“None of my business what they get up to at Vance Park,” he said dismissively. “If you’ve any sense, you won’t pry.”
Mina considered this. “Well,” she conceded. “I don’t know that I shall ever visit again.” Nye fell in step beside her as she crossed the courtyard to the inn.
Reaching a hand passed her head, he pushed the door open for her, he followed her inside. “Why do you say that?” he asked.
Mina removed her bonnet and cloak, hanging them on the peg. “Lady Faris made it quite clear she did not welcome my presence,” she explained and patted her hair to make sure it remained in the low chignon bun she had arranged that morning. “Although, I should like to see my nephew again.” She eyed Nye thoughtfully.
“What?” he asked, catching her expression.
“He is your nephew as much as mine,” she pointed out.
He snorted. “I doubt Faris thinks so.”
“Well, that’s where you’re wrong, for he told the boy quite plainly he had an Uncle Nye.” She could see he was taken aback at this, though he said nothing as he followed her along the corridor to the kitchen.
“Perhaps Lord Faris would let him visit us here?” she suggested, lifting the lid of the kettle to see if there was water in it. When Nye continued silent, she set it on the range and reached for the tea leaves in the cupboard. Glancing back, she sat he had propped his hip against the table and was regarding her broodingly.
“This is an inn, Mina,” he said heavily. “And that boy is heir to Vance Park.”
“Did not the old Earl visit your mother here?” she asked boldly, spooning the leaves into the pot.
“No, he did not,” he ground out. “This place was her pay-off after he was done with her.”
Mina flushed. “Oh.” She could not quite bring her gaze to meet with his. “I apologize if I was indelicate.” He gave a short laugh as if such considerations were not necessary. Perhaps they weren’t. “Jeremy visited us here yesterday,” she pointed out. “And Ivy told me he does so frequently.”
“Is it Jeremy or Lord Faris?” he asked tersely. “You need to make up your mind.”
She reached up to take two cups down from the cupboard. “I know,” she admitted. “But I do not yet feel quite comfortable addressing him as Jeremy, so I am trying it out with you.”
His eyes glinted. “Maybe there are other things I’d rather you tried out with me.”
“Such as what?” The words had left Mina’s mouth before she noticed his expression. Then he reached out and grip on her forearm and she was spun around, an arm clamped about her waist and Will Nye’s large hand resting against her jaw. Oh, he meant kissing, Mina realized mere moments before his lips descended to hers.
Oh dear, she thought distractedly, what was it he had told her to do last time? Breathe through her nose, she seemed to recall. Then she noticed his lips were much gentler this time, touching tentatively to hers, exerting much less pressure. Not wanting him to accuse her of not pulling her weight, she tilted her head up and leaned into the kiss.
Nye made a noise in his throat that was not a growl, but something very close. Mina’s head reeled. Reaching her arms up to wrap about him, she realized she held a cup in each hand, hampering her somewhat, but she flung them around his neck anyway.
Nye’s body went taut and he shifted, whirling her around so she was the one now leaning back against the kitchen table. Then his intimidating bunk stepped forward, making her breathless and a little alarmed. If not for the barrier of her skirts, he would be planted between her legs, she realized faintly.
“Nye—” Mina breathed, but his hands were on either side of her face, angling her head up for his kiss. This time when he sealed his lips to hers, she felt his tongue swipe slowly along her bottom lip and jolted with shock. That was it! Last time he had said he wanted a taste of her tongue. Her face flamed hot. No sooner had she let her lips part for him then her mouth was thoroughly taken.
Her eyes closed, Mina gave a muffled gasp, before remembering to breathe through her nose. One of the cups fell from her loosened grip and shattered on the kitchen floor. Nye didn’t even flinch. One of his hands lowered from her jaw to grip her waist and then skimmed as much of a hip as her stiffened petticoats allowed. He made a noise of frustration. Then his tongue was tangling against hers again and Mina’s mind went blank.
What was happening? Every fiber in her being was surging forward to press shamefully close to Will Nye’s big, hard, body. She could not get close enough to him. His large hand gripping her waist was strangely comforting as it squeezed and relaxed there. She moaned against his mouth, startling herself so badly that she tore her mouth from his and stared up at him in horror.
“Was that me?” she blurted, trying to retreat.
“Stay still,” he ground out. “There’s broken china at your feet.”
Mina blinked at him, then lowered her gaze to the jagged pieces lying on the floor. “Oh,” she said. It was only then she realized she had dropped both cups. And apparently Nye had been fully aware of the fact,
