She gave a nod. “Well, Matthew, I don’t either. But perhaps, since neither of us has anyone else. We could be each other’s family of sorts.”
That sounded so good and so wrong. He liked having her close, touching him, but he didn’t want her to be his sister. He wanted her in his bed. That was absurd. He refused to make her his mistress and it was too risky to take her as wife. Which left them with friendship or nothing. Camaraderie would have to do for now, he supposed. “I’d like that.”
She gave him a glowing smile. “It is fate that we met. I believe it.” Her fingertips slid gently down his arm to grasp his fingertips in her own. It felt so right. In that moment he tried to remember why he wasn’t marrying this woman instead of allowing her to become someone else’s.
This touch, holding his hand, would have to suffice. As she looked into his eyes, the man who had plucked her from the street and breathed life back into her, she knew she could never marry another man. No one could ever compare to him.
Nor would Matthew want her as his wife. He had his choice of ladies. Why would he want a street urchin? A girl even her father hadn’t loved? So she’d have to settle for showing her affection through friendship and caring. She’d support him no matter what after everything he’d done for her and had promised.
Besides, it was far safer and better to take care of herself. Then she never need worry again. She would write to Tricia first thing in the morning and tell her not to bother with the party. She didn’t want it. She’d never be content with one of those men, she was certain.
The carriage rumbled to a stop at the inn and Matthew climbed out to help her down. As he tucked her hand in his elbow, she resisted the urge to press close.
Making their way up the stairs, Ella couldn’t help but note how much slower his movements were than normal. They entered the room and she moved to stoke the fire as he pulled the bell cord to order their supper.
“Servants will be in shortly to take care of that,” he said.
“I don’t mind,” she replied as she crossed the room again. Sitting down on a settee, she watched as he gingerly joined her. “Should I fetch the doctor?” she asked, her brow creasing in worry.
“I’ll be fine.” He grimaced slightly as he gingerly worked his arm.
Watching him did little to ease her worry. “Let me look at it.”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“Nonsense.” She waved her hand. “I can at least see if it’s broken.”
He stood again and shrugged off his jacket, then loosened his cravat. His brow furrowed as he let out a small groan and so she stood too and pushed his hands aside. “Allow me,” she said as she worked the knot free. Sliding open each of the buttons on his shirt, she gently parted the fabric. His skin was warm under her touch, she could feel his heat. As her fingers brushed the fabric down his shoulders, they bumped along the deep ridges of his muscles making her breath catch.
He stood in nothing but an undershirt, his broad shoulders and tapered waist on full display. Her breath hitched and for a moment, she just stared.
“How does my arm look?”
His deep voice reverberated through her, startling her back to reality. Blinking several times, she looked down to see a large lump and a black and blue marks already blooming on his skin. “Let me feel it,” she whispered and ran her hand along the flesh. While it looked like the injury hurt, it didn’t feel like the bone was splintered.
She glanced up into his eyes. “It feels all right.”
But that was a mistake. She was so close, and he was strong and warm under her touch. As he looked down at her, she trembled in excitement. She felt, rather than saw, him moving closer and as he closed the distance between them, his lips brushed hers in the most delicious way.
They lifted for a moment but then pressed to hers again. She touched his chest to
steady herself as a giddy dizziness made it hard to stand.
He wrapped his arms around her and their bodies pressed together. He’d felt warm before but their combined heat was making her flush with…excitement. Their mouths moved together, each touch building to the next until he slanted her lips open and plundered hers with his tongue. She moaned, and any rational thought flew out of her mind as she moved closer still. She never wanted this moment to end.
A knock at the door sounded like a musket in the room startling them apart. Ella took a large step back, her eyes wide as they stared into his dark, nearly dangerous, gaze. “I apologize,” she whispered.
“It’s not your fault…”
Heat bloomed in her cheeks. She’d only just decided to be his friend and here she was kissing him. She’d never kissed a man before and hadn’t understood that it would be so consuming. She needed to control herself so that she didn’t drive him away forever. He didn’t want her as his mistress or his wife. She shouldn’t have touched him in such a way.
It was that thought that made her feet move and she fled to her room, slamming the door behind her.
Chapter Six
Matthew ran his hand through his hair before he crossed the room to open the door. “Yes?” he sharply asked.
The butler’s eyes grew wide as he stuttered, “I’ve an urgent message for you, Sir.”