The Princess and the Peer(80)

“No,” she said in a flat voice. “You may rest easy on that score, my lord. I am not carrying your child.”

She couldn’t tell if he was glad of the news or not, his features impassive and impossible to read.

“So all your flirting tonight is just that—flirting,” he said after a long moment. “Or are you in search of your next conquest? I’d be careful who you choose.”

The chill evaporated from her veins, replaced by a sudden fiery rage. “How dare you!”

“Then again, we’re alone.” He looked pointedly around the room. “If you’re just looking for a bit of slap and tickle, I’d be happy to oblige. We could christen yet another book room sofa.”

Her hand swung up without conscious thought, but he caught it before she could strike him, cradling her palm inside his own. Stepping closer, he slid his other arm around her waist and pulled her near. As he did, she caught the scent of alcohol on his breath. “You’ve been drinking,” she accused.

“That’s right,” he confirmed with an unrepentant smirk. “I dare say nearly everyone at tonight’s party has been doing the same.”

Still, she could tell he knew exactly what she was implying.

“So?” He nodded toward the couch. “What do you say?”

She stiffened against him. “I say that you’re vile and I don’t know how I could ever have thought otherwise.” She struggled suddenly, but he held her fast, showing her just how useless were her efforts. “Let. Me. Go!” she ordered.

But he only pulled her tighter, wrapping her inside the unbreakable bonds of his arms. His gaze locked on hers and he stared deeply, penetratingly into her eyes, studying her as if he might learn the answer to some unfathomable truth.

“Let you go?” he repeated.

The anger was abruptly gone from his voice, replaced by a strange introspection, the question asked as though he were speaking to himself. “I only wish I knew how.”

His mouth came down on hers.

She expected his kiss to be brutal, uncompromising.

That she could have handled.

That she might have been able to resist.

But his mouth was tender instead, his kiss searching, with a quality of almost quiet desperation and undeniable longing.

She wanted to push him away, but how could she when his touch felt so good, so right? When this act that might have been crude and cruel was suddenly beautiful instead?

She held on, letting him deepen their embrace, opening her mouth to invite him in so that more of their flesh could mingle, could connect.

Her anger fell away, pleasure flowing through her like a live current.

God, how she’d missed this.

Missed him.

Despite his hurtful words, she didn’t know how she would do without him again.

Suddenly she realized she couldn’t allow their kiss to continue. It would be much too easy to give in completely and let their desire carry them where it must not be permitted to go again.

She kissed him back for one long, blazing moment, then wrenched her mouth away, turning her head to the side when he would have drawn her back. “Stop,” she said brokenly. “We have to stop.”

“Why?” he countered. “You like it.”

“Yes. Too much.” Struggling again, she worked to break free of his hold.

This time he honored her request.

She took several steps back so that she was out of his reach. Then she wrapped her arms around her already aching chest. “You think I ran away for a lark, but you’re wrong. I ran away because I was scared and confused.”

“Scared and confused about what?” His dark brows furrowed with his own brand of confusion.

“My future. There is something else you do not know about me.” Shuddering, she drew a breath. “I am to be married. To a royal I have never met and of whom I know almost nothing. The marriage is one of convenience, of politics, arranged by my brother in order to secure our nation’s sovereignty.”

“What—”

She hushed him with a quick shake of her head, needing to get this out whether he chose to believe her or not. “I fled while Rupert was away, just as you supposed, while I might still have some chance of escaping. I planned to go to my old teacher’s house, to spend a bit of time away from my real life. And yes, to enjoy my freedom one last time. But then I met you.”

Moisture rushed unwanted into her eyes. She tried to blink it away, but more followed, a tear leaking down her cheek. “I wanted to tell you the truth about myself every day, but how could I when it would have meant the end? When I would have had to go away? I didn’t mean for things to go so far between us. I thought I could have a little fun without it causing either of us any harm. That I could have an adventure before I had to return home and do my duty as I must. But it became something entirely different, something that meant so much more.”