coming here to the duchess’s house party, and I can’t allow you to do that.”
He caught the note of wistfulness in her voice and hope bloomed anew. “It is I who should be sorry. You and I are passionate people; perhaps it is only naturalthat we should find ourselves at cross-purposes now and again, nyet? ” He smiled at her. “I do not wish you to stop speaking with me. Is unacceptable. I will do what I must to keep that from happening.”
Her expression softened and she offered him a shy smile that sent his heart thudding in his chest. “I wouldn’t like that, either.”
“Finally, something we agree upon.”
She chuckled. “It didn’t take us long, did it?”
“Two days, but who is counting.” He grinned. “But I must ask for one thing first.” He captured her hand and placed a kiss to her fingers in a courtly, nonthreatening manner. “I must ask for your patience. I am not the sort of man to keep his feelings to himself, but I will try.”
“Thank you.” Her gaze locked with his and he became aware of the softness of her hand in his. He lifted her hand again, only this time he turned it over and pressed a kiss into her palm.
Instantly, her eyes turned smoky and her lips parted. Just as quickly, her cheeks blazed and she tugged her hand free and moved away.
It dawned on him that she hadn’t asked for any restrictions on his actions, only his words. He almost grinned, but wisely hid his jubilation. Ah, Moya, already I have found a crack in the walls you build. If you forbid me to speak, then I will seduce you with something other than words.
Unaware that she was already bested, Lily clasped her hands behind her back and took some distancingsteps. “Now that we’ve settled this, I can spend my time doing what I came here to do: find a husband.”
“Someone like the Earl of Huntley?”
She didn’t seem able to meet his gaze. “Perhaps.”
“Do not deny that he is your intended target.”
“Target? I’m not shooting at him.”
“Yes, you are. With little cupid arrows of demure smiles and shy glances, hoping one will strike his heart so that he will wish to marry you and save your family.”
“It sounds horrid when you say it like that.”
“Nonsense. I honor your commitment to your family. How could I not? But this kind of love you talk about—one born of necessity—will not sustain you.” His gaze locked with hers, his voice deepening. “You deserve real passion, Moya. The touch of a man who makes you tremble.”
Her chin lifted. “If I marry a man I can honor and respect, the rest will come.”
“Perhaps and perhaps not. Sadly, if it doesn’t, you won’t even know what you are missing.” He moved closer to her, ready to prove his point.
Lily caught the look in his eyes and her pulse leapt in response. Before he reached her, she whirled to face the window. “It’s certainly bright outside. I do hope the weather holds, for the duchess has been talking about a visit to the folly built on the island in the lake.”
He stood so close behind her that she could feel his warm breath on her hair. “It is very sunny. I do not think it will rain.”
“Good, for it would be sad if we didn’t get to see the folly. I’ve heard it’s beautiful.”
Her thoughts were completely divorced from what she was saying. Was Wulf right? Was it possible that if she married an honorable and good man, one she respected and cared for, passion might never flare between them?
She rubbed her arms, feeling alone once more. Never is a long time. She didn’t wish for a passionless marriage, but how did one make certain that didn’t happen?
There had to be signs she could look for, clues to the ability for that passion to bloom. But would she recognize them? She knew so little about it.
She turned to look up at Wulf. He was a man of experience. Perhaps he would know. “May I ask you something?”
“You may ask me anything you wish.”
“How would I know if passion were possible
He caught the note of wistfulness in her voice and hope bloomed anew. “It is I who should be sorry. You and I are passionate people; perhaps it is only naturalthat we should find ourselves at cross-purposes now and again, nyet? ” He smiled at her. “I do not wish you to stop speaking with me. Is unacceptable. I will do what I must to keep that from happening.”
Her expression softened and she offered him a shy smile that sent his heart thudding in his chest. “I wouldn’t like that, either.”
“Finally, something we agree upon.”
She chuckled. “It didn’t take us long, did it?”
“Two days, but who is counting.” He grinned. “But I must ask for one thing first.” He captured her hand and placed a kiss to her fingers in a courtly, nonthreatening manner. “I must ask for your patience. I am not the sort of man to keep his feelings to himself, but I will try.”
“Thank you.” Her gaze locked with his and he became aware of the softness of her hand in his. He lifted her hand again, only this time he turned it over and pressed a kiss into her palm.
Instantly, her eyes turned smoky and her lips parted. Just as quickly, her cheeks blazed and she tugged her hand free and moved away.
It dawned on him that she hadn’t asked for any restrictions on his actions, only his words. He almost grinned, but wisely hid his jubilation. Ah, Moya, already I have found a crack in the walls you build. If you forbid me to speak, then I will seduce you with something other than words.
Unaware that she was already bested, Lily clasped her hands behind her back and took some distancingsteps. “Now that we’ve settled this, I can spend my time doing what I came here to do: find a husband.”
“Someone like the Earl of Huntley?”
She didn’t seem able to meet his gaze. “Perhaps.”
“Do not deny that he is your intended target.”
“Target? I’m not shooting at him.”
“Yes, you are. With little cupid arrows of demure smiles and shy glances, hoping one will strike his heart so that he will wish to marry you and save your family.”
“It sounds horrid when you say it like that.”
“Nonsense. I honor your commitment to your family. How could I not? But this kind of love you talk about—one born of necessity—will not sustain you.” His gaze locked with hers, his voice deepening. “You deserve real passion, Moya. The touch of a man who makes you tremble.”
Her chin lifted. “If I marry a man I can honor and respect, the rest will come.”
“Perhaps and perhaps not. Sadly, if it doesn’t, you won’t even know what you are missing.” He moved closer to her, ready to prove his point.
Lily caught the look in his eyes and her pulse leapt in response. Before he reached her, she whirled to face the window. “It’s certainly bright outside. I do hope the weather holds, for the duchess has been talking about a visit to the folly built on the island in the lake.”
He stood so close behind her that she could feel his warm breath on her hair. “It is very sunny. I do not think it will rain.”
“Good, for it would be sad if we didn’t get to see the folly. I’ve heard it’s beautiful.”
Her thoughts were completely divorced from what she was saying. Was Wulf right? Was it possible that if she married an honorable and good man, one she respected and cared for, passion might never flare between them?
She rubbed her arms, feeling alone once more. Never is a long time. She didn’t wish for a passionless marriage, but how did one make certain that didn’t happen?
There had to be signs she could look for, clues to the ability for that passion to bloom. But would she recognize them? She knew so little about it.
She turned to look up at Wulf. He was a man of experience. Perhaps he would know. “May I ask you something?”
“You may ask me anything you wish.”
“How would I know if passion were possible
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