“I’m not Gregory’s nanny, and it’s not up to me to make him behave.”
“Will we lose the estate over this? Is that where we are with him?” He frowned at her for so long that her heart pounded with dread. “Tell me. How dire is it?”
“It’s dire.”
“But he continues on with you.”
“He hopes he’ll eventually get lucky.”
She scoffed at that. “I’ve known Gregory for twenty years. He’s not exactly a lucky fellow.”
“No, he’s not.”
“How can I change your mind?” she asked. “I’ll do anything.”
He winced. “You shouldn’t utter a remark like that to a man like me. I might take you up on it, and since you’re still a maiden, you can’t grasp the boons I’d demand.”
She tsked with offense. “Don’t pretend to be horrid. You’d never hurt me.”
“You haven’t a clue what I’m capable of perpetrating.”
As he voiced the warning, there was a steeliness in his tone that was unnerving. It forced her to realize he could be dangerous if pushed to a steep ledge. Though it wounded her to admit it, he could harm her without batting an eye.
It occurred to her that she was being very stupid. They were practically strangers, and she’d imbued him with traits he obviously didn’t possess.
“I can’t marry him,” she blurted out, letting the perilous words fly into the air.
He didn’t jump to agree that it was the right decision. He merely raised a brow. “Can you back out? At this late date, is it even a possibility?”
“I don’t know. I’d have to go to my uncle and insist we end it, but I can’t imagine having that conversation with him.”
“If it’s any consolation, I feel very sorry for you.”
She batted her lashes in a mocking way. “Aren’t I fortunate to have your sympathy!”
“I have naught to give you but sympathy.”
“You could give me Gregory’s promissory notes.”
“That won’t ever happen.”
She stood and went to the window. From her room, she couldn’t see the party, and she was glad she couldn’t. She had no desire to watch what was transpiring.
He was behind her, and she could sense him studying her, his presence brash and overwhelming. He simply took up too much space, and she yearned to whip around, to shout at him to stop tormenting her, but she’d never been the type of person who shouted.
After a bit, she asked, “Why are you at Grey’s Corner, Mr. Ralston? You and Gregory aren’t friends. Why did he invite you to the wedding? Why did you accept?”
“He’s anxious to stay on my good side. He owes me so much money, and if I cut him off and he couldn’t play at my club anymore, he’d be devastated. It would make him a pariah. All his acquaintances revel there. If he couldn’t revel with them, his social world would collapse.”
“Maybe it should collapse. Maybe it would save him.”
He didn’t respond to her comment, and she glanced over her shoulder. He was still studying her, his gaze potent and thrilling. She’d never had anyone look at her as he looked, as if he could delve down to the tiniest pore, as if she had no secrets from him.
“Why follow me to my room?” She was terrified to hear his answer. Would she be delighted? Or would it leave her even more conflicted?
“I didn’t like how you were treated out in the garden.”
“I can’t say I was overly keen about it either.”
“I thought about punching him and ordering him to quit being such an ass. Should I have?”
She smirked with irritation. “No, you shouldn’t have punched him.”
“I didn’t think you’d like me to. It’s the only reason I didn’t.”
“Are you here because you’re simply being kind? Is that it? You noticed I was upset, and you had to check on me?”
“I wouldn’t admit to that.”
“What is it then?”
He came over to her, crossing the floor in three quick strides. Before she could move, before she could blink, he pulled her into his arms. Then he was kissing her and kissing her.
It was wild and unrestrained and bizarre. She might have been out of her body, assessing another woman as she behaved precisely as she shouldn’t. She’d decided she couldn’t marry Gregory, but she was still officially betrothed, so her conduct was sinful and wrong. She’d probably wind up in Hell for it, but at the moment, she couldn’t worry about her immortal soul.
She was perplexed and aggrieved, and Mr. Ralston was the sole person who’d recognized she was hurting and shouldn’t be alone. He’d had to find out if she was all right. He’d been eager to comfort her, and she was elated to let him.
His hands were in her hair, his tongue in her mouth. His curious fingers roamed over her torso, touching her everywhere, as if imprinting her shape into his memory.
The embrace grew more unruly. They scratched, clawed, and wrestled, going at it like two cats trapped in a sack. Who kissed like this? Who carried on as if they were the last people on earth who would ever kiss?
She felt as if they’d tumbled off a cliff together, that they were falling down and down and down, and she wondered where she’d be when they landed at the bottom. Would it be a soft and cushioned place? Or would she hit the ground hard and never recover?
Gradually, they ran out of steam. They slowed, their lips parting, and he rested his forehead on her own. For a long while, they hovered just there, both of them seemingly stunned by the powerful emotions generated.
Eventually, he eased away. He smiled down at her, appearing wicked and fabulous and even a tad bewildered. She had no idea what he was thinking, what he might say, but when she heard what it was, she chuckled.
“I’m afraid I like you more than I should,” he told her.
“That might be an understatement.”
“I can’t figure out what’s driving me. There’s nothing about you to indicate you’re my type of female. You too
