never whisper a word of what happens in my shop.”
Louisa moved toward him again and Neil opened his mouth to speak, then stopped.
Louisa wanted him to argue. She was so certain that by pinning that blasted hat on his head she would cause a row, and that row would lead to a confrontation. Then she would have an excuse to demand his resignation.
Why should he give her such satisfaction? Especially since she would be forced to lift herself up on her tiptoes and place a hand against his chest to steady herself.
“By all means,” he said quietly. “Use me as you will.”
Clearly, she’d expected anything except his acquiescence. Momentarily flustered, she paused in midmotion, her hand warm against his sternum.
Dropping his voice so that only she could hear, he said, “Far be it for me to refuse the entreaties of a desperate woman.”
At the word desperate, her eyes suddenly flashed and her body stiffened. Bit by bit, she lowered herself to the floor and backed away.
“No, now that I’ve thought about it again, I don’t think I’m interested in this one. I prefer the braid to the feathers.” Without another glance in Neil’s direction, she turned her back to him and added, “I’ll take the larger bonnet and veil, Mrs. Eddleton, as well as the supplies to make three more bonnets like those we chose in the catalog. I will enjoy a millinery project to keep my mind off…things.”
Mrs. Eddleton clucked in sympathy even as she unpinned the bonnet and motioned to Chloe. “If you’ll allow me to take your maid into the back room, Mrs. Winslow, I’ll assemble the materials right now.”
“Thank you.”
The two women stepped through the curtain, leaving the room in a tension-filled silence.
Neil knew the exact moment when Louisa realized she’d made a mistake. By sending both women into the other room, she had left herself without a chaperon. He could see the muscles of her spine tighten infinitesimally, her shoulders draw back. He felt the awareness fill her body as if it were a current that stretched between them.
“You shouldn’t have done that, you know,” he murmured.
She glanced at him over her shoulder. “Come now, I haven’t bruised your male spirit by attempting to place a bonnet upon your head.”
“I’m not talking about the hat.”
He bent to set the dog on the floor, instinctively knowing that Bitsy would run into the other room to investigate. As the dog’s ecstatic yips and scrabbling toenails grew faint, the intimacy of the showroom grew more pronounced.
“You shouldn’t tempt me, Mrs. Winslow.”
“Tempt you?” The words were breathless.
“Mmm.” He walked up behind her, coming close enough to press against her bustle and cause it to collapse.
Louisa started, her lungs filling with a quick gasp, but since she was pinned in place by his thighs on one side and the glass display counter on the other, she was unable to escape.
“Yes. You’ve been tempting me all afternoon.”
“I honestly don’t know what you mean.”
He touched her shoulder with his index finger, tracing the line of the braid at her neck.
“I think you do. You’ve done little all day except sashay in front of me, trying on jackets and gloves and shoes—”
“Necessary actions if one is to buy clothing.”
“Ahh, but I think you’ve enjoyed it. I’m fully aware of your tactics.”
“Tactics?”
“You think that by overwhelming me with the minutiae of your errands you will bore me into leaving my post.”
Her silence was answer enough.
“Little did you know that your plans would backfire.” His finger dipped, following the back seam of her jacket down between her shoulder blades, then lower and lower still.
“I find it hard to believe that a married woman—a widowed lady—could be so unaware of her innate attractions.”
She was breathing hard now. From his vantage point behind her, he could see over her shoulder. The sweet curves of her breasts pushed tightly against the ridge
Louisa moved toward him again and Neil opened his mouth to speak, then stopped.
Louisa wanted him to argue. She was so certain that by pinning that blasted hat on his head she would cause a row, and that row would lead to a confrontation. Then she would have an excuse to demand his resignation.
Why should he give her such satisfaction? Especially since she would be forced to lift herself up on her tiptoes and place a hand against his chest to steady herself.
“By all means,” he said quietly. “Use me as you will.”
Clearly, she’d expected anything except his acquiescence. Momentarily flustered, she paused in midmotion, her hand warm against his sternum.
Dropping his voice so that only she could hear, he said, “Far be it for me to refuse the entreaties of a desperate woman.”
At the word desperate, her eyes suddenly flashed and her body stiffened. Bit by bit, she lowered herself to the floor and backed away.
“No, now that I’ve thought about it again, I don’t think I’m interested in this one. I prefer the braid to the feathers.” Without another glance in Neil’s direction, she turned her back to him and added, “I’ll take the larger bonnet and veil, Mrs. Eddleton, as well as the supplies to make three more bonnets like those we chose in the catalog. I will enjoy a millinery project to keep my mind off…things.”
Mrs. Eddleton clucked in sympathy even as she unpinned the bonnet and motioned to Chloe. “If you’ll allow me to take your maid into the back room, Mrs. Winslow, I’ll assemble the materials right now.”
“Thank you.”
The two women stepped through the curtain, leaving the room in a tension-filled silence.
Neil knew the exact moment when Louisa realized she’d made a mistake. By sending both women into the other room, she had left herself without a chaperon. He could see the muscles of her spine tighten infinitesimally, her shoulders draw back. He felt the awareness fill her body as if it were a current that stretched between them.
“You shouldn’t have done that, you know,” he murmured.
She glanced at him over her shoulder. “Come now, I haven’t bruised your male spirit by attempting to place a bonnet upon your head.”
“I’m not talking about the hat.”
He bent to set the dog on the floor, instinctively knowing that Bitsy would run into the other room to investigate. As the dog’s ecstatic yips and scrabbling toenails grew faint, the intimacy of the showroom grew more pronounced.
“You shouldn’t tempt me, Mrs. Winslow.”
“Tempt you?” The words were breathless.
“Mmm.” He walked up behind her, coming close enough to press against her bustle and cause it to collapse.
Louisa started, her lungs filling with a quick gasp, but since she was pinned in place by his thighs on one side and the glass display counter on the other, she was unable to escape.
“Yes. You’ve been tempting me all afternoon.”
“I honestly don’t know what you mean.”
He touched her shoulder with his index finger, tracing the line of the braid at her neck.
“I think you do. You’ve done little all day except sashay in front of me, trying on jackets and gloves and shoes—”
“Necessary actions if one is to buy clothing.”
“Ahh, but I think you’ve enjoyed it. I’m fully aware of your tactics.”
“Tactics?”
“You think that by overwhelming me with the minutiae of your errands you will bore me into leaving my post.”
Her silence was answer enough.
“Little did you know that your plans would backfire.” His finger dipped, following the back seam of her jacket down between her shoulder blades, then lower and lower still.
“I find it hard to believe that a married woman—a widowed lady—could be so unaware of her innate attractions.”
She was breathing hard now. From his vantage point behind her, he could see over her shoulder. The sweet curves of her breasts pushed tightly against the ridge
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