better part of an hour as they strolled through the exhibits. She would point out a pretty girl, give him information about her, and then he would promptly discount said girl for some ridiculous reason.

They had made their way into the Greek court and found themselves remarkably alone. She turned on him.

“If you’re not going to take this seriously, I am wasting time with which I could be doing something else,” she said.

“Like catching thieves?”

“Be quiet! Someone might hear you.”

“In case it has escaped your attention, we are perfectly alone in here.” He moved his hand to rest on the small of her back.

The touch sent chills scattering in every direction. She searched the room and they were, in fact, completely alone. Evidently the attendants had all made their way to the concert.

“So alone I could perhaps steal a kiss before anyone became the wiser,” he said.

She sucked in a breath. He wouldn’t dare. I don’t want him to. Do I? “You are wasting my time. I am giving you good suggestions, and you are finding one reason after another to dismiss said suggestions.”

He shrugged. “I know what I like and what I don’t like.”

“Then perhaps you should find your own wife.” She glared at him.

And he had the audacity to grin at her. A crooked smile that seemed to tug at her heart, which was ridiculous.

“There is one person you could suggest whom I wouldn’t veto.”

She propped her hands on her hips. “Well, why didn’t you say so? I swear you are the most exasperating of men.”

His brow rose.

“If you have someone in mind, simply tell me; I can arrange an introduction,” she said.

“I need no introduction. I know her. Quite well, actually. I know what she smells like.” He took a step closer so that he was so close to her she could feel his warm breath against her bare neck. “Cherries and cloves, a most intoxicating mixture. I know the precise shade of her eyes when she’s overcome with desire, like the sea after a summer rain.”

Harriet did her best not to close her eyes and lean in to the seductiveness of his voice. Good heavens. She swallowed and tried to concentrate on her breathing. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale.

“I know the taste of her mouth, the feel of her tongue on mine, tentative, yet passionate.”

“You should marry her, then,” she said, knowing he could hear the breathlessness in her tone. “She sounds as if she is everything you could want.”

“Oh, she is.”

“I see.” She wondered for a moment if he was going to reveal that he couldn’t marry the woman in question because she was already wed to someone else. Lady Burgess. Perhaps he still loved her. “If you know her, my lord, you should simply ask her to marry you. Unless she is already married.”

“No, she’s quite available.” He was quiet for a moment. His hand trailed down the spine of her back and landed at her waist. He rested his hand on the curve of her hip. “’Tis you, sweet Harriet. Marry me.”

She spun around to face him, her mouth gaping. Her heart plummeted to her feet and she was certain that if she took a step, she’d crush it to pieces. She had waited so long to hear those words. And he’d made a mockery of them. A mockery of her. “I find it deplorable that you would tease in such a way.”

His brows arched. “You don’t believe me?”

“I do not. We were poised to get married, or have you so easily forgotten? You told me, in no uncertain terms, that you had no desire to marry me. That even providing a better life for your mother wasn’t enough temptation to be saddled with me.”

He pulled her into a quieter part of the room, in the darker corners behind the Parthenon replica. “What I said then…” He shook his head. “That was about me. Not you.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “I don’t believe you. This is just like you, to say something to try to distract me. Just like the other day when you pressed your hard muscles against me.” She couldn’t prevent herself from perusing him. Even fully clothed she knew that his body must be as expertly sculpted as the statues in this room. “You pretended you wanted to kiss me. This is ridiculous, this game you’re playing. And it serves no purpose. Unless you’re simply so cruel that you enjoy tormenting me.”

“You leave me no choice.”

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