I know of.”
He wished he could take his cold words back the instant they were said. Especially when Audrey’s face twisted in horror and her eyes filled with tears, which she blinked away.
Her anger erupted to the surface to wash away the hurt.
“Douglas Ellison kissed me . I wanted nothing to do with his vile touch, but I allowed it so he wouldn’t become suspicious of my true motives. Trust that I will not put myself in a situation where he can repeat that action.”
He had to admit Audrey was magnificent in her rage. Her eyes sparkled with azure fire, her skin glowed with a pink flush, and her breasts lifted up and down in an alluring fashion as she drew in harsh breaths of air between tirades.
“As for you…” Her voice lowered a fraction as a blush colored her cheeks. “What happened between us was a mutual… mistake. I thought we agreed upon that at breakfast. And you apologized to me , so don’t you dare pretend that it was all my doing.”
Griffin’s heart sank with regret. It hadn’t been fair to blame her for his astonishing lack of self-control. Still, he tried to remain focused.
“And what of this newest man, Audrey? Why were you exchanging kisses with him in my sitting room?”
Her nostrils flared slightly and for a moment she didn’t answer, as if she were trying to rein in her emotions enough to find words.
“Jean Beaumonte is a friend to me, nothing more. I was simply saying goodbye to him in the fashion of his country, with two brief kisses, one on each cheek. I feel nothing for the man beyond a deep and very friendly affection, and powerful gratitude for all he has sacrificed for me and for our country.” Her low, furious tone made him feel like a schoolboy who’d been put down by his governess.
He watched her pace over to the window to look down at the street below.
For the first time he realized what a position they were in. She was standing in his bedroom, just feet away from his bed, in fact. And they were arguing as passionately as he would have liked to be making love to her.
“This Beaumonte was a spy then?” he asked in an attempt to clear those thoughts from his mind.
“Yes.” Her voice dropped another level, as if breaking visual contact with him allowed her a measure of calm. “Jean was our contact when Noah and I did business in France.”
Griffin wrinkled his brow. “So he spied on his own country? The man is a traitor.”
The way she spun on her heel told him he had crossed a very thin line into dangerous territory. “Is that what you think, Griffin? Well, if that is true, then Jean Beaumonte has already paid dearly for his ‘crime’. He has no family left, no money. He’s been revealed as a spy and is no longer welcome in his own country, yet ours is little better because he is a Frenchman visiting us directly after we conquered his emperor. He rescued me, and that’s something I’ll never forget, no matter what you say.”
Griffin paused. Curiosity overwhelmed any remaining frustration in him, and he took a step closer, leaving only a foot of space between them. Audrey drew in a short breath at his movement, as if she were finally becoming aware of where they were, but she didn’t move away from him.
“How did he save you?” he asked softly.
She held his gaze. “He rescued me from a man who wished to steal the virtue you think I give so freely.”
Griffin closed his eyes with a soft groan. In his anger, he’d made an erroneous assumption about the woman before him.
“I’m so sorry.” He opened his eyes to reach out to her hand. She allowed him to take it without resistance.
“You haven’t truly known me for many years, Griffin Berenger,” she whispered, rubbing her thumb across the sensitive webbing between his thumb and forefinger and sending a shock of awareness through his veins. “Please don’t assume you do just because we’ve shared two kisses.”
Griffin smiled down at her, unable to resist when the room was getting
He wished he could take his cold words back the instant they were said. Especially when Audrey’s face twisted in horror and her eyes filled with tears, which she blinked away.
Her anger erupted to the surface to wash away the hurt.
“Douglas Ellison kissed me . I wanted nothing to do with his vile touch, but I allowed it so he wouldn’t become suspicious of my true motives. Trust that I will not put myself in a situation where he can repeat that action.”
He had to admit Audrey was magnificent in her rage. Her eyes sparkled with azure fire, her skin glowed with a pink flush, and her breasts lifted up and down in an alluring fashion as she drew in harsh breaths of air between tirades.
“As for you…” Her voice lowered a fraction as a blush colored her cheeks. “What happened between us was a mutual… mistake. I thought we agreed upon that at breakfast. And you apologized to me , so don’t you dare pretend that it was all my doing.”
Griffin’s heart sank with regret. It hadn’t been fair to blame her for his astonishing lack of self-control. Still, he tried to remain focused.
“And what of this newest man, Audrey? Why were you exchanging kisses with him in my sitting room?”
Her nostrils flared slightly and for a moment she didn’t answer, as if she were trying to rein in her emotions enough to find words.
“Jean Beaumonte is a friend to me, nothing more. I was simply saying goodbye to him in the fashion of his country, with two brief kisses, one on each cheek. I feel nothing for the man beyond a deep and very friendly affection, and powerful gratitude for all he has sacrificed for me and for our country.” Her low, furious tone made him feel like a schoolboy who’d been put down by his governess.
He watched her pace over to the window to look down at the street below.
For the first time he realized what a position they were in. She was standing in his bedroom, just feet away from his bed, in fact. And they were arguing as passionately as he would have liked to be making love to her.
“This Beaumonte was a spy then?” he asked in an attempt to clear those thoughts from his mind.
“Yes.” Her voice dropped another level, as if breaking visual contact with him allowed her a measure of calm. “Jean was our contact when Noah and I did business in France.”
Griffin wrinkled his brow. “So he spied on his own country? The man is a traitor.”
The way she spun on her heel told him he had crossed a very thin line into dangerous territory. “Is that what you think, Griffin? Well, if that is true, then Jean Beaumonte has already paid dearly for his ‘crime’. He has no family left, no money. He’s been revealed as a spy and is no longer welcome in his own country, yet ours is little better because he is a Frenchman visiting us directly after we conquered his emperor. He rescued me, and that’s something I’ll never forget, no matter what you say.”
Griffin paused. Curiosity overwhelmed any remaining frustration in him, and he took a step closer, leaving only a foot of space between them. Audrey drew in a short breath at his movement, as if she were finally becoming aware of where they were, but she didn’t move away from him.
“How did he save you?” he asked softly.
She held his gaze. “He rescued me from a man who wished to steal the virtue you think I give so freely.”
Griffin closed his eyes with a soft groan. In his anger, he’d made an erroneous assumption about the woman before him.
“I’m so sorry.” He opened his eyes to reach out to her hand. She allowed him to take it without resistance.
“You haven’t truly known me for many years, Griffin Berenger,” she whispered, rubbing her thumb across the sensitive webbing between his thumb and forefinger and sending a shock of awareness through his veins. “Please don’t assume you do just because we’ve shared two kisses.”
Griffin smiled down at her, unable to resist when the room was getting
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