looking on.”
Adam glanced down at Miss Wright again and was very tempted to smile. He couldn’t believe she’d just said he wouldn’t do exactly what he’d just done. And she’d sounded damned convincing, too. She had courage in spades. He would grant her that.
“I thought it would be quite clear that I had fallen,” Miss Wright continued. “Lord Greyhawke was on his way to his carriage and saw me sitting on the ground. He picked me up and was bringing me inside when you opened the door.”
Adam watched both her uncles’ expressions instantly turn from anger to concern.
“Then by all the saints why are you standing out there in the cold with her, Lord Greyhawke? Bring her inside. The rest of you gentlemen step aside and let him pass. Better yet, go on home. There’s nothing for you to do here other than gawk and be in the way.”
“You amaze me, Miss Wright. Where did you learn to be so evasive?” Adam whispered as he tightened his hold on her and headed toward the door.
“Was I?” she responded.
“The best I’ve come across.” His foot landed on the first step. “For a moment you even had me believing I hadn’t kissed you.”
Miss Wright chuckled softly and slipped her arms around his neck. He was glad she wasn’t concerned about the predicament they were in, but he sure as hell was.
Adam bounded up the three steps with her. He didn’t make eye contact with any of the onlookers as they parted at the doorway and allowed him entrance, but the mumbled murmurings he heard as soon as his back was to them worried Adam. Suddenly he had the feeling that not one of the three gentlemen had believed Miss Wright’s story, even if it appeared, for the time being, that her uncles had.
Lord Willard’s long strides led the way down the corridor to the drawing room. From behind him, Adam heard the duke calling for his sister, Lady Leola, to come belowstairs.
Adam entered the drawing room and gently set Miss Wright on the wide-striped settee. He felt the tingling warmth of her gentle arms slide from around his neck and down his arms. Once again, he wanted to feel her soft, pliant lips beneath his.
A shiver of desire shuddered through him, and Adam was reminded that he wanted her. His every response to her all evening had surprised him.
Lord Willard quickly brushed him aside and knelt in front of her while the duke settled his tall, lanky frame beside her on the small sofa.
“Where are you hurt, my dear?” His Grace asked.
Miss Wright smiled lovingly and shook her head. “I’m not hurt, Uncles,” she assured them. “Please don’t worry. I don’t know why, but all of a sudden, I was feeling quite breathless and light-headed. I was unsure of my footing, lost my balance, and fell. As simple as that. The ground was quite soft, so there is no need for concern.”
Light-headed? Unsure of herself? Off balance and breathless?
Had his kisses made her feel that way?
No, Adam thought. He didn’t want to think about that possibility, and he certainly didn’t want to think about the way her touch and her kisses made him feel, either. That was heading into dangerous territory he didn’t want to venture into.
“What’s wrong?” Lady Leola exclaimed as she came rushing into the room, belting her flowing brown velvet robe tightly about her waist. A long, thin length of braided gray hair hung past her shoulders. Her concerned gaze darted from Adam to her brothers, then back to Miss Wright.
“Oh, Auntie, I wish they hadn’t called for you to come down. It wasn’t necessary. I am fine.”
“But what’s happened?” She knelt in front of her niece and beside Lord Willard and took both of Miss Wright’s hands in hers.
Adam was a little amazed that Miss Wright’s uncles and aunt were so concerned about her fall. Most guardians would have been more concerned that she was in his arms. Adam found that odd.
“I was outside exactly where you left me and I fell. Lord Greyhawke saw me, picked me up, and
Adam glanced down at Miss Wright again and was very tempted to smile. He couldn’t believe she’d just said he wouldn’t do exactly what he’d just done. And she’d sounded damned convincing, too. She had courage in spades. He would grant her that.
“I thought it would be quite clear that I had fallen,” Miss Wright continued. “Lord Greyhawke was on his way to his carriage and saw me sitting on the ground. He picked me up and was bringing me inside when you opened the door.”
Adam watched both her uncles’ expressions instantly turn from anger to concern.
“Then by all the saints why are you standing out there in the cold with her, Lord Greyhawke? Bring her inside. The rest of you gentlemen step aside and let him pass. Better yet, go on home. There’s nothing for you to do here other than gawk and be in the way.”
“You amaze me, Miss Wright. Where did you learn to be so evasive?” Adam whispered as he tightened his hold on her and headed toward the door.
“Was I?” she responded.
“The best I’ve come across.” His foot landed on the first step. “For a moment you even had me believing I hadn’t kissed you.”
Miss Wright chuckled softly and slipped her arms around his neck. He was glad she wasn’t concerned about the predicament they were in, but he sure as hell was.
Adam bounded up the three steps with her. He didn’t make eye contact with any of the onlookers as they parted at the doorway and allowed him entrance, but the mumbled murmurings he heard as soon as his back was to them worried Adam. Suddenly he had the feeling that not one of the three gentlemen had believed Miss Wright’s story, even if it appeared, for the time being, that her uncles had.
Lord Willard’s long strides led the way down the corridor to the drawing room. From behind him, Adam heard the duke calling for his sister, Lady Leola, to come belowstairs.
Adam entered the drawing room and gently set Miss Wright on the wide-striped settee. He felt the tingling warmth of her gentle arms slide from around his neck and down his arms. Once again, he wanted to feel her soft, pliant lips beneath his.
A shiver of desire shuddered through him, and Adam was reminded that he wanted her. His every response to her all evening had surprised him.
Lord Willard quickly brushed him aside and knelt in front of her while the duke settled his tall, lanky frame beside her on the small sofa.
“Where are you hurt, my dear?” His Grace asked.
Miss Wright smiled lovingly and shook her head. “I’m not hurt, Uncles,” she assured them. “Please don’t worry. I don’t know why, but all of a sudden, I was feeling quite breathless and light-headed. I was unsure of my footing, lost my balance, and fell. As simple as that. The ground was quite soft, so there is no need for concern.”
Light-headed? Unsure of herself? Off balance and breathless?
Had his kisses made her feel that way?
No, Adam thought. He didn’t want to think about that possibility, and he certainly didn’t want to think about the way her touch and her kisses made him feel, either. That was heading into dangerous territory he didn’t want to venture into.
“What’s wrong?” Lady Leola exclaimed as she came rushing into the room, belting her flowing brown velvet robe tightly about her waist. A long, thin length of braided gray hair hung past her shoulders. Her concerned gaze darted from Adam to her brothers, then back to Miss Wright.
“Oh, Auntie, I wish they hadn’t called for you to come down. It wasn’t necessary. I am fine.”
“But what’s happened?” She knelt in front of her niece and beside Lord Willard and took both of Miss Wright’s hands in hers.
Adam was a little amazed that Miss Wright’s uncles and aunt were so concerned about her fall. Most guardians would have been more concerned that she was in his arms. Adam found that odd.
“I was outside exactly where you left me and I fell. Lord Greyhawke saw me, picked me up, and
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