Dauntless (Gentlemen of the Order 1)

Eva stared at him, a little in awe of his strength and resolve. He proved a conundrum. Never had she met anyone so fascinating.

“You’re right,” she said, aware she was gaping like a besotted fool. She could not recall ever wanting to kiss a man. But she had an urge to kiss Mr Ashwood. “I should not have given up so easily.”

“No.”

Their gazes remained locked.

The nervous tension in the air grew palpable.

“Well, Mr Hemming will be waiting,” she eventually said before she took his advice and did something unbelievably reckless. “And how will we bait my publisher?”

“We will improvise.” He opened the door leading to the tiled hall and narrow flight of stairs. “I prefer to let the suspect’s actions determine how I proceed.”

Mr Ashwood sneered at the brass plate on the wall before gesturing for her to enter the premises. As she mounted the stairs, it took every effort not to trip for she could feel the heat of his gaze scorching her back. A glance behind confirmed Mr Ashwood was watching the sway of her hips, not minding his step.

Mr Hemming’s clerk sat at a cluttered desk in the room opposite the stairs. He pushed to his feet, straightened his spectacles and wiped his hands on his trousers before hurrying forward to greet them.

“Good m-morning, Miss Dunn.” The young clerk bowed and then fussed with his mop of blonde locks to hide his receding hairline.

“Good morning, Mr Smith.” Eva motioned to the commanding gentleman beside her. “This is Mr Ashwood. He will join me when I meet with Mr Hemming today.”

The clerk’s eyes widened as he scanned the breadth of Mr Ashwood’s chest. His nervous tic made him wink incessantly. “Is Mr Hemming aware you’ve b-brought company?” Mr Smith’s voice trembled the way it always did when speaking of his employer.

“Not to my knowledge.” Eva offered a reassuring smile.

Mr Smith glanced at the door at the end of the hall as if it were the entrance to Hades. “Then I had best inform him of—”

“There’s no need,” Mr Ashwood interjected. “Miss Dunn has an appointment, and I am here at her behest.”

“Yes, sir, but—”

“Rams butt, Smith. We haven’t time to waste lingering in the corridor.”

“N-no, sir,” the clerk stuttered.

Mr Ashwood placed his hand at the small of Eva’s back. “Lead the way, my love.”

The clerk frowned with confusion upon hearing the endearment, while Eva shivered with delight. Oh, her reaction bordered on ridiculous. Clearly, Mr Ashwood wished to make it known he had a vested interest in her welfare.

It was a warning.

A claim of ownership.

Bait.

“Follow my lead,” Mr Ashwood whispered in her ear as they neared Mr Hemming’s office, though it must have looked highly inappropriate to the poor clerk watching while shuffling his papers. “Play the role.”

Eva swallowed deeply before knocking on the publisher’s door.

“Enter,” came the usual lofty reply.

“You enter,” Mr Ashwood muttered. “I’ll wait in the shadows.”

Eva pasted a smile and burst into the room. She looked to the desk only to find the wingback chair empty. Then she spotted the devil, who thought his handsome countenance gave him a right of entitlement, relaxing on the sofa near the hearth.

“Good morning, Mr Hemming,” she said, succeeding in banishing her nerves. “Thank you for seeing me.”

Mr Ashwood did not follow her into the room.