Last night, he’d been persuaded by her sincere appeal. Loyalty was one of Livy’s most endearing traits, and he understood her desire to help her friend…and to be a part of his life. The intimacy she’d described had stirred a tingling recognition, a whisper of a forgotten dream. He’d never had that before: a lover who was also a friend. A woman who wanted to share everything with him and whom he could trust with his deepest secrets.
Perched next to him as he handled the reins of the two chestnuts, Livy was as pretty as a picture in her mint-green frock embroidered with yellow rosebuds. Her bonnet had a spray of fresh yellow roses and was secured by green ribbons, which fluttered against her smooth cheek. Encased in delicate kid, her small hands were primly folded in her lap.
He was enchanted by the contrast between her demure exterior and her wantonness under his command, and he wanted a taste of the latter.
“Does it hurt to sit?” he asked.
Livy’s blush set off a satisfied hum in his blood. “Not really.”
“Perhaps I ought to spank you harder next time,” he said thoughtfully.
She slid a glance at him, an impish sparkle in her eyes.
“But why?” she asked coyly. “I was a good girl for you, wasn’t I?”
Christ, she was a quick study. He’d always enjoyed their banter, and flirtation made it even more delightful.
“You were,” he allowed. “But you were also naughty, spending on my lap in a public garden.”
Her cheeks turned even rosier. “I, um, thought you liked that?”
“I did. It makes me hard just thinking about it.”
Her gaze fell to his burgeoned groin, and his balls tautened when she wetted her lips. She was an adorable, natural wanton, and her needs perfectly matched his own. How did he get so bloody lucky?
“I offered to, um, help. With your condition,” she said in a breathy voice.
“You would like to serve me, would you?”
“I would love it, sir.”
The earnestness of her reply sent more blood rushing to his cock. He nearly groaned at the filthy image that sprang into his mind: Livy on her knees in front of him, staring sweetly up into his eyes as he pushed his prick between her pretty pink lips…
He took a composing breath. “You will have a chance soon enough.”
“How soon?”
At her unmaidenly impatience, he had to stifle a laugh.
“You will have to wait to find out, little brat,” he said. “Until then, let us talk of other matters. The present topic isn’t helping my concentration, and I don’t want to drive us off the road.”
Her reply was a lighthearted giggle. Bemused, he shook his head. How could his little queen be so sweet and seductive at the same time?
The fun moments made it easier to address the darker topics Ben had promised to tell Livy about. He spent the remainder of the ride sharing about his recovery from opium, including his work with Master Chen. He told her about the night watch, the discovery of the lethal drug, and the clues that had led to Longmere and his cronies.
At the conclusion of his tale, Livy said softly, “You have always been a hero in my eyes, and now I admire you even more. It took great strength to free yourself from opium’s clutches. And you are doing the right and noble thing in trying to stop the spread of this dangerous substance.”
He had to look away, fighting back an embarrassing surge of heat behind his eyes. Hell, she had a way of undoing him. Even as a little girl, she’d touched his heart in a way no one else had. As a woman, she would own him completely…and the realization was both alarming and heady. He couldn’t fail her the way he had his sister and his dead wife. Couldn’t lose her when she meant more to him than anyone.
“Thank you.” His voice felt scratchy in his throat. “That means more than you can know.”
“It means everything to me that you were willing to share your past,” she replied. “Now I understand the importance of our mission. We must discover who is behind this scourge and stop them.”
The determined angle of her chin renewed his fears. He cursed his weakness in bringing her today. He ought to start this relationship the way he meant it to go on: with him in charge and her doing as she was told.
“This isn’t our mission.” He levelled a reprimanding stare at her. “I will not have you endangering yourself for any reason, Livy. If something happened to you, I could not bear it. Perhaps I made a mistake in allowing you to accompany me today.”
“No, you didn’t,” she said quickly. “I promise I will not interfere.”
He did not trust her innocent expression. Yet it was too late to regret his decision, for they had arrived at their destination: a row of terraced brick houses in Fitzrovia, a fashionable area for artistic types. Longmere’s studio was the corner property. The large windows on all three floors were sparkling, free of the coal dust that clung to the glass panes of the neighboring addresses. As a painter, Longmere presumably needed good light.
Handing Livy down, Ben led the way to the front door. “Let me do the talking.”
“You are in charge,” Livy said cheerily.
He was doomed. Sighing, he rang the bell. After several minutes passed, he did it again.
“Do you think no one is here?” Livy asked.
He felt a quiver of amusement as she balanced on tiptoe, trying to see through the window at the top of the door. She looked like a girl trying to peep at the treats in a sweets shop.
“I’ll try again,” he said.
When moments passed with no response, his foreboding grew.
“According to Pippa, Longmere practically lives at his studio. It is odd that he is not answering.” Livy’s wide eyes reflected his own misgivings.
He reached
