Passionately Yours (Hellions of High Street 3)

Caro had never seen him look so… dangerous. She wondered once again what had caused such bad blood between the men.

Thayer flashed an apologetic smile at her. “It seems my presence is unwelcome, so I shall take myself off.”

It was a gracefully done apology, and he did sound contrite. Perhaps Alec was exaggerating the man’s faults.

Thayer started to turn and then hesitated. “If you are attending the Assembly tonight, Miss Caro, might I ask for the honor of a dance?”

The request took her by surprise. Unable to think of an excuse, she allowed good manners to dictate her response. “Yes. Of course.”

“Excellent,” he said. “I shall look forward to making up for my misstep here.”

Again, a handsome apology. After adding a polite tip of his hat, he strolled away.

Alec’s jaw was clenched so tightly that she expected to hear molars crack at any moment. He stared straight ahead at the dense wall of yew needles, and she counted to ten before he finally relaxed enough to speak.

“Why the devil did you agree to dance with him? I thought you said you weren’t blinded by his false charm.”

“I’m not,” she said, a little stung by his sharp tone. “But good manners dictated that I do so.” That and the fact the she didn’t wish to alienate Thayer quite yet.

“Allow me to repeat my earlier warning, Miss Caro. You should stay away from Thayer.”

“It would help if you explained why you dislike him so,” she replied.

“I am not at liberty to say,” he answered.

Huffing an exasperated sigh, Caro said, “That’s not an answer, that’s an evasion. Surely you can trust me with more than that.”

The molars began to grind again.

“Stop that. You’ll break your jaw.”

“I’d rather break Thayer’s,” he muttered through gritted teeth. “And then pound it into a thousand little shards of bone.”

“That’s clear,” she replied. “But the reason isn’t.”

“You don’t need to know it.”

Hot and cold—his mercurial moods had her body thrumming with confusion. “Fine. Keep me in the dark.” Caro’s patience, already dangerously frayed, suddenly snapped. “I’ll just have to decide for myself whether he is as evil as you imply.”

Fisting her skirts, she turned away.

“Wait. I’ll escort you to the entrance.”

“There’s no need. I can find my own way,” she said testily.

“Wait.” He had moved so swiftly and silently that Caro wasn’t aware he was right behind her until his arm hooked around her waist and yanked her to a halt.

Furious, she wrenched free, only to have her cry of outrage swallowed in a kiss that took her breath away.

Drat the man for making her insides turn as soft and sloshy as boiled oats!

“Please. I ask that you trust me for now,” he said softly, after pulling back from the all-too-short embrace.

“Wh-why should I?” she stammered.

“Because I am your friend and he is the enemy.” His eyes were dark as a stormblown Scottish loch, the swirl of slate-blue hues impenetrable.

Trust? It was a lot to ask when God only knew what secrets were hidden beneath the churning surface.