“You would?”
He stared down at her with a smile. “Of course.”
Sneaking a look up at him, she sighed. If she returned to the estate, she would miss him terribly. How was it possible that she would miss him? But she would. That was the most ridiculous thought ever. She barely knew him.
But she was discovering that he wasn’t the man she’d assumed he was from all the rumors. He certainly wasn’t heartless. She had a terrible feeling that she was falling in love with him.
“What is wrong?” he asked. “You have gone quite pale.”
“N—nothing,” she muttered.
“Tia . . .”
Thankfully, the carriage slowed to a stop in front of his home. As soon as she could, she scrambled down with his help and rushed into the house. “Good afternoon, Nelson,” she said and continued up the stairs to her room.
She ripped off her bonnet and gloves, tossing them on a nearby chair. Then she paced. And paced. She couldn’t be in love with him, she told herself. That just wasn’t possible. She wasn’t that naïve. She knew nothing could come of it. His offer of marriage was only to ease his guilt for breaking his vow. Nothing more!
A knock halted her stride. Assuming it was Mrs. Abbott, she said, “Come in.”
She turned away from the door and continued her pacing. It took a few seconds to realize just how quiet Mrs. Abbot was this afternoon. Tia turned and found Middleton with his back against the door and his arms folded over his chest.
“What are you doing in my room unannounced?”
“You told me to come in,” he said with a smirk.
“I thought you were Mrs. Abbott.” God, why wouldn’t he leave? The longer he stood there sending her those smoldering looks, the more her thoughts turned sensual. And she shouldn’t—no, wouldn’t—let her mind go there.
“There are usually only two reasons women pace in their bedchambers.” He tilted his head slightly.
“Oh? Only two? I can think of many reasons a woman might wish to pace in her room,” Tia retorted. Perhaps if she could summon her anger at him, then she wouldn’t think about stripping off his jacket and shirt so she could run her fingernails down his chest.
“The first is that she is not telling her lover something important.”
“You are not my lover,” she countered.
“Then it must be the obvious.” He stepped away from the door, slowly stalking her. His blue eyes shimmered.
She took a step back for each he went forward. “What is obvious?”
He continued to pursue her until she felt the wall behind her. He smiled at her predicament. “The only other reason for a woman to wear a carpet so thin is frustration.”
“What frustration?” He couldn’t possibly know her thoughts.
“Frustration of a carnal nature,” he whispered near her ear.
She shivered when his lips plucked little kisses around her ear. “I believe you might be wrong about that.”
“Am I?” He trailed kisses down her jaw.
“What about your vow?” she whispered hoarsely. She couldn’t want this again. Well, she shouldn’t want this again.
“We have already discussed that.” He kissed just both corners of her mouth before bringing his hard lips down on hers.
Resist him, her conscience screamed at her. But she didn’t want to resist him. Slowly, she opened her mouth for him, letting his tongue find hers. The heat of his mouth on hers made her melt against him.
He broke the kiss and stared down at her with those penetrating eyes. “Do you have any idea how much I want you right now?”
Emboldened by the desire she would see in his eyes, she placed her hand on his trouser-covered cock and stroked him. “I believe I do.”