For All Time (Nantucket Brides 2)

“No. That was all f

rom Victoria. I owe her a great deal. I like that you’re not gone all day. Any chance you could take the whole summer off?”

“Why ask me? You and your brother and Victoria seem to be in charge of my life.” She twisted to look at him. “It’s hard to believe that I was beginning to think you were a sweet, gentle man. You seemed so mild that I was starting to wonder if you could handle being a king.”

Smiling, he put his face on her neck, his lips not kissing but grazing her skin. “Kingship is born into a man.”

“Or a woman.”

“In my country a woman can be queen only if she marries a king.”

“How very medieval of you. Tell me, do you pay women employees half the wages of men?”

“Our women have no jobs outside the home. It is forbidden.”

Toby glared. “Are you kidding me?”

“You have seen Lorcan. What do you think she would say if a man told her she must stay home?”

“His head would roll across the floor?”

“Exactly.”

“Arrogant, swaggering Kingsley,” she said. “That’s what Valentina said you were.”

“And who is she?” Graydon asked, his arm tightening about her waist and his face more deeply buried in her neck. Against her backside she could feel his arousal.

“Be careful or you’re going to embarrass yourself in front of your companions.”

“To show I am a man with manly desires is an honor.”

With a quick movement she twisted around to face him and he put both his arms loosely around her.

“You have issued me a challenge and I accept it,” he said.

Toby was realizing that it was a mistake to have turned around. Graydon in an open shirt standing behind her in the bathroom was bad, but him shirtless with her front almost, just about, touching his bare flesh was very bad. But she didn’t want to let him know that. Two could play at his flirting game.

“Last night I had a very vivid dream and you were in it.” When he bent as though to kiss her neck, she moved her head away. “You were kissing me and begging me to marry you but I was saying no. I was going to marry Silas, a man who owns a big store.”

“Tell me his name and I will cut him to pieces.”

“No, this dream was in civilized times, when Kingsley House was first built. Actually, I saw a lot of people I know.”

“I like this that you have on.” His hands went up her bare arms, feeling them, as though testing for muscle. “You have some strength here.”

She took a quick step back and got out of his embrace. “You’re more like your brother than you seem.”

“To the world we are identical.”

“Ha!” Toby said. “He’s better looking than you are.”

“Not as short and pale as I am?” His eyes were teasing as he picked up some bright yellow, long, narrow straps. He took her hand in his and began to wrap the cloth tightly around it.

“What’s this for?”

Graydon nodded toward Daire, who was standing nearby holding some red leather boxing gloves. “I am going to honor your challenge by letting you hit me.”

“Sounds good, but what challenge did I give you? No. Wait! It isn’t what I said about not falling in love with you, is it?”