She sighed and faced him. “Diana thought to see if you might attempt a kiss.”
“Really? Interesting, indeed. Well, she is a lovely woman. Friendly and kind, too.” He smirked at her. “Perhaps I should take a stroll on the terrace. Seems I would receive a far warmer welcome.”
Marina huffed and folded her arms across the front of her body, which only lifted and pushed her breasts together. He gazed at them for longer than he should have, but thankfully for him, her continued pacing let his attention go unnoticed.
“Anyone with eyes can see she has taken notice of the new Earl of Powis,” Marina said, rolling her eyes.
“Oh? So you don’t actually believe she might have an interest in me, yet you lured me into this dark room in the middle of the ball where anyone might find us? Perhaps you brought me here for another reason.”
With a sudden halt, she ceased her pacing and gave him a deathlystare. “Well, she is stubborn, and she wants to ensure she marries this season. I tried to dissuade her from the ridiculous plan to begin with. I’m already quite aware that the two of you wouldn’t suit.”
“And why is that?” he asked. “Because you want me for yourself?”
He couldn’t believe her. She had the audacity to accuse him of jealousy over Jude, when she was the one luring him away to keep him from her friend. She put them both in a precarious situation if they should be caught.
Marina faced him now. “What on earth have I done that would give any indication I want you?”
“I just know.”
“You know nothing,” she said, waving him off.
He took a few steps toward her. If she thought he was going to let this pass without calling her on it, she was mistaken.
“Admit it,” he said. “You couldn’t stand the thought of my lips touching another’s.” He licked his bottom lip for good measure, noting that her eyes lingered when he did. “Especially if I were to deepen the kiss and use my tongue.”
She scowled at him. “You think too highly of yourself. You’re the one who can’t handle me speaking to another man.”
He folded his arms and widened his stance, fury building within him. He wouldn’t let her throw this back on him.
“Perhaps you think too highly of yourself,” he said. “I only wished to help you avoid making an error.”
“Like the one I made last summer?” She spat the words, and they hung between them.
Starting toward the door, she broke the silence. “I have to get out of here. I can’t be found withyou.”
The ‘you’ came out even more hateful than he would have expected from her, and he cringed.
Marina bolted from the room and left Evan standing alone in the dark. He had to admit that, as much as it irritated him to do so, she’d won that round.
Chapter Four
Marina
Marina tossed andturned in her bed again. That dratted man would ensure that she never got a good night’s sleep again. She hated the annoying fact that Evan still impacted her. She had hoped that her pride would have forced her to sleep. But no such luck.
Why did she interfere with the happenings of the evening, which only resulted in another encounter with the maddening man?
Diana ended up betrothed to the new Earl of Powis, so Marina hadn’t needed to interfere at all. Arguably, with hindsight being what it is, her pursuits might have been better suited to interfere with Diana instead of Evan.
Evan. The far too handsome bastard she couldn’t free herself from. The visual of him licking his lips haunted her and she let her fist hit the bed next to her.
Giving up on the notion of sleep once again, she rang for Millie to help her dress for the day. Needing to escape the suffocating walls of her room, she sought breakfast, finding her father already in the breakfast room. It would seem that not a single thing would go her way this season.
“Morning, Papa.”
She had avoided Minto at the ball last night, and she was certain that her father was going to have plenty to say on the matter.
“Good morning, Marina.” Her father set down his paper andstared at her.
