Girl Behind the Scandalous Reputation

Tristan let out a frustrated breath. ‘I couldn’t agree more.’ He grabbed hold of her elbow and all but frog-marched her across the room, smiling pleasantly at the familiar faces milling around but avoiding all eye contact.

He reached the side door and drew Lily out into the family’s private corridor. She hadn’t made a fuss, but then he’d been counting on the fact that she wouldn’t.

He stopped beside a spindly hall table that was probably a thousand years old and turned, hands on hips, legs apart. ‘Now talk.’

Lily folded her arms across her chest. ‘Is this your usual approach after a night with a woman?’

‘Don’t push me, Lily.’

‘Ah—your favourite expression comes out to say hello.’

Tristan’s patience was wearing thin, and he knew she knew it. ‘What. Is. Wrong?’

‘What’s wrong? You’re behaving like an ape is what’s wrong. We had sex. What do you want—a reference?’

‘It wasn’t just sex,’ he denied.

‘What was it, then?’

‘Great sex.’ He smiled—a slow, sensual smile that was meant to cajole her out of her mood. Unfortunately it backfired.

‘Oh, well, pardon me. We had great sex. What more do you want? It’s not like it was anything special, was it? I thought you’d be pleased to be able to get on with your life and…’ Her voice trailed off and she clamped her lips closed, as if she didn’t want to reveal too much of herself or her intentions.

‘And what? Now you want to play the field? Get every other man’s attention?’ That had been his mother’s area of expertise. ‘You want to get it on with one of Oliver’s cousins now that I’ve broken you in?’

Her shocked gasp reverberated off the vaulted ceiling and he knew his comment had been a low blow. But, dammit, he’d wanted to hear her deny any interest in other men. And now he wished she’d slap him. Anything was better than being stared down by this icy creature who just wanted to get away from him.

‘I’m going back in.’ She moved towards the door and his hand shot out to stop her.

Something wasn’t right. She wasn’t anything like his mother and he knew that.

‘I’m sorry. That was uncalled for.’ His gaze fastened on her face and she stared back at him, her eyes glittering with barely veiled pain.

Then the way she’d spat the word special at him, and get on with your life registered in the thinking part of his brain.

‘You overheard me talking to Jordana this morning.’ His tone was accusatory when he hadn’t meant it to be, and her eyebrows hit her hairline.

‘I wasn’t going to embarrass you by mentioning it.’

‘I’m not embarrassed.’ Actually, he was still trying to recall exactly what he had said. He’d spent most of the day trying not to remember that particular conversation.

He tried to clear his head and think on his feet—something he was usually exceptionally good at, but which was eluding him tonight.

‘You weren’t meant to hear any of that.’

Lily shrugged as if it didn’t matter. ‘I’m sure you didn’t say anything to Jordana that you wouldn’t have said to me if I’d asked.’

Possibly. But hadn’t he said he was sick of her case? And that she wasn’t special? And something about his future title? Had he really said she was after that?

Okay, he could understand why she had her back up. He probably would have too if their situations had been reversed.

He shoved his hair from his forehead and smiled at her. ‘I know you’re not after my title.’

She looked at him as someone might regard a mutant rodent. ‘What a relief.’

‘And after last night you must know I think you’re special.’

‘How am I special?’ she asked immediately.