“What is that?”
Never taking his eyes off her, he lounged back in his chair and, one-handed, unbuttoned his waistcoat.
Annabelle’s unblinking gaze followed his fingers as if transfixed by the sight. When her lips parted on a soft inhale, it was all he could do not to erupt from the chair and haul her into his arms for a thorough kiss.
Gritting his teeth against the fierce urge, he fished inside his breast pocket, withdrew the folded parchment he’d placed there yesterday, and leaned forward to hand it to her.
“What is this?” Annabelle asked, unfolding the paper.
Sterling did not answer. He regarded her as she scanned the page.
After a moment, she lowered the paper. “I do not understand. What is this?” she repeated.
Deliberately, he arched one challenging brow and finished his brandy. “You're an intelligent woman, Annabelle. You tell me.”
She sipped more brandy, as if buying time.
Perhaps he should not have given her a full portion. At this rate, she would be in her altitudes.
“It looks like a marriage certificate. But that is what I do not understand. It bears both of our names—a-and…tomorrow's date.”
He inclined his head. “In that case, I’d say the document is self-explanatory, wouldn't you?”
She set the nearly empty snifter on the side table between them with a resounding click and surged to her feet. “Sir, you are being deliberately obtuse. Yes, I comprehend the words. But as we are not betrothed, and as we are most definitely not getting married, I must ask if this is some sort of joke at my expense?”
“It is not a joke,” he said very steadily.
“Then, is it your way of once again accusing me of trying to entrap you?”
He framed his reply with care. “Annabelle, you may or may not have set out to entrap me. At this point, I’m willing to concede that was not your intent.”
“Thank you ever so much.” Blatant sarcasm underscored every word.
“Regardless. The repercussions of your uninvited stay here add up to one unalterable fact: You are compromised.”
“I disagree. Nothing has happened to compromise me.”
Her obstinacy was beginning to annoy him. “Strictly speaking, that is not true. Or have you forgotten yourexperimenton the rooftop?”
She tsked. “Nothing ofimporthas happened between us, my lord.” She lowered her voice. “More to the point, no one but usknows of the small incident on the rooftop.” She lifted her chin before adding in an accusatory tone, “Or the kiln.”
“No one else needs to know.Iknow.”
Her hands fisted at her sides. “Drat and double drat. Lady Caroline was right about you, sir. You are too exacting for your own good. You would entrap yourself into marriage to me, a woman you detest, to satisfy a debt of honor which no one demands be paid?”
“Enough.” He unfolded to his feet and closed the distance between them.
Her eyes widened, and she took a small step back as if she feared he meant to do her harm. Likely thanks to the image he currently presented in his rumpled clothes, unbuttoned waistcoat, unkempt hair, and shadowed beard.
He wanted to tell her he would never hurt her, but the words lodged in his throat as an unnamed emotion overwhelmed him. Taking her hands in each of his, he unfurled her fingers with infinite care.
“You have your facts wrong, Annabelle,” he said, his tone gruff. “As I've stated on numerous occasions, you arenotas I expected. Furthermore, I do not detest you, and I think you know this.”
His traitorous gaze flicked to the massive, empty bed behind her, and his cock stiffened.Hell. Everything in him screamed to show her just how much he didn’t detest her and put an end to this nonsense.
She tugged her hands free of his and wrapped her arms around herself. “Be that as it may, sir, I fear you are once again operating under the false assumption that you have any say over what I will or will not do. Allow me to disabuse you of the notion. I will not marry you under these circumstances.”
“No?” he drawled. Lifting one hand, he tucked a loose lock of silken hair behind one of her ears, allowing his fingertips to linger over the task. Her skin was so soft. Like satin.
