“It was not a joke! Amanda Kisch? Terrible!”
He smirked at her affront, but Amanda was serious. It was something she and her sister Amelia had teased for years; Amanda’s name sounded sufficiently likeA-man-tothat she would have to be very careful about which last name she would agree to take. As a result, Amanda had vowed never to marry.
But in reality, it was because there was no man shewantedto marry.
Or rather, there was, but he wouldn’t have her.
“Last month in Dublin the head waiter was named Lynn.” His words were mild, but she could hear the teasing tone hidden beneath.
“Lynn?” she repeated, trying to work through his point. “Amanda…Lynn? Amanda Lynn.” It wasn’t until she said it in a sing-song tone that she understood. “A mandolin? OhLord,Hiro!” she groaned, smacking his arm. “That’s terrible.”
“Oh, you think so?” His tone was too innocent. “Did I tell you I met a Jacques Suchard in the hotel yesterday?”
Amanda snorted as they passed the last of the shops. “Suss-chard? It is a good thing it is not pronouncedsuck-hard. I likely should not marry him either, just to be safe.”
“Likely,” Hiro agreed drily as he turned them near St. John’s. “And Joseph Slapp? He was your brother’s solicitor who wrote last week.”
“Amanda Slapp?” Chuckling, she pressed her cheek to his arm again, not caring how her hat brim would bend, or that people would see them. There were fewer shoppers here, and those whowereout and about seemed inclined to keep their heads bowed against the cold as they hurried on their way. “Actually, I could live with that.”
Hiro knew she didn’t mean it, because he snorted. “A man to slap? Yes, Mandy, I could see that working for you.”
It was theMandywhich did it for her.
Until now, Amanda had managed to rein in her desire to touch him more than she currently was, in deference to their surroundings and Hiro’s obvious discomfort. But he’d called herMandyagain, and they were chuckling about three years of shared adventures and jokes.
She couldn’t help herself.
In one movement, she reached for his other arm to stop him, surged up on her toes, and kissed him.
CHAPTER 2
Hiro groaned in surrender, sinking into Mandy’s kiss in a way he absolutely shouldn’t. Her tongue teased his lips andof coursehe opened his, inviting her in, despite where they were—despite what they were.
A part of his mind was yelling at him, telling him he was foolish to lose awareness of his surroundings. Anyone could see them here, standing on a street corner in front of one of Edinburgh’s largest churches…
He’d ruin Lady Amanda’s reputation, lose her brother’s trust.
But a considerably larger part of him had grabbed his attention by the bollocks and was stroking him in the most delicious manner. Just as her tongue was.
Because, God forgive him, Hiro was lost.
Lost to her touch, lost to hersoul. He was hers, in the most divine way, and no amount of self-preservation could prevent that.
Another groan escaped his lips, and he wrapped his arms around her middle, pulling her closer. The bag with young Lord Benedict’s train set dangled from his elbow as she threw her arms around Hiro’s neck, pulling him closer.
Closer.
Christ, here on the street, anyone could see them.
Hewasgoing to ruin her, wasn’t he?
Three years.
Three fooking years.
He’d been so careful, at first. When Alistair had given him permission to chase his sister across the globe, toprotecther, Hiro had reveled at the trust his friend and employer had shown.
And the first time Amanda had climbed into his bed, Hiro had almost died from shame.
